Nov 26: Canucks at Coyotes

[Iced Tea]

NHL.com (http://www.nhl.com/scores/previews/353_2_preview.html) says
Canucks-Coyotes Preview

GAME: Vancouver Canucks (15-6-2) at Phoenix Coyotes (12-11-2).

TIME: Saturday, 10 p.m. EST.

The Vancouver Canucks have been hard to score against lately.

The Canucks look for their fourth straight win and continue their recent domination over the Phoenix Coyotes when the teams meet at Glendale Arena.

The Canucks have not lost to the Coyotes since March 7, 2002, going 9-0-2 against Phoenix since then.

The Canucks on Thursday beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 for their third straight win. Anson Carter was awarded the winning goal after a review on a controversial crease scramble just 55 seconds after Markus Naslund tied the game in the third period.

"An ugly game like that we need a goal like that," Carter said. "It was important we prove to ourselves we can win an ugly game."

The Canucks have allowed two or fewer goals in each of their last five wins.

Alex Auld stopped 20 shots in his second straight win since No. 1 goalie Dan Cloutier injured his knee Sunday in Anaheim. Cloutier is expected to miss several games.

The Canucks recalled rookie goalie Rob McVicar and defenseman Sven Butenschon from Manitoba of the American Hockey League and both are expected to be in uniform.

Naslund has a point in eight straight games, posting six goals and six assists during the run. Vancouver had scored a power play goal in seven straight games before failing to record a shot in two opportunities against the Sharks.

With a 4-1 Friday over the Dallas Stars, the Coyotes improved to 7-3-1 in their last 11 games. Curtis Joseph stopped 32 shots for his 406th career win, eighth in NHL history, and Phoenix killed off 11 of 12 power plays.

"We had a great penalty kill," Joseph said. "The boys did a good job of letting me see the puck. Our penalty kill was the difference."

Mike Comrie, Shane Doan and Paul Mara had power-play goals for the Coyotes, who entered the game ranked third in the Western Conference with 28 goals with the man advantage.

STANDINGS (through Nov. 25): Canucks - 32 points, 1st place, Northwest Division. Coyotes - 26 points, 3rd place, 5 PB, Pacific Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Canucks - Naslund, 14 goals and 28 points; Brendan Morrison, 15 assists; Wade Brookbank, 56 PIM. Coyotes - Mike Leclerc and Comrie, 8 goals; Ladislav Nagy, 15 assists and 22 points; Sean O'Donnell, 57 PIM.

SPECIAL TEAMS (through Nov. 25): Canucks - Power play: 17.3 percent (27 for 156), 17th (tied) in NHL. Penalty killing: 81 percent (111 for 137), 22nd. Coyotes - Power play: 19.2 percent (31 for 161), 12th (tied). Penalty killing: 82.5 percent (123 for 149), 13th (tied).

GOALTENDERS: Canucks - Auld (7-3-1, 2.32); McVicar (no appearances). Coyotes - Joseph (10-7-0, 2 SO, 2.19); David Leneveu (2-4-2, 2.84).

SEASON SERIES: Canucks, 2-0.

LAST MEETING: Oct. 20; Canucks, 3-2. At Vancouver, British Columbia, Matt Cooke scored the game-winner on a disputed goal early in the third period.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Canucks - 5-5-2 on the road; Coyotes - 6-5-1 at home.Canucks all the way in this one. 5 - 2 over the Coyotes.

[TimmyTabasco]

4-2 Canucks

[Yoata]

Aside from Kesler, Park and Ruutu the Canucks looked like they just woke up from their pre-game nap in the 1st period, as usual. That line should start every game. Sedin with the terrible change, Jovanoopsi was brutally lackadaisical yet again, and for such a good skater Baumgartner got beat bad to the outside and all the way to the net, inexcusable. Floatuzzi is doing just that, loafing around well behind the play, especially coming back, and zero response yet again from anybody when Morrison is run late at the end of the period. This team is not looking like one. Auld not looking very sharp either, though getting no help.

Credit to the Yotes who are playing hard and aggressive at both ends.

[Yoata]

As much as both coaches are unhappy with the officiating, I think they're calling a pretty good game, aside from a couple of missed calls on Curjo. Lots of penalties yes, but all deserved, and I think both the Yotes and Canucks deserved the extra minors for starting rough stuff without cause. Especially the Canucks who didn't feel the need to resond when Morrison got run late, but 2 of them stupidly felt it necessary to go after Ballard for a good clean hit on Park? That Ballard kid is doing it all and doing it well.

[Yoata]

Changed my mind on the refs, on top of the two missed calls on Joseph, they also missed a big elbow to Ohlund's head by Doan (love Ohlund's response btw) and then made a pathetically weak call on Naslund with <2 mins to go in a 1 goal game.

Have to like that fact that the top line always rises to the challenge in the last 5-10 mins in the game when trailing. Have to hate the fact that a good part of the reason they're behind at that part of games is because they do next to nothing up until that point. The only thing Floatuzzi has put any consistent effort into this season is bitching at the refs. :cry: Jovanovski shouldn't be a forward, he IS a forward. Good game by Carter, and the Kesler line, although Ruutu should get a fine for that blatant dive when he had a breakaway. :no: Butenshon can go back to the minors.

You'd think the Canucks wildly inconsistent play is going to catch up to them at some point, and I hope it's sooner rather than later so that they are forced to deal with the problems one way or the other before the playoffs where they will be exposed yet again.

[MadDevil]

CuJo's not playing bad for a guy only making $900,000 a year.:eek:

I wonder how many teams that could use quality starting goaltending are kicking themselves for not trying to pick him up this offseason?

[Yoata]

CuJo's not playing bad for a guy only making $900,000 a year.:eek:

I wonder how many teams that could use quality starting goaltending are kicking themselves for not trying to pick him up this offseason?

None that want a chance to win in the postseason.

[charlio lemieux]

As much as both coaches are unhappy with the officiating, I think they're calling a pretty good game, aside from a couple of missed calls on Curjo. Lots of penalties yes, but all deserved, and I think both the Yotes and Canucks deserved the extra minors for starting rough stuff without cause. Especially the Canucks who didn't feel the need to resond when Morrison got run late, but 2 of them stupidly felt it necessary to go after Ballard for a good clean hit on Park? That Ballard kid is doing it all and doing it well.

I told everyone to remember his name. But that may have been before you arrived. Gretzky knows he is one of his best defensemen already. Ballard was killing a penalty with under a minute left in the 2nd period, in a 2-1 game.

As for CUJO he let in his customary one weak goal per game. And as a Yotes fan, it was good Vancouver wasn't at their best, and beat him a few more times. To win in the post season with CuJo you have to win the series in six or less games. Or score 7 or 8 goals in game seven. The way Gretzky's talking CuJo may get a seat on the Team Canada flight to Turin.

[Yoata]

I told everyone to remember his name. But that may have been before you arrived. Gretzky knows he is one of his best defensemen already. Ballard was killing a penalty with under a minute left in the 2nd period, in a 2-1 game.

As for CUJO he let in his customary one weak goal per game. And as a Yotes fan, it was good Vancouver wasn't at their best, and beat him a few more times. To win in the post season with CuJo you have to win the series in six or less games. Or score 7 or 8 goals in game seven. The way Gretzky's talking CuJo may get a seat on the Team Canada flight to Turin.

charlio knows, careerloserjo chokes under pressure, you can set your watch by it.

[KB in Kelowna]

2 points. They should tell the Canucks that the start of the game is the start of the 2nd period to see if they will wake up and play.

Cujo has been called the best game 6 goalie out there. Just don't ask him to play game 7.

[TimmyTabasco]

Terrible game for the Canucks

They came out flat, and stayed flat all game.

Cujo was alright, but the Canucks didn't get any real quality scoring chances

When the top line gets into the zone, they just seem to dance around..

They HAVE to be better. I am getting tired of the same old, same old

[Iced Tea]

Terrible game for the Canucks

They came out flat, and stayed flat all game.

Cujo was alright, but the Canucks didn't get any real quality scoring chances

When the top line gets into the zone, they just seem to dance around..

They HAVE to be better. I am getting tired of the same old, same oldI agree with Timmy.

The Canucks are more up and down than a freakin yo-yo. They need to put together some solid 60 minute efforts soon or they won't go anywhere this season. They sure won't be beating the rotten Avs, Flames, Wild or Oilers, let alone non divisional teams.

Might be time for a shakeup, send Crawford down to Manitoba and let Nonis coach. :D

[slapshot™]

Doan's hit looked clean to me.