GAME DAY: Canucks vs Oilers

We knew this 12 day 6 game road swing at the start of the season was going to be a tough one. Many of us dared not admit the scenarios we saw in the back of our heads: a litany of injuries and less than half the games won. So here we are, sitting in the basement of the NW Division, desparately needing a win to keep pace tonight in the first real crucial game of the season. Despite the injuries, the Canucks find themselves in a pretty decent position tonight. They are back at home and have had 3 days rest, and are facing an Oilers squad that has lost their last 2 contests and have suddenly started looking human after a 4-0 start. The injury bug has hit the Oilers too, as they could be missing Shawn Horcoff, Fernando Pisani, Steve Staios and J.F. Jacques. The Canucks have added Kyle Wellwood and Jason Krog to replace Pavol Demitra and Rick Rypien (rib contusion and viral infection, respectively). Wellwood had a goal and an assist, and Krog will be on a PP unit with the Sedins as Taylor Pyatt has been demoted from the special teams unit. Darcy Hordichuk may be back tonight, and Sami Salo is listed as day to day with a groin injury. The Canucks were 4-1-3 against the Oilers last season, but no doubt the April 3rd win by the Oilers to knock them out of the playoffs is on the minds of a few of the Canucks. A number of things are going to have to happen for the Canucks to snap this 3 game losing streak tonight. Special teams must improve greatly, especially the PK, which has been horrible after a run of 14 straight kills to start the season. The power play must score (anyone remember 'The Shift' from last season? That was against the Oilers...) and score more than once. They must lock things down defensively right from the start, as the first periods have been killing the Canucks this season. Roberto Luongo must be the better goalie tonight. He has been below average on this trip, giving up uncharcteristic goals, and not making the big save when the Canucks really needed it. They also need to avoid the shootout, as we went 0-3 against the Oilers last season. And once again we need a huge game from the Sedins. The Canucks haven't lost when they both get a point, and are 150-49-20 when that happens.

It should be a good game, better than what we have seen over the last week from the team, as they attempt to get back on course early in the season. Oh and did you hear that Mats Sundin is working out in L.A. to prepare for a return to the NHL. Just sayin'.

In other news, the St. Louis Blues decided to one-up the Flyers by asking Sarah Palin to drop the puck at their game, well after her blatant race baiting and lies had been cranked up. So is it any wonder that not only did the Flyers finally win a game last night, and the Blues lost to the Kings, but also Blues G Manny Legace was injured in the pregame ceremony by tripping over the red carpet? Stunning to see that the NHL and some of it's teams are so desparate for fans and publicity that they would attatch the game and its' reputation to a figure so utterly repugnant recent polls show voters find Dan 'Potatoe' Quayle more qualified to be Vice President than Palin. How embarassing for hockey. The NHL seems to be getting their marketing heads out of their collective asses with their Super Saturday promotion. The main issue though, is that there isn't a game on NBC, to provide the maximum exposure. The idea is a good one though, but they could do so much more to push the whole 15 games in one night idea. Maybe there is hope for them after all, but probably not... And before you get on the idea that I think the Flyers Palin curse is over, they lost Danny Briere for up to a month last night. Heh.