Canucks Kings GDT

[rustybadcock]

Canucks-Kings Preview
Mar 10, 2008, 7:30 PM PT
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The Vancouver Canucks might be in a more comfortable playoff position if it wasn't for their poor play against the lowly Los Angeles Kings.

The Canucks look to avoid being swept in a season series by the Kings for the first time in 27 years when the teams meet Monday night at Staples Center.

Vancouver (34-24-10) is tied with Nashville for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference as it remains in the mix with Calgary, Colorado and Minnesota for the top spot in the crowded Northwest Division.

Though the Canucks are alive in the playoff race, it's not because of their performance against Los Angeles (27-38-5), which has an NHL-worst 59 points and is looking at a fifth consecutive season without a playoff appearance.

The Kings have outscored the Canucks 12-7 in winning the first three games between the teams this season, including a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Jan. 19 in the most recent meeting. Los Angeles has not swept a season series from the Canucks since winning all four contests in 1980-81.

Vancouver, though, begins its four-game road trip Monday coming off a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Saturday for its second straight victory since losing four in a row.

Alex Burrows had a goal and assist, while Taylor Pyatt and Ryan Kesler each added two assists for the Canucks, who have scored 10 goals in their last two victories after recording just six during their four-game skid.

"We know what's at stake and we got a big two points," said Roberto Luongo, who made 23 saves to record 30 wins for the third straight season. "Everybody is stepping up in this dressing room."

Luongo, however, has posted a 3.58 goals-against average in losing twice to Los Angeles this season after winning three straight against the Kings last season.

Burrows has a goal and an assist in each of his last two games. Known as more of a defensive forward, Burrows has 11 goals in his third NHL season, one more than his previous two in the league.

"Pretty confident out there," said Burrows, who has three goals and an assist in nine career games versus Los Angeles. "But it's all right, I like my role on the checking line and if we can keep winning games, I'll be happy."

If Los Angeles is able to stop the surging Canucks and complete the sweep, it must bounce back from a 5-2 home loss to Montreal on Saturday. Anze Kopitar had a goal and assist, while Rob Blake added a goal for his 700th NHL point in the Kings' sixth loss in their last seven games.

"We were battling hard, but we gave up a couple of easy goals that we shouldn't have, and that's what cost us the game," said Kopitar, who has four points in his last three games, and a goal and two assists against Vancouver this season.

Los Angeles rookie Erik Ersberg made 18 saves Saturday, two days after stopping 40 shots in a 2-0 home win over Ottawa for his first career victory.

Never fun vs the Kings and I wonder if we get a glimpse of Cloutier.

I suspect the Twins are done with their funk.

Canucks win

RB

[Nelson19777]

Never fun vs the Kings and I wonder if we get a glimpse of Cloutier.

I suspect the Twins are done with their funk.

Canucks win

RB

I hope so, It'd be nice to be one the giving end of a Cloutier drubbing for once. If he does play I'm guessing it's a 4-0 win for the Nucks. If not, a 3-0 win.

[KB in Kelowna]

I read that Lenny gets the start tonight, here's to hoping that Naslund and the Sedins bump their goal scoring slump :thumb:

[AtLossForWords]

Well, Cloutier played...fantastic. Sure for three posts he sure acted like he had rabbit's feet inside his pads and his net's twine, but he made some great saves, especially in the first period. He gave his team a chance to win, and you can't argue about a performance like that.

Good for Kesler and Burrows, lately it looks like this team has a new first line. The Sedins look like they need to be bit to wake up and get on the scoresheet. They are taking down their paychecks with every game they continue to fall short on this stretch run. If I was a GM I'd never give six million to two top players who come up with less in their big games. These guys continue to fail when this team is most desparate for goals.

I think plain and simple the Sedins do not make a first line. They play a predictable game, and they don't threaten to score when they only get a few chances. That's the difference between the Sedins and legitimate first lines in this league. In Minnesota, Gaborik hasn't hurt us badly, but when he's had his chance he has. You don't see him miss tip ins in front of his net four times before he finally gets one like the Sedins do. The same goes for just about every bona fide first line player. Joe Thornton and Milan Michalek get that big goal when they have one of their few good chances.

Against the Avs the last time they were in Vancouver, Sakic was relatively quiet, but he had two chances to score between the third and the shootout, and he made the best of this one. Hell I bet Kesler and Burrows have cached in on a better rate on their chances than the Sedins have.

This team is going to have to make a splash in the summer to find a center for say Raymond and Pyatt. A glaring weakness is showing in their game, they have dominated teams and only pulled out a win by one goal or lost in a shootout.

All the credit in the world to Kesler and Burrows, they've stepped up when this team has really needed them. However shame on the Sedins who at the home stretch of the season, the playoff push don't have a goal between them in eight games. Naslund doens't even have a point in eight.

On the whole, they are probably the second best "tandem" of scorers this team has. However most teams dont get production like that out of their third line.

Nonis is just a guy who doesn't realize that it would be so much easier to get so much more out of his pieces.

He has the two best second line forwards in the league. He has one of the most effectieve shutdown lines in the league, and he has the best goaltender in the league. But he won't get the most out of those pieces by collecting a true top line forward to let those other guys flourish in their roles.

When we put all of our eggs in one basket next season, think of were a true top liner would take this team. A top line center alone playing with just Raymond and Pyatt would give this team a solid top line.

Put the league's best second line behind them with the Sedins leading it, complimented by a checking line where the top key players can rack up 40 or 30 points each and at the same time are a plus checking line. That's playing behind the best goalie in the league and a good group of solid blueliners.

Think of the difference in a team we would have if one guy on the top line musters up 80-90 points playing with 50-60 point guys on his wings at best in front of a second line with two 70-80 point scorers, and a checking line that can shut down the opposition and still put up a celing of 80 points just between two guys.

You're a high scoring team with the best goaltender in the league that has a an excellent checking line and plays a strong two way game!

It should've been a commanding win tonight, but it was a squeaker in OT because we're missing just one major piece.

[gordphish]

The Canucks made Cloutier look good. Lots of long shots from the outside, very little traffic in the crease and almost no sticks on rebounds at all.

Sedins need to start moving their feet. For some reason, they aren't skating hard right now. Like it or not, they are the Canucks' top line scoring and they will need the twins to get back on the scoresheet in a big way if they hope to salvage anything from this season.

At this point, I'd try breaking them up, challenge them by getting them out of their comfort zones. Play Henrik between Kesler and Burrows and Daniel with Naslund and Morrison.

All in all, they dodged a big time bullet last night. Let's hope they are better prepared and more willing to get engaged in the physical battles in Anaheim tomorrow. Every point is critical from here on out.

[KB in Kelowna]

Last night reminded me of previous Cloutier efforts, he looked good at times and made saves, but you just knew he would give up a goal ... late. The Canucsk need to pick up points on this road trip, wins especially.

[Nelson19777]

.....Nonis is just a guy who doesn't realize that it would be so much easier to get so much more out of his pieces.......


I think Nonis does realize what he's got and wasn't willing to give up a big chunk of it for one guy. The Richards deal was going to be far too expensive as far as roster players were concerned and apparently the asking price for Jokinen was both Sedins.

I'm pretty sure the plan is to keep the two best second line forwards in the league, one of the most effectieve shutdown lines in the league, and the best goaltender in the league and add the extra pices in the summer when he's got $12+ million to spend.

It's pretty easy to be an armchair GM and say he should have done this or that. We'll have to wait and see this summer if Nonis is worth his paycheck. Something tells me you might be very suprised.

.....It should've been a commanding win tonight, but it was a squeaker in OT because we're missing just one major piece.

Unfortunately I was only able to listen to the game last night, but it sounded like Cloutier played lights out last night which was the biggest reason it was this close. The shots were 40-18. I'm very impressed with the Nucks ability to hold it together and pull out the two points from a team that not only has nothing to lose, but have the coach that wrote the book on the Sedins. I'm not surprised they were held pointless.

[gordphish]

I think Nonis does realize what he's got and wasn't willing to give up a big chunk of it for one guy. The Richards deal was going to be far too expensive as far as roster players were concerned and apparently the asking price for Jokinen was both Sedins.

I'm pretty sure the plan is to keep the two best second line forwards in the league, one of the most effectieve shutdown lines in the league, and the best goaltender in the league and add the extra pices in the summer when he's got $12+ million to spend.

It's pretty easy to be an armchair GM and say he should have done this or that. We'll have to wait and see this summer if Nonis is worth his paycheck. Something tells me you might be very suprised.



Unfortunately I was only able to listen to the game last night, but it sounded like Cloutier played lights out last night which was the biggest reason it was this close. The shots were 40-18. I'm very impressed with the Nucks ability to hold it together and pull out the two points from a team that not only has nothing to lose, but have the coach that wrote the book on the Sedins. I'm not surprised they were held pointless.

Just like they made Labarbara look like the second coming of Bernie Parent when they fired 46 shots at him and lost 4-3?

As long as I could see all of those 86 shots from 30 feet out the way Labarbara and Cloutier could, I would have shut the Canucks out both nights.

They can't win at this time of the year playing from the perimeter. They squeeked out an OT win against a team they should have murdered, just as they squeeked out the win against the Blues that were 1 and 9 in their previous 10. You'll notice Calgary didn't have much problem kicking them around.

They've narrowly beaten two of the league's worst teams. I wouldn't go pitching a tent about their play or chances just yet.

[TimmyTabasco]

Nice to finally get a win against the Kings

Burrows, and Kesler continue their strong play

Very valuable two points, onto the next

[Nelson19777]

Just like they made Labarbara look like the second coming of Bernie Parent when they fired 46 shots at him and lost 4-3?

As long as I could see all of those 86 shots from 30 feet out the way Labarbara and Cloutier could, I would have shut the Canucks out both nights.

They can't win at this time of the year playing from the perimeter. They squeeked out an OT win against a team they should have murdered, just as they squeeked out the win against the Blues that were 1 and 9 in their previous 10. You'll notice Calgary didn't have much problem kicking them around.

They've narrowly beaten two of the league's worst teams. I wouldn't go pitching a tent about their play or chances just yet.

Nor have we had much trouble kicking Calgary around. ;) And didn't the Kings whoop the mighty Flames 6-3 last month. They haven't beat us that bad.

I do agree, however, that the Sedin's attack is far too predictable and they need to work on some "new looks". The book is out on these guys and either they come up with some new plays or they will continue to be absent from the scoresheet.

They are still winning alot of these close "playoff type" match-ups lately and I think they can still play better, and obviously they will need to, if they want to go far in the playoffs.

BTW they've also recently beat the Wings and Preds quite handly. So I feel pretty ready to go camping. :laughing: I guess we're just lucky the Blues and Kings aren't going to make the playoffs.

[AtLossForWords]

Nelson, it's easy to be an armchair GM when you look at a team and their best scoring line late in the season in a desparate playoff position is their damn checking line. I haven't seen another team in this league at anytime in my life look to their checking line to provide offense.

I don't think Crawford ever told Stephane Yelle to go out and get that big goal because Forsberg and Sakic were completely ineffective for games at a time.

Kesler's two goals in this game were the equivalent to that. The Canucks got no offense from anyone who is expected to produce it. The Sedins and Pyatt have actually looked better separately then togethor this season. When Naslund and the Sedins weren't clicking and Pyatt wasn't picking up points either over the last eight games, I think all four of those guys have played worse.

And I heard about Martin's asking price for the Jokinen, that's such a ridiculous rumor I don't think Eklund could have even dreamt it up. I'd sooner believe that Nonis paid of Strachan on HNIC than Martin asked him for both Sedins for Jokinen. If I were Martin I'd be in the process of suing HNIC for slander.

[Nelson19777]

If the checkers aren't expected to help out in the scoring department then WTF are they supposed to do once they take the puck away from the other teams top lines, just give it back? No, they are supposed to score against the other team theoretically weak defensive line.

Man, I have spent the better part of three years listening to constant complaints about our lack of secondary scoring and when they finally start chipping in because the top six (or should I say 2) have gone lame you sound you guys get pissy. $hit be happy someone is finding the net.

I don't particularly like or believe everything that comes out of Strachan's mouth either but its fairly evident he knows a few more people in this business then you do. Have you ever thought that maybe there is no uproar over these comments beacause.... it's true. In any event, if the price wasn't too high why is he still in Florida?

Keep up the armchair GM'ing. It's good fun. ;)

[AtLossForWords]

I'm not complaining that Kesler and Burrows are scoring. That is far from the case. I'm complaining that Kesler and Burrows have for about a tenth of the season now have become our primary scoring line. If they put the puck in the net that is great, but you can't depend on them to do it.

Maybe the asking price for Jokinen was high, but I can't believe that Martin was expecting to get a return equal to both Sedins. Making a statement like that pretty much means he is unavailable. That would be like Doug Wilson calling up Nonis asking for Luongo and Nonis replies with "Thornton and Cheechoo".

[TimmyTabasco]

I'm not complaining that Kesler and Burrows are scoring. That is far from the case. I'm complaining that Kesler and Burrows have for about a tenth of the season now have become our primary scoring line. If they put the puck in the net that is great, but you can't depend on them to do it.

Maybe the asking price for Jokinen was high, but I can't believe that Martin was expecting to get a return equal to both Sedins. Making a statement like that pretty much means he is unavailable. That would be like Doug Wilson calling up Nonis asking for Luongo and Nonis replies with "Thornton and Cheechoo".

Kesler and Burrows have both been a pleasant surprise

Jokinen still might be available..especially if Martin stays at the helm