Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

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Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
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Naslund, Canucks join century club

Canadian Press
3/28/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - Markus Naslund became the sixth Swede to reach the 100-point plateau in an NHL season, but he was more comfortable talking about the Vancouver Canucks' role players.

"I thought a lot of guys played a strong game," Naslund said after drawing an assist on Ed Jovanovski's power-play goal in the third period that capped a 5-1 victory Thursday night over the Phoenix Coyotes.

"Our line didn't play extremely well like the rest of them, but that's fine."

In addition to the return of goalie Dan Cloutier, who made 24 saves, the Canucks were led by secondary scorers Jarkko Ruutu, Trent Klatt, Daniel Sedin and Matt Cooke.

"If we can get that throughout the playoffs, we're going to be an extremely tough team to beat," said Naslund. "We have enough talent that if everyone is going at the same time, we'll be real tough to defend against."

Kent Nilsson is the only Swede to top 100 points twice, including 131 when he played for Calgary in 1980-81. The other four are Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Mats Naslund and Hakan Loob.

Forsberg has 97 points this season for Colorado.

Naslund's assist prevented the Canucks' top trio, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison, from being blanked for the first time in seven games.

"The big line's been there every night and they're going to get their points but in these tougher games (leading to the playoffs) it's not going to be easy for them," said Cooke, who tied a career high 14th goal.

"If teams play their top guys against them for that many minutes, all the other guys have to make sure that we take advantage of the other teams' third and fourth lines."

That's what Cooke and Daniel Sedin did when Sedin slipped a no-look back pass to Cooke, who beat goalie Brian Boucher with a low backhander.

"It's important if you can help out a little bit," said Sedin. "It's huge in the playoffs, too."

Perhaps the biggest goal came from Ruutu, who beat defender Brad Ference to a clearing attempt and scored on a breakaway. It was his first goal in 22 games, second of the season.

"It feels good to score and if everybody keeps scoring, that's a good thing," said the fiesty Finn, who was sporting a bruised right eye. "But the most important thing is that we play within the system and do the things we're supposed to do and not force the scoring."

Cloutier, who missed 12 of the Canucks' previous 14 games with a strained right knee, said his confidence grew even after Mike Johnson tied the game by banking the puck in off his skate during a power play.

"It did. Obviously when you miss a few starts ... you can practise all you want but it's not the same," Cloutier said. "I just felt more confident as the game went on.

"Not once did I think about it or tweaked it or anything like that. The last two days were huge for me, especially down the stretch. So far, so good, so hopefully it keeps building."

Cloutier made a big save early off Chris Gratton then robbed Todd Simpson in the third period with a glove save.

Phoenix coach Bob Francis said his club was deflated after a video replay showed Branko Radivojevic's skate deflected a puck past Cloutier with a kicking motion 2:55 into the game.

It also wasn't enough just to shut down the Canucks' big line.

"(Vancouver has) the ability to roll four lines," said Francis. "They have speed and size and skill up front. They're deep and they're a difficult team to match up against."

Playing the night after being eliminated from playoff contention wasn't easy, either.

"It's a matter of competing and showing why you're a professional," said Francis. "It's going to be a test of character."

Notes: The U.S. anthem was cheered for the third consecutive game since the Iraqi conflict began ... A large U.S. flag was displayed from a corporate box ... Nolan Baumgartner joined the Canuck defence while Bryan Allen sat out ... The Canucks shipped goalie Alex Auld back to the AHL Manitoba Moose ... Shane Doan, Daymond Langkow and Johnson are the only Coyotes to have played in every Phoenix game this season.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

IcemanJer

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2001
4,307
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My god Aquaman! Those are a whole lotta articles you've posted on this page!! :D:D:D
Hehe, my way of keeping up with Canucks news is basically reading this thread.
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
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Originally posted by: IcemanJer
My god Aquaman! Those are a whole lotta articles you've posted on this page!! :D:D:D
Hehe, my way of keeping up with Canucks news is basically reading this thread.

Gots to keep the faithful informed :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks hit the road to take on Kings

Sports Network
3/29/2003

(Sports Network) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to move closer to the top seed in the Western Conference this evening, when they head West to take on the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.

Vancouver is just two points back of top-seeded Dallas and one point behind second-place Detroit. The Canucks still haven't locked up the Northwest Division title, as Colorado is just four points behind with a game in hand.

