GAME DAY: Canucks vs Bruins

A much more energized Canucks team laid it to the Oilers on Saturday night, as we saw signs of the team that rolled through the preseason in a 6-3 victory over the Oilers. The game was prefaced with something as Canucks fans we have never, ever heard before: "What will the Canucks do about secondary scoring?". As you saw in the game, the secondary scoring is fine. It's our first line that has been awfully quiet as of late. 2 goals from Janick Hansen and Mason Raymond as well as markers from Kyle Wellwood and Jason Krog (which didn't cause a flurry of discussion on CDC at all), and 4 for 6 on the power play led the Canucks to victory.

Another tough test tonight at GM Place as the Boston Bruins roll into town, fresh off a 1-0 ot win over the Oilers last night. Boston is off to a decent start, and have played well on the road so far this season. They haven't been to Vancouver in almost 3 years, and haven't won here since 2002, but you can bet they and former Vancouver Giants star Milan Lucic will be looking to change that. Lucic has been turning heads this season with his 1st career hat trick against Atlanta last week and a devastating hit against the Maple Leafs' Mike Van Ryn. Tim Thomas got the shutout last night, so you can expect to see a familiar foe in net for the Bruins: former Minnesota G Manny Fernandez is expected to get the start. Phil Kessel is also having a great year, with 6 goals so far. The Bruins have a pretty decent mix; size, speed, skill and toughness, and it's helped them keep pace in a very competitive NorthEast Division (hell even the Leafs are still in the hunt). For all the bitching and moaning from some on the CDC board, Mason Raymond has quietly put together a 5 game point streak and will look to keep that going tonight. The Canucks are hoping to have Sami Salo back in the lineup tonight, but recieved more bad news as Rick Rypien suffered a sports hernia tear working out in preparation to return from a viral infection. He will need abdominal surgery and is out indefinitely. A real shame, as Rypien has been a very pleasant surprise this season. Roberto Luongo, who played better in the win over the Oilers gets the start tonight. Ryan Kesler leads the Canucks in scoring, and is also proud owner of a 5 game point streak, and Daniel Sedin broke his 5 game slump with an assist in the last game.

The keys to a Vancouver victory in this game:
1- Train Kept A Rollin'- The PP is back in a big way after going 1 for their last 13. 66% will certainly help you win a game, and was the biggest factor Saturday night. The PK also re-emerged as they held the Oilers to 0-4 on the man advantage. The Canucks are 3-0 when not giving up a short handed goal, so discipline and continued strong work on the PK will be huge.
2- Who doesn't like Swedish twins?- While certain players are taking the brunt of the wrath from fans and press alike, the Sedins have been far too quiet this season. Nothing like a nationally televised game to bring out the best in the Dynamic Duo, so look for them and linemate Steve Bernier to have a strong game.
3- 666- The Canucks 2 home ice wins have seen them score 6 each time, so maybe we can expect another big outburst? Probably not, but after a hard fought game against the Oilers, the Canucks need to use their speed to take advantage of what should be a tired Bruins squad and get an early lead for the 7th man to latch onto and spoil Lucic's homecoming.

Up next for the Canucks is a short jaunt down the California coast to wrap up October with games against the Kings Thursday (PPV) and Friday against the improving Ducks. After that they kick off a tough November with a visit from the defending Stanley Cup Champs from Detroit on Sunday. Our next podcast will be online Thursday with Bruins post game reaction as well as a preview of the Thursday tilt in Los Angeles.

Canucks 4 Red Wings 3 OT

On opening night this year the Red Wings unveiled their Stanley Cup Banner, and then lost to the Leafs. After last night's ceremony honoring longtime Red Wing great Alex Delvecchio with a statue only to see them give up a 3rd period lead and lose in OT, you think maybe they might want to keep the ceremonies to themselves. A great road game for the Canucks last night led by the 3rd line of Kesler, Burrows and Hansen, each one scored along with Mason Raymond as the Canucks rattled off an impressive 4-3 OT win at the Joe Louis Arena last night. The Canucks did a great job of matching the Wings speed wise, and while it wasn't Luongo's best game, he made some key saves, especially in the 3rd period that enabled the team to get back in the game and tie it up. While they got a fairly consistent effort from the entire team, the Kesler line as well as strong play from Willie Mitchell, Sami Salo and Alex Edler showed that this team can compete, and sent a message after the Washington loss Monday night that they are a team that needs to be taken seriously. No rest for the wicked though as the Canucks are right back at it in Buffalo tonight. Curtis Sanford will be getting the start as The Canucks rest Roberto Luongo for Sunday's match against the Blackhawks. It will be a big night for Steve Bernier as he goes up against his former Sabres teammates for the first time. The Sabres are off to a great start, 3-0-0 with just 3 goals against in those games. Thomas Vanek is off to a great start, with 5 goals already in this young season, and G Ryan Miller is 2-0-0 with a 0.96 GAA. Curtis Sanford saw his first action of the season in the 3rd period of the Washington loss and stopped all 10 shots he faced, and was strong in the pre-season. With his 2 point performance last night Alex Burrows took over the team scoring lead with 5 points, as that checking line of the Canucks continues to do more than neutralize the opponent's top lines but score as well. Congrats to Jannik Hansen on his first career goal and to Roberto Luongo for career win #200! Game time is at 4:30 on Rogers Sportsnet and Team 1040, we will have postgame wrap up and the preview of Sunday's match against the Blackhawks on the next episode of WAACH on Saturday.

