Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

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Mucman

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,246
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Looking forward to this game!!!

Going to have a pot of coffee going, and a huge plate of perogies, farmers sausage, and sour cream :)

No wonder I've gained 6 pounds in the last couple months :p
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,241
5,810
126
Originally posted by: Mucman
Looking forward to this game!!!

Going to have a pot of coffee going, and a huge plate of perogies, farmers sausage, and sour cream :)

No wonder I've gained 6 pounds in the last couple months :p

Dasm, that sounds tasty!
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Stars back on top after edging Canucks

The Canadian Press
3/26/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - Scott Young scored his second goal of the third period on a power play at 15:29 as the Dallas Stars edged the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 Tuesday night to move back into a tie with the Detroit Red Wings for first place in the NHL's Western Conference.

Young scored from a sharp angle after Vancouver's Trevor Linden was sent off for roughing. Linden had clothes-lined the Stars Derian Hatcher in retaliation for Hatcher flattening captain Markus Naslund with a high, hard hit. Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi had tied the game 3-3 just moments before on a power play after Dallas goaltender Marty Turco was assessed a roughing penalty. Bertuzzi slapped home the rebound of a Naslund shot at 12:58.

That power play game after an engaged Turco was called for roughing after taking several punched at Vancouver's Trevor Letowski following a pileup in the Dallas crease.

Jason Arnott and defenceman Sergei Zubov, on the power play, also scored for the Stars who improved their record to 42-17-15-3 for 102 points.

The Stars remain tied with the Detroit Red Wings, who beat Minnesota 4-0 Tuesday, for top spot in the Western Conference.

Brendan Morrison and Naslund scored for the Canucks who remain second in the conference, three points behind the leaders, with a 43-21-12-1 record for 99 points.

The loss denied the Canucks the chance to record their first 100-point season in a decade. It also allowed Colorado, who tied Ottawa 2-2, to move to within three points of Vancouver in the race for first place in the Northwest Division and home-advantage in the playoffs.

The sellout crowd of 18,514 at G.M. Place were treated to a fast-paced, hard-hitting game with lots of end-to-end rushes. There was a playoff atmosphere in the building and both national anthems were greeted with a thunderous roar of applause.

Dallas, who outshot Vancouver 14-3 in the second period, tied the game 1-1 at 6:54 after Stu Barnes threaded a pass to Arnott who deflected the puck past Canuck goaltender Alex Auld. It was the first goal the 22-year-old netminder had allowed in almost 88 minutes of play.

It took Zubov two tries but he finally gave Dallas a 2-1 lead on a power play with four minutes left.

The stocky defenceman blasted one shot that rang off the inside of the post behind Auld. Just a few minutes later Zubov launched another rocket from the faceoff circle that hit the top of Auld's glove, careened off the post and into the net.

Morrison had opened the scoring with just 54 seconds left in the first period. Turco stopped a Todd Bertuzzi shot but the puck bounced off his chest and slowly dribbled toward the corner of the net. A sprawling Morrison managed to tap it in for his 25th of the year.

Naslund made it 3-2 at 4:46 of the third.

The Canucks have had only one other season with over 100 points. That was back in 1992-93 when Vancouver had a franchise high 46 wins and 101 points.

CANUCK NOTES: Goaltender Dan Cloutier sat out the game with a sore right knee but said he could be ready to play Thursday against Phoenix. ...Naslund is looking to become the first Swedish-born player since Hakan Loob in 1987-88 to score 50 goals in a season. ... Bertuzzi became the third Canuck to earn NHL player of the week honours in the past six weeks. Cloutier won for Feb. 10-16 and Morrison for Feb. 17-23.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Bertuzzi, Naslund chase 50th goal

Canadian Press
3/26/2003

(CP) - The kidding has already started over the race for 50 goals by Vancouver Canucks linemates Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Naslund.

Their centre Brendan Morrison, with a mere 25 goals, had the best line.

``He said if we're both at 49 and we all go in for an empty-netter, he'll roof one,'' Bertuzzi said with a laugh during a conference call Wednesday.

Opposing goaltenders find nothing funny about the destruction of their statistics by the Canucks top line this season.

With five games left on their schedule, Naslund leads the league with 99 points, including 45 goals. Bertuzzi, who has 94 points, leads in goal-scoring with 46.

They have a shot at becoming the first NHL teammates each to score 50 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr did it for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96.

Lemieux, with 69 goals that year, and Jagr, with 62, are also the last teammates to post 100-point seasons together.

No two Canucks have ever accomplished either feat.

``It would be pretty neat for the team and the line if we finish at 50,'' said Bertuzzi, 28, the trio's six-foot-three, 235-pound power winger. ``But most important, it hasn't taken away from our team play.

``We're a pretty unselfish line and I think that's why we've been successful.''

The Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in points and the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading in goals are within reach.

But there is fear that Bertuzzi and Naslund may split what could be the closest voting in years for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player, clearing the way for another candidate to win.

Colorado Avalanche centre Peter Forsberg, with 96 points and counting after missing the regular season last year with injuries, is another leading candidate for the Hart, as are Boston centre Joe Thornton (95 points), Lemieux (89) and New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur, to name a few.

``We set goals as a team,'' said Bertuzzi. ``But obviously, with the way we've been playing, individuals will succeed, too.''

Competition for awards or the scoring title has not been a strain on their relationship, however.

``Markus and I are friends off the ice,'' he added. ``We're competitive.

``We want to bring the best out of each other. That's why we're successful. We push each other hard and that's good for the team.''

When asked who he would choose if he had a vote for the Hart Trophy, Bertuzzi said: ``After Markus, I'd probably go for Forsberg.

``I had the opportunity to play with him at the all-star game, which was awesome. It's just for the way he came back for the playoffs last year and how dominant he's been this season.''

The Hockey News this week took a poll of one player from each of the 30 NHL clubs on who should get the Hart. Naslund was the clear winner.

The Pearson Trophy is also awarded annually to the MVP as elected by his fellow players. It usually ends up being the same as the Hart winner, but last year it was split, with Montreal's Jose Theodore taking the Hart and Calgary's Jarome Iginla winning the Pearson.

The slick Naslund and the bruising Bertuzzi will be candidates for that one, too.

The Canucks, who are only two points shy of the team record of 101 points in a season set in 1992-93, meet only one playoff bound team - Anaheim - over their final five games, which could be conducive to scoring goals.

Vancouver plays host to Phoenix on Thursday, then hits the road for games in Los Angeles, Anaheim and Phoenix before ending the season at home April 6 against the Kings.

And Bertuzzi is hot, winning NHL player of the week honours last week when he scored six goals and added two assists in three games. He leads the league with 25 power-play goals, including one in a 4-3 loss to Dallas on Tuesday night.

Notes: The Canucks' last 50-goal scorer was Pavel Bure with 51 in 1997-98. Their last 100-point man was Alexander Mogilny with 107 in 1995-96.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks still have time to learn

Canadian Press
3/26/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - If the Vancouver Canucks were using the Dallas Stars as a test for the playoffs, they failed the exam.

The Canucks still have plenty of time to study and learn before the true examination begins next month with the NHL playoffs.

"Did we fail?" hard-nosed Canucks winger Trent Klatt said in assessing Vancouver's 4-3 loss to the Stars on Tuesday.

"Not if we learn our lesson. You have to fight for every ounce of space out there, battle for pucks. The games now are a lot different than games one through 10."

The loss could prove costly. It allowed Colorado to stay within four points of Vancouver in the race for the Northwest Division title and home-ice advantage in the playoffs. The Avalanche also have a game in hand on the Canucks.

"We'll remember this one for a long time," said centre Brendan Morrison. "To lose points is unacceptable at this time of year. If we can take something out of this game this could be a good thing for us."

The Canucks showed lots of fight against Dallas. They were down 3-1 in the third period and fought back to tie at one point. What hurt them most was a second period where Dallas outshot them 14-3.

"As a team we know the lesson," said defenceman Ed Jovanovski. "We know we have to play hard for the full game. Playoffs is going to be that much more intense. As far as teaching the guys, I think it's instilled in our brain right now."

One thing captain Markus Naslund learned was the Canucks have to get better killing penalties. Vancouver gave up two third-period power-play goals, including Scott Young's winner with 4:31 left.

Vancouver is currently ranked 12th in the league in penalty killing at 84 per cent.

"Our penalty killing has to be better down the stretch now," said Naslund. "It's a huge part of the game. We have let it slip. We started off the first half great. We have to play a little more aggressive."

Entering Wednesday's games, Naslund led the league with 99 points and had 45 goals, one behind teammate Todd Bertuzzi in the goal-scoring race.

The Canucks have played a lot of very good hockey this year, resulting in them winning 43 games and collecting 99 points to sit third in the Western Conference. As the playoffs near though, Vancouver has had trouble beating the better teams.

In their last 10 games the Canucks are just 2-3-1 in their six matches against playoff-bound clubs.

They beat the New York Islanders, split two games with Dallas, tied and lost against Toronto and lost to St. Louis.

"We made some mistakes, there's no doubt about that," said coach Marc Crawford.

"You have to take these and somehow hope you get it sorted out somewhere along the line."

The Canucks have played with a depleted roster lately.

With starting goaltender Dan Cloutier resting a sore knee, rookie Alex Auld was in net against Dallas.

Cloutier says he could play in Thursday's game against Phoenix.

The Canucks injury list also includes defenceman Mattias Ohlund (out 13 games following knee surgery), forward Artem Chubarov (14 games, abdominal strain), forward Mats Lindgren (five games, back spasms) and forward Brad May (five games, concussion).

Tough guy Darren Langdon has been scratched from the last five games and there's talk he may have a hand injury.

The Canucks have steadily improved over the past four years, increasing their point total each season. Klatt said the team has done that by learning from their mistakes.

"We've learned from a lot of things over the last couple of years," he said.

"I don't want to say this was just another game. It's a sign of things to come starting here in about two weeks. We'll see what happens then."

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Tambellini begins scouting for Worlds

TSN.ca Staff
3/26/2003

Steve Tambellini has caught a break as he prepares to assemble Canada's team for the upcoming men's world hockey championship in Finland.

Unless the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens pull off a miracle to catch the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference, Tambellini - Canada's general manager - already knows which 14 teams won't make the NHL playoffs, a change from recent years when playoff races went down the final weekend.

Tambellini, the director of player personnel on Canada's Olympic champion team last year, is close to contacting his first crop of players for the April 26 to May 11 tournament in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.

"What we've done throughout the year, not unlike what we did last year with the Salt Lake team, is identify our `A' players for every NHL team," Tambellini said Wednesday from Vancouver. "So now that we're much clearer on who the non-playoff teams are, we can start speaking to them."

Tambellini has been holding regular conference calls with the rest of his Canadian staff, which also includes Jim Nill of Detroit and Don Maloney of the Rangers.

Tambellini, also the vice-president of player personnel for the Vancouver Canucks, says he'll probably wait until the end of the NHL's regular season to announce his first group of players.

"The difference with this year which is wonderful is the fact the first round of the playoffs will be over prior to the start of the world championships," Tambellini also points out. "There are going to be great teams knocked out in the first round."

The latest any first-round seven-game series should go is April 22, leaving Canada time to fly in a few more bodies before the preliminary-round opener against Belarus in Turku on April 26. Canada also faces Latvia on April 27 and Sweden on April 29. Then comes three more games in the qualifying round from May 2 to May 6, followed by the medal round starting May 7.

First things first, however. Tambellini needs to name a head coach. When Wayne Fleming left the Canadian Hockey Association to join Ken Hitchcock's staff in Philadelphia last summer, the CHA decided not to have a permanent head coach.

"You'll see an announcement probably within the week," Tambellini said of his choice to coach this year's team.