The Canucks have their next three contests on the road after winning three of their last four at home. Vancouver continued its solid play on Thursday, posting a 5-1 victory over Phoenix Coyotes.

Daniel Sedin and Ed Jovanovski each finished with a goal and an assist to aid the Canucks to the victory. Jarkko Ruutu, Trent Klatt and Matt Cooke also scored, while netminder Dan Cloutier stopped 24 shots.

Vancouver has lost three of its last four road games to fall to 22-9-6-1 in such tilts this season. The Canucks are 8-5-3-0 against the Pacific Division and 30-16-9-1 versus the West.

Los Angeles has officially been eliminated from playoff contention due its three consecutive losses. The Kings are winless (0-3-2-1) in their last six overall, including a 3-0 defeat to Colorado on Thursday.

Cristobal Huet started between the pipes for Los Angeles, but was pulled in favor of Jamie Storr after allowing three goals on just nine shots. Storr stopped all 13 shots he faced over two-plus periods of work for the Kings.

The Kings are winless (0-3-1-1) in their last five contests at home, falling to 18-18-2-1 in such games. Los Angeles is 3-10-2-1 versus the Northwest Division and 18-30-4-3 against the West.

Vancouver is 3-1-2 in its last six meetings with the Kings over the past two years. However, Los Angeles is 1-0-2 at home versus Vancouver at home during the span.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Woot 1-1 after the first period :D

The Canucks Defense kind of hung Auld out to dry with 2 Kings in frfont of the net. Even if the tip did not make it there would have been a very juicey rebound.

Nice hussle from Reid :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
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Canucks keep pace in Los Angeles

Associated Press
3/30/2003

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Vancouver Canucks finally left Los Angeles with a win.

Henrik Sedin and Markus Naslund scored in the second period to lead the Canucks to a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. That ended Vancouver's 14-game winless streak (0-9-3-1) in Los Angeles, which dated back to April 6, 1996.

``It was an unusual stretch, for whatever reason we struggled back to playing at the Forum, way back at the Forum,'' said Vancouver forward Trevor Linden.

Linden was with the Canucks at the start of Vancouver's drought in Los Angeles. He played for the New York Islanders, Montreal and Washington before returning to Vancouver. In all that time, the streak continued.

``It's one of those things, we hadn't played well here,'' Linden said.

Part of the difference on this Canucks trip through Los Angeles was Alexander Auld, who made 31 saves to help Vancouver maintain a four-point lead over Colorado in the Northwest Division race. The Avalanche defeated Phoenix 6-1 Saturday.

``We've kind of been somewhat fortunate the last couple of nights that we've known what we've had to do in the games,'' said Vancouver coach Marc Crawford. ``We knew that Detroit won today, we knew that Colorado had won.

``I think that's part of what's motivating guys right now.''

The Canucks scored two goals on four shots in the second period, breaking open a 1-1 game. Alexander Frolov scored for the Kings, and Matt Cooke had Vancouver's goal in the first period.

``They may not have been as sharp tonight as they wanted to be early, but they found a way to get the goals and we didn't,'' said Kings coach Andy Murray.

The Kings were 1-for-6 on the power play in the loss and are 4-for-39 with a man advantage since defenceman Mathieu Schneider, the quarterback of the power play, was traded to Detroit on March 11.

With Canucks forward Trevor Letowski serving a four-minute penalty for high-sticking, Daniel Sedin took the puck from Kings defenceman Lubomir Visnovksy behind the net and set up a short-handed goal by brother Henrik 6:30 into the second to make it 2-1.

``That was the difference for us,'' Linden said. ``Our penalty killing was the difference for us winning.''

``We have been working a lot on the PK,'' Henrik Sedin said. ``It was fun to score.''

Naslund then broke into the Kings zone and swept a backhand shot past Kings goalie Jamie Storr for his 46th goal, tying him with teammate Todd Bertuzzi for the NHL lead and giving the Canucks a 3-1 advantage at 11:22.

``It's pretty obvious why teams like that are in the position they are in and why we are in the position we are in,'' said Kings defenceman Aaron Miller. ``They're firing on all cylinders, everything is clicking, and things are easy. We're working hard but not working smart.''

Linden and Daniel Sedin added power-play goals in the third period.