Worst. Ending. Ever.

It was an improbable notion at best, the thought of the Canucks going undefeated in the pre-season. And yet in the 3rd period of Sunday night's game, there they were, down a goal when Mason Raymond scored his second highlight reel goal from Pavol Demitra, the Canucks' 3rd of the night, and suddenly it was tied. A late penalty from the recently claimed off waivers Nathan McIver seemed to set up the fairytale ending. A 4th powerplay goal and a 7-0 record in pre-season play. That's the funny thing about irony. Sometimes you see it coming and are totally powerless to stop it. As soon as John Shorthouse mentioned McIver was coming out of the box, you know he saw it coming, and my stomach dropped. Come on!?!?!?!?! Nathan F'n McIver???? Roberto Luongo was not at his best, as 3 of the 4 goals he surrendered were stoppable. Still, as so many of you non-belivers have harped "it's only pre-season". I think actually the loss is good. It helps bring them back to reality a bit, and makes them determined to get into the win column right out of the gate. Calgary will be quite prepared to avenge a 6-1 arse-kicking handed to them last week, so definitely helping them realize there are things that need to be worked on is a good thing. It was very odd seeing Brendan Morrison in a Ducks uniform. Good on him (and McIver for that matter) for having decent nights in their return to GM Place. Hopefully their next visit isn't as pleasant. As stereotypical as it is to complain about officiating after a loss, it's my blog, so... Basically, the refs really didn't have a feel for the game, and the 5 minute boarding call on Mattias Ohlund for catching Corey Perry with his head down was a bad call. Factor in Perry and Getzlaf (I believe it was, I may be wrong) hitting Canucks from behind later in the game and not getting called for it merely emphasized how bad the Ohlund call was. The puck was in his skates, Ohlund didn't charge, didn't leave his feet, use his elbow or make contact to the head. Perry was down for a while (maybe he had the wind knocked out of him, maybe it was for show), either way there he was setting up Morrison for the opening goal of the game. We have shown we can hold our own with the Ducks, skillwise and in the toughness department. Burke's band of goons had best take the lesson Perry learned and keep their heads up this season. This is not the old Canucks team that got pushed around.

Canucks 6 Flames 1

Stop me if you've heard this one, but remember, it's still the preseason so try not to read too much into it. That being said, you really have to like the approach the Canucks took to their contest against the Flames last night at GM Place. Pavol Demitra set up Alexander Edler 21 seconds in to really set the pace, and the line of Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen were on a mission, making it 2-0 less than 5 minutes in. Hansen would add a sexond goal, while his linemates finished the night with 3 assists each. Demitra had a goal and 2 helpers, while Lawrence Nicholat and Mason Raymond rounded out the tallies for the home squad, Robyn Regehr scored for the Flames. Roberto Luongo was both stellar and captain-like in goal, leading his team to victory with some amazing stops, giving up just his 2nd goal in the preseason. The line of Raymond, Demitra and Taylor Pyatt were a threat all night, tantalizing the fans with the thought of 3 lines capable of scoring, this team may just be better than a lot of the so-called experts are claiming. The Canucks D was rock solid last night, especially when you consider they played without Ohlund, Salo, Mitchell or Bieksa. Lawrence Nicholat was a +3 with a goal and an assist and almost 20 minutes of ice time, and while he struggled at times, Nolan Baumgartner led the Canucks in ice time at 24:24 and a +1. You have to think that with the way players like Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen are stepping up, guys like Matt Pettinger, Cody Hodgson and Jeff Cowan may not be around much longer, either going to the Moose or placed on waivers. Calgary didnt dress a number of their opening night roster, but Jarome Iginla was a -2, and dman Adrian Aucoin was a -3. Miikka Kiprusoff certainly didn't look like the highest paid goalie in the NHL last night, as the Canucks had their way with him, and if not for some saves that showed the Kiprusoff of old, this one could have gone to double digits.