Carol Schram: Canucks are last Canadian team standing, knock off the defending champions The Vancouver Canucks have advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011 after an impressive 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Friday night. They'll face the Vegas Golden Knights next, with Game 2 set for Sunday.

Thanks Carol.

I think the best 8 still remain so every team in every series will have to beat the best .

Just my opinion. I thought going into the playoffs Canucks have an all around solid team when healthy. I would have loved to seen Toffoli Leivo Myers and Ferland also.

I think Benning built a good team.

Thanks Carol!

Thanks Carol!

I wouldnt have given Binnington much consideration for the start considering how obvious it was that the canucks had him totally exposed blocker side. Last night they just picked up where they left off and picked him apart glove side. Allen didnt show that kind of gap in his armor and his only loss was a 1 goal game. It was a decision that was a head scratcher for me and my confidence soared when it was reported who was starting in net for the Blues.

It's hard to have two vets making that much taking up roster spots on the team. Need a place to put Hoglander when he arrives, which I think will be next year on the third line.

Add in raises for Marky, Tanev, JV, Motte, Stetcher (if keeping them all) and Sven's cap gets eaten up real fast. That's not saying anything of TT, if they intend to resign him. Getting rid of LE, Sutter, Sven would be a perfect off season.
- NewYorkNuck

I think these are good problems.

Having players like Hoglander Lind OJ and Podkolzen ready to step in are great. If Benn is playing like this on the RHD why do you need to sign Stecher? Motte deserves a slight raise but still under 1.5 If you are keeping Jake then Toffoli becomes less of an issue. They did just take down the cup champs.

There are so many things that will happen. They will bring back a better team next year .

Thank you Carol!!

I think these are good problems.

Having players like Hoglander Lind OJ and Podkolzen ready to step in are great. If Benn is playing like this on the RHD why do you need to sign Stecher? Motte deserves a slight raise but still under 1.5 If you are keeping Jake then Toffoli becomes less of an issue. They did just take down the cup champs.

There are so many things that will happen. They will bring back a better team next year .

Benn is playing fine, but he's playing bottom pair. We're seeing Stetch step it up into a top 2/top 4 placement. I'm not advocating for resigning him – unless he wants to take a VERY team friendly deal I'd let him walk – but don't know what JB is looking at.

Having those young guys ready to step in is what we need, but for that to happen we need spots for them to go to. Sutter and Beagle are getting older and slower, and if we can offload one this season that solves multiple issues for the team in one swoop.

I'm hoping TT comes back and we can see what we have with him. I don't think they'll resign him as it doesn't look great cap-wise (and I don't want them to either), but we'll see.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.

After the Oilers and Leafs were eliminated in the first round, I wondered if the Canucks had managed to avoid some kind of bad karmic juju by declining to be a host team for one of the NHL hubs.
- Carol Schram

Yeah, I agree Carol. The “qualifying round” was essentially the first round of the playoffs.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

Vancouer was largely written off before the series began, so we are happy to show people wrong by forcing that many turnovers and odd-man rushes. We all know Vegas is a better team – most of us have them in the Finals – but we don't know until they play the games. Here's to hoping the boys step up again and make another teams fan base think it was their team playing down, not the others playing up

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

Agree. Your team is shit.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

Anyone who knows hockey understands that we just feasted on the rotting carcass of the defending champs... but taking care of business when you should is a big step in the direction of becoming a legit contender - so (frank) yeah we’re feeling ourselves. & now we get to go see what facing an elite post season opponent is like. This play-in & playoff has been the perfect “experiential” scenario for our young core.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

When a team is losing, usually they do not look like they are performing well. That game 5 win was against a good team that had just won two in a row was impressive. Wah wah, bye petro and enjoy that you won one.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

The Canucks core is young and very few people outside of Vancouver even thought they'd give the Blues a run for their money, I'd say feelings ourselves is the right reaction. Especially considering that the Canucks won a couple of games finishing the game with 5 defensemen. The Blues thought they could physically intimidate guys like EP and Hughes, but instead they both brushed it off and played their games without fear.

Vegas is more of a challenge for sure, better goaltending and more speed. Their forecheck gives the Canucks a lot of issues.

Yeah, I agree Carol. The “qualifying round” was essentially the first round of the playoffs.
- bloatedmosquito

Oops. Too confusing not to go fix.

But it is cool for the Canucks that they're 2-0 in elimination games even though they've only won one round.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

Did you hear if Binnington got to see Pettersson's Calder trophy?

Agree. Your team is shit.
- bloatedmosquito

Pretty much sums it up nicely.

Thanks Carol.

Nice write up Carol.

I agree with the Blues poster from last night saying this isn't the team that won the cup. You certainly saw stretches of it but ultimately they weren't as deep and got nowhere near the same level of goaltending.

Still, a gutty series win for the youngsters which should pay dividends moving forward. I felt like losing this series after being up 2-0 could have set them back.

Vegas has a great team and they're pretty deep. Of course they're favoured but I feel like we have the 2 most dynamic players in the series and we also have plenty of playoff experience insulating the youth.

I'm going to call the 7 game upset.

Nice write up Carol.

I agree with the Blues poster from last night saying this isn't the team that won the cup. You certainly saw stretches of it but ultimately they weren't as deep and got nowhere near the same level of goaltending.

Still, a gutty series win for the youngsters which should pay dividends moving forward. I felt like losing this series after being up 2-0 could have set them back.

Vegas has a great team and they're pretty deep. Of course they're favoured but I feel like we have the 2 most dynamic players in the series and we also have plenty of playoff experience insulating the youth.

I'm going to call the 7 game upset.
- golfingsince

Recipe ingredient number one for a deep run. The Canucks are getting that in spades from Marky. Hopefully they can tighten up the turnovers against a more opportunistic team. I think they have a better chance than most people are giving them credit for, especially if their PP kicks it up another notch.

I like your 7 game prediction

Recipe ingredient number one for a deep run. The Canucks are getting that in spades from Marky. Hopefully they can tighten up the turnovers against a more opportunistic team. I think they have a better chance than most people are giving them credit for, especially if their PP kicks it up another notch.

I like your 7 game prediction
- NewYorkNuck

That high glove while he's going down is a concern. Hopefully they do something to address that. He's dropping a little early but often it seems if he doesn't they'll be able to beat him low.

I think he needs that glove higher to begin with. Easier to move it down than up.

Vancouver fans feeling themselves right now need to be serious about how poorly the Blues performed for most of this series. Just don't expect Vegas to allow the same numbers of turnovers, odd-man rushes as breakaways.
- DeuceNine

Are you saying your team sucks?

I sure hope the Canucks tell the NHL to piss off and stay in the hotel all by themselves. There's no time to be moving with a game tomorrow

Blues may have been less than but the Canucks have evolved a tonne since the season stoppage and even the Minny series. They look faster, more cohesive, and more confident. Vegas is a very good team but this is now a young man’s game - expect even more growth from the young core in round two.

Did you hear if Binnington got to see Pettersson's Calder trophy?
- Marwood

I think this was posted on Twitter by Alan Walsh (Fluery's agent)

The fun begins

Thanks Carol when are you going back to the bubble and getting some inside scoops to share?