Notes: Carl Jund, the father of former Kings media relations assistant Michael Jund, sang both the Canadian and American national anthems before the game. Michael Jund died on May 31, 1998, of a heart condition. He was 22. Carl Jund sings the national anthem at a Kings game each season in honor of his son.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Yeah I hope they play St. Louis i the first round and get the hell beat out of them :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks look to roast Ducks

Sports Network
3/30/2003

(Sports Network) - The Vancouver Canucks hope to own a share of the Western Conference penthouse after visiting the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at the Pond tonight.

With 103 points the Canucks sit third in the conference race -- two behind Dallas and one back of Detroit. The Red Wings currently hold a game in hand on both the Stars and Canucks.

Vancouver has won its last two games and taken five of the last seven, including Friday's 5-1 pounding in Los Angeles. Markus Naslund and Matt Cooke each finished with a goal and an assist to pace the effort, while Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Trevor Linden tallied as well. Alex Auld finished with 31 saves.

Naslund bagged his 46th goal of the season, which ties him with linemate Todd Bertuzzi for the NHL lead. His 102 points also top the league, and he holds an advantage of three over Colorado's Peter Forsberg. Naslund has four scores and five helpers during a current five-game points streak.

The Canucks, who have earned 103 points, broke the team record of 101 set in 1992-93, Their 45 victories are one shy of the mark that was also reached that season.

Vancouver, 8-2-4-1 in its last 15 road contests, will visit Phoenix on Wednesday.

Anaheim, meanwhile, is in a heated battle for positioning at the bottom of the West playoff field. With 90 points the Mighty Ducks sit seventh in the standings --- one ahead of Edmonton and one behind Minnesota. Mike Babcock's club has won its last two games and is 6-1-1-1 in the last nine.

On Monday the Ducks posted a 5-0 triumph against visiting Columbus, as Jean- Sebastien Giguere made 29 saves for his eighth shutout of the season, which places him in a four-way tie atop the NHL (Jocelyn Thibault, Chicago; Martin Brodeur, New Jersey; Patrick Lalime, Ottawa).

Rob Niedermayer provided the punch at the other end with two goals, and Mike Leclerc, Petr Sykora and Steve Thomas tallied as well. Paul Kariya added an assist and extended his points streak to five games (1g, 7a).

Adam Oates also managed a helper Monday and is one point shy of becoming the 15th player in NHL history to reach the 1,400 plateau.

The Ducks, 4-0-1 in their last five at the Pond, will visit Nashville on Tuesday.

Vancouver is 1-0-2 against Anaheim this season and 4-0-2 in the last six clashes. The home team is 6-1-3 in the last 10 meetings.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

etalns

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2001
6,513
1
0
Originally posted by: sandorski
Suckage!

Poor Klatt, 2 goals disallowed(1 deservedly).

Errg, I am so pissed off...

I have never seen such pathetic refereeing and I've been a canucks fan since the 80's.

Well, I've seen worse...but this is just pathetic.
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks can't contain Ducks

Canadian Press
3/30/2003

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Martin Gerber stopped 41 shots to lead the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

Steve Thomas and Adam Oates each scored first-period goals to give the Ducks an early 2-0 lead. But the Canucks outshot Anaheim 18-5 in the second to get back into the game.

Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 47th goal of the season during a power play in the second to cut Anaheim's lead to 2-1.

But Petr Sykora swatted a loose puck past Vancouver goalie Dan Cloutier 41 seconds into the third for a 3-1 lead. Sykora's goal came after a pass from Paul Kariya deflected off Oates's skate just outside the crease in the Vancouver zone.

Kariya and defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh each had two assists as Anaheim moved past Minnesota into sixth-place in the Western Conference.

The loss was just the 10th on the road this season for the Canucks, who remain third in the conference. Vancouver would meet Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs if the teams held their current positions.

Thomas took the puck off the stick of Vancouver defenceman Marek Malik and quickly lofted it past Cloutier to give Anaheim a 1-0 lead 4:19 into the first. Oates made it a two-goal lead with 1:49 left in the period when he put a wrist shot over Cloutier's glove. It was the 1,400th point of Oates's career.

Naslund managed to deflect an off-angle shot from the end line to Gerber's right off the goaltender's stick into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1 during a Vancouver power play midway through the second.

The goal moved Naslund ahead of linemate Todd Bertuzzi for the league lead.

NOTES - Sunday's game was the 1,000th NHL contest officiated by referee Rob Shick. His first game was at Detroit on April 6, 1986. Shick's wife and family joