GAME DAY: Canucks vs Red Wings

As the Vancouver Canucks await word on the severity of Roberto Luongo's injured groin,
they have another pressing concern, that being the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings looked their usual selves in dismantling
the Calgary Flames Saturday night, and no doubt will want to test Curtis Sanford early and often. The Canucks are looking to win
their 4th straight tonight, and are playing a very confident brand of hockey right now despite the injury to their captain. Both teams
are among the hottest in the NHL right now, the Canucks sitting just 3 points behind the Wings for the 2nd seed in the West, and both are 7-1-2
in their last 10 games. The Red Wings have been the best road team in the NHL so far this season with a 10-1-1 mark, but Vancouver's 6-2-1
home record is no small potatoes. This is a short homestand for the Canucks as they play Calgary Thursday in the 1st half of a home and home
that sees the Canucks start a 7 game road trip Saturday in Cowtown. While the Canucks will be playing their backup tonight, the way this team
rallied around him both in Minnesota and Pittsburgh after Luongo went down has been nothing short of inspiring. You will see evidence of that tonight
when they hit the ice, and I bet you actually hear from this fabled 7th man they keep talking about. The games against the Wings are always highly entertaining
no matter how well the Canucks are doing, but you can't help but feel this team is on a mission to prove everyone was wrong about them.

Along with Luongo, the Canucks will be without Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa and Rick Rypien. The Wings could be without Tomas Holmstrom, who has missed 2 straight with back
spasms, and Dan Cleary has missed 6 with an eye infection (ew!). They are still without Chris Chelios, on the IR with a fractured tibia.

The Canucks have at least a point in their last 9 games, an impressive run after that first disastrous road trip. The team has been getting some outstanding efforts
from a number of players, especially the line of Daniel and Henrik Sedin with Pavol Demitra, who have been on a tear since Demitra's return from a rib injury, and the
league took notice, naming Henrik 2nd star of the week for his 7 assists on that 4 game Eastern road trip. Despite wins against some very good teams, the Canucks will have
their hands full with the Wings, who have lost just twice in regulation. The Red Wings were the last team to beat the Canucks in regulation, a 3-2 win in GM Place that despite
the loss seemed to signal a bit of a turn around for the club. This is the Wings last visit for the season, so it should be a dandy.

Questions about Curtis Sanford's ability to step in and win big games seem to have been answered, as he has allowed just 3 goals on 48 shots in 2 consecutive victories. The Canucks
have Corey Schneider on the bench tonight, and depending on the severity of the injury to Luongo, you have to think he will get some playing time on this call up, especially on the road trip.
Some milestones could be reached tonight, as Daniel and Henrik are both sitting at 399 career points, and Steve Bernier is 1 short of 100.

Keys to the game:
1- Quick start: The fans will be looking for something to calm their fears, especially if the news about Luongo is bad today, so getting a couple behind Chris Osgood, who is a certified Canuck
Killer will be huge. Look for th Wings to concentrate heavily on the PHD line (23 points last week) perhaps freeing up the HBK line to do some damage.
2- Treat it like a road game: This seems to make a lot of sense, actually. The Canucks played some smart, fundamentally sound hockey on the road last week. They were great defensively, did a
decent job of staying out of the box, and towards the end even had a better effort on the PK. You cant give Detroit opportunities with the man advantage, so we need to make sure that the emotions are kept
in check and we stay at 5 on 5, where statistically we are better than them this season. We may not get many chances on the PP, but we need to make the most of them, as the Wings PK is pretty even with ours.
3- Focus: Just like the game against the Rangers, there are subplots that can be distracting. The Canucks did an incredible job of treating it like any other game and keeping focused on the real issue: 2 points
in the standings. They have a chance to move 7 up on the Flames and Wild, best to make the most of it.

Though it will be great when Salo and Bieksa return to the lineup, the Canucks D, led by Willie Mitchell and Mattias Ohlund have been stellar as of late, but it's been the grunts like Shane O'Brien, Alex edler
and Lawrence Nycholat who are getting it done. The shot blocking this team has been throwing up lately is so nice to see, and a sign this team is doing everything they can to help out their goaltender, regardless
of what number is on his jersey. Gametime is at 7pm and you can catch it on Sportsnet pacific and the Team 1040.

A little side note, we have added the Canucks.com news widget to the site, so you can see breaking news when it happens. We will be making one for our site soon too.

The Luongogeddon has arrived!!!!

Stoic, leader-type guy: Ok... if I can get everyone to just be quiet for a second, we can see if we can muddle our way through this. Now, it's important that everyone stays calm. Here is what we know. Roberto Luongo has suffered some type of leg or groin injury... (camera pans to audience in mass hysteria, screaming. Some cry, others just stare blankly. One man jumps through the window to certain death on the concrete below).
Stoic, leader-type guy: People...people, please! You have got to calm down! We can get through this together, but you have to just chill the hell out!
Hysterical mid-30's man: You said this couldn't happen!! You said it wouldn't happen!!!
Stoic, leader-type guy: (Leaning over and slapping the man across the face) Dammit, man! Get a hold of yourself! Now, does anyone have any ideas? (Camera pans across the room, people showing a variety of emotions on their faces)
Hysterical mid-30's man: Well I don't know about you guys, but I can't deal with this, man! It's all too much... (he turns and walks towards the door, faster until he begins to run, not looking back)
Stoic, leader-type guy: Well? Anyone else think this is too much? Now's your chance to leave. If not, then let's get to work. We have to do something so this whole damn thing doesn't fall apart.

Ok, so my future as a screen writer is in serious doubt. But I really feel that this is not the end of the world. The reports of Luongo in the dressing room joking around afterwards seem to indicate at least for now it may not be serious. Obviously you can't make a diagnosis from that, but given how passionate Lu is, it's a good sign. The way this team has played since returning from that 6 game roadtrip has been quite impressive. They have gone 10-2-2 in their last 14, after going 2-4-1 in their first 7. The PHD line of Pavol Demitra with Daniel and Henrik Sedin have been on a tear, notching (if my math is correct) 23 points since Demitra returned to the lineup from his rib injury. The play of Curtis Sanford in the last 2 games is certainly a bright spot, with huge wins over Minnesota and now Pittsburgh. And defensively the Canucks have rattled off some impressive efforts, leaving teams utterly frustrated in their wake, none moreso than the Penguins today. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were a combined -3, with 1 and 3 shots respectively. The play of Willie Mitchell and Mattias Ohlund lately has been awe-inspiring. Mitchell was his usual rock solid self, logging almost 27 minutes, and Ohlund was a +3 with almost 25 minutes TOI. My favorite stat however, was the shot clock. The Canucks held the Pittsburgh Penguins and all their firepower to 19 shots on goal. I truly believe that this is not just a team on a hot streak, but the true manifestation of this year's dark horse. I know there is a lot of hockey to be played here. And with the Luongo injury, a lot of uncertainty. But for the time being Curtis Sanford and Corey Schneider will be called upon to handle the load. For now, they can rest in their own beds, await the news of their Captain's status, and prepare for Monday and the Red Wings. Oh, did I mention they are going on a 7 game road trip later in the week? You can't accuse them of being boring, that's for sure. Oh, and Matt Cooke played 25 seconds before douchebagging Alex Edler. You stay classy, Cooke. Shame all that amazing work you do in the community gets flushed away by your actions on the ice.

Canucks 4 Oilers 3 (SO)

There were some who said the signing of unrestricted free agent Jason Krog was a bold move by new Canucks GM Mike Gillis, last night showed it may have been a smart one as well. Krog got the shootout winner in a spirited contest at Rexall Place in Edmonton as the Canucks opened the preseason with a 4-3 win over the Oilers. Edmonton opened the score early with PP goal from Sheldon Souray, set up by the Oilers' big summer aquisition Eric Cole, but the Canucks answered back just over a minute later as the Brabarian Jeff Cowan tapped one home from Labrie and Kesler. Later in the period The Cole, Horcoff, Souray combo struck again, this time it was Cole lighting the lamo, but a Canucks power play say Daniel Sedin and Kyle Wellwood set up a pinching Mattias Ohlund to tie it 2-2. The Oilers' sensational sophmore Sam Gagner made dad Dave proud, despite playing for the opposition as he scored a beautiful SH goal on Cory Schneider, but late in the 3rd Dan Gendur, from Jason Jaffray and Krog tied it at 3. Nothing of note in OT so it went to the shootout, Gagner notching a beauty over the shoulder for Edmonton, while Wellwood and Krog with the winner sealed it for the Canucks. Souray, Krog and Schneider were the 3 stars last night, Schneider was especially impressive, making a number of highlight reel saves for the Canucks.

Prospects Camp Begins Friday

It's so close now you can almost feel it. Hockey season is rapidly approaching, and it all begins with training camp. This year the Canucks are up in Whistler, and will begin camp with an evaluation of their prospects starting Friday in Vancouver. Physicals will be held at GM Place, and then they will have sessions Saturday through Monday at UBC's Thunderbird Arena. They then head off to Camrose, AB for a match against the Flames' prospects Monday night, and the Oilers' prospects the following night. The coaching staff will be watching a few of the players to see if they're ready to possibly step in to the lineup, like Swedish defenceman Daniel Rahimi, Forward Micheal Grabner and goalie Corey Schnieder. We will have details on the main camp soon, as well as letting you know when Season 3 of the WAACH podcast launches, a look at the upcoming season division by division and a special focus on the Northwest and the Canucks Rivals.