There's some good talent available among the non-playoff teams, including forwards Jarome Iginla of Calgary (currently nursing a shoulder injury), Dany Heatley of Atlanta, Daniel Briere of Buffalo, Jeff O'Neill of Carolina, Steve Sullivan and Eric Daze of Chicago, Ray Whitney, Andrew Cassels, Geoff Sanderson and rookie Rick Nash of Columbus, Greg Johnson, Scott Walker and Scott Hartnell of Nashville, Anson Carter of the Rangers, Daymond Langkow, Shane Doan and Mike Johnson of Phoenix, and Patrick Marleau and Alyn McCauley of San Jose.

Available on defence would be Jay McKee of Buffalo, Robyn Regehr of Calgary, Patrice Brisebois of Montreal, Andy Delmore of Nashville, Brad Ference of Phoenix, and Kyle McLaren and Brad Stuart of San Jose.

In goal, last year's Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Jose Theodore will surely be asked. He was a standout for Canada at the 2000 world tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia. Also available would be Roberto Luongo of Florida, Martin Biron of Buffalo, Marc Denis of Columbus, Jamie Storr of Los Angeles and Dan Blackburn of the Rangers.

Tambellini will soon find out if he can reverse the recent trend of many Canadian NHLers saying thanks but no thanks to the invite. Last year around 60 players refused invitations from GM Lanny McDonald.

"I think overall there's a good feeling and I expect a good response," Tambellini said.

Will Tambellini use his trump card? He could remind many of these players that getting experience at the international level will be an important consideration when Wayne Gretzky and his staff - which will probably once again include Tambellini - select Team Canada for the 2004 World Cup and the 2006 Olympic team for Turin, Italy (if the NHL is in the Olympics again).

"It's a fair question, because decisions when you come to that level of play with best on best, are based on performance and some experience," Tambellini said. "You can look back to the players that did come to play for us in the last three world championships that made a difference on those teams, such as Ryan Smyth and Eric Brewer, and the people that have stood out such as Jarome Iginla being a late invite to the (Olympic) camp.

"It's another chance to not only play for your country but also prove that you can play on a different level."

Canada hasn't fared well in recent tournaments, losing in the quarter-finals two straight years and placing fourth in St. Petersburg in 2000. Canada's last medal was a gold in 1997.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

MainFramed

Diamond Member
May 29, 2002
5,981
1
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GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Originally posted by: MainFramed
GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


GO DETROIT RED WINGS W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Red Wings = hte Suck Woo Hoo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks host Coyotes at GM Place

Sports Ticker
3/27/2003

The Vancouver Canucks try to close in on a Northwest Division title when they conclude a four-game homestand against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday at General Motors Place.

Though Vancouver's 99 points are only three behind Detroit and Dallas for the top spot in the Western Conference, the Canucks' lead in Northwest has been cut to four points by the surging Colorado Avalanche.

The Canucks missed a chance to jump into second place in the West with Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Stars. Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Naslund each had a goal and two assists, and Brendan Morrison also scored for the Canucks, who have lost just three of their last nine (4-3-2).

Bertuzzi has seven goals and 11 points over his last five to overtake Naslund as the league's leading goal scorer with a career-high 46. Naslund, who has three goals and six points over his last three, is second in the NHL with 45 goals but leads the league with 99 points.

Goaltender Dan Cloutier is once again set to rejoin the lineup. The Canucks hope this time it's for good. Cloutier is expected to patrol the crease for just the third time in a month. Sidelined by a sprained right knee first suffered on Feb. 25 against Atlanta, Cloutier has missed 12 of Vancouver's last 14 games.

The only appearances he made came last week in a 6-4 loss to St. Louis before beating Nashville 7-3 last Thursday.

Though soreness in the knee kept Cloutier out of the Canucks' last two games, he has pronounced himself ready to return.

"It's not too bad during the games," said Cloutier, who has a career-high 32 wins this season -- tied for fifth in the league. "It's mostly the day after the games it's sore. We're just taking a precautionary thing here. I'm not really worried about it."

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,241
5,810
126
Originally posted by: Aquaman
I want Bert & Nassy to score lots of points tonight :D

Cheers,
Aquaman

Hat trick for Bertuzzi, 4 goals for Naslund, just to make things interesting. :)
 
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