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California Cocktails ... A Little Post & Pre Game Mixer |
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The title “Returning To Form” crossed my mind for this little Bloggette after Roberto Luongo’s 40th career shutout last night against the Kings of LA, and it would have been applicable for many reasons besides just Luongo’s play, but this team is still too difficult to peg to figure out exactly what “returning to form” really means.
- The Sedins definitely returned to form as there was an obvious urgency to their game last night with Daniel’s power play goal in the 1st digging for the puck in the crease while being flattened to the ice being the perfect symbolism for that newly found urgency. Then there was the gorgeous tic-tac-toe play in the 3rd which started with a great pinch by Edler to keep the puck in the zone. It ended up on Wellwood’s stick in the corner who sent it to Henrik who spotted Daniel in front who then threw a blind spinorama pass to the side of the net to hit Wellwood’s stick on the tape just as he came out from behind the net.
- Hard to say that Pyatt is returning to form, mainly because no one knows what form means when discussing the lumbering winger, but he got off the schneid with a phenomenal behind-the-back tip of a Willie Mitchell shot that was about a foot in the air off the ice. He’s off the PP now, but he’s just played his best two games in the last few days so there is still hope he’ll bounce out of it and be a contributor as the season unfolds.
- As for Mason Raymond, well that form of his seems to just be getting better and better … there’s no returning to nothing for this guy in the near future as he’s just looking to keep adding to his repertoire. Last night’s goal where he left rookie Oscar Moller crying for his mommy after being left all alone at the point by the Canuck speedster, and then capping it off by squeeeeezing a laser-like wrister into a thimble-sized hole above Jason Labarbera’s shoulder, was one of the nicest goals you'll see. It was a phenomenal shot, but if anyone’s been paying attention the kid has a phenomenal shot and the imagination to go along with it. He just about tied the last game late against the Bruins with a similar shot (from a far more difficult angle) and he has already scored some great goals in his now 59-game NHL career by placing quick shots into tight places. Speed with a good shot and great imagination topped off with some good hockey sense is a pretty sweet tool's box worth of skillz and we could be looking at something special here.
- I’m almost willing to say that Kevin Bieksa has officially returned to form, but I won’t … yet. Over 26 minutes of ice, +1, 3 Hits and 2 Blocked Shots and active all over the ice. Looking very good … fingers and toes officially crossed!
- Under the radar I think O’Brien is playing pretty good, getting settled in on the 3rd pairing of this team. I always liked Krajicek’s potential but O’Brien’s physical stay at home style was something that was definitely needed to help balance things out on the blueline.
- Vigneault would be nuts not to play Luongo tonight against the Ducks after the last two games he’s had. “I’d play every game if I could so that’s why I’m not the coach” was Lui’s quip post-game last night.
- Speaking of tonight, we’ve got two teams that have grown to dislike each other more and more over the last 3 years. Always a plethora of storylines to be had with all the history and now we can throw Brendan Morrison’s first game against his old team into the mix. Then you’ve got the long running Pronger and Kesler relationship which really seemed to take flight last year with Pronger’s extra curricular activities: crosschecking the young centre in the ribs about a second and a half after he had just scored while he was standing beside the net with his arms raised in celebration, only to be topped later in the year with The Stomp that cost him 8 games worth of paycheques.
- The Ducks appear to be a team on a bit of a mission these days. After losing their first 4 to start the year they’ve reeled of 5 in a row coming into tonight’s game. Ryan Getzlaf had 5 assists and Teemu Selanne had 3 power play goals on Wednesday in a come-from-behind win over Detroit. It seems they are all aware that this may be one of their last chances at glory with the Cap situation they are under and the 14 guys who will be free agents next year (15 if you want to include Burkie who is currently trying to figure out where he’s gonna put his new MapleBud tattoo).
- After a perfect 6 for 6 showing at the Stapler last night the Canucks have killed their last 17 PK’s and have now moved up to 15th overall, after being 29th less than a week ago. The 2 goals on the power play led to a 2 for 6 tally (coulda been 3 if Steve Bernier had been a split second quicker at the end of the 2nd) and while the two main units are seemingly in flux with a lot of changes being made, it is starting to get more consistent now, moving above the 18% clip and ranking at #13 league-wide.
The Grades …
A … Luongo, Henrik, Daniel, Raymond
B … Bieksa, Mitchell, Edler, Wellwood
C+ … Ohlund, Salo, O’Brien, Kesler, Burrows, Hansen, Pyatt, Bernier, Johnson
C … Brown
C- … Hordichuk
After tonight the team returns home to start a 6 game homestand against the Wings who lost their 2nd straight last night in the Shark Tank. The Champs losing 2 in a row after barely squeaking by both LA and Chicago in shootouts? Say What? Throw in the fact that the Canucks beat them at the Joe in the first week of the season and that they will be resting here waiting for Vancouver’s return, and you have a motivated opponent to be sure.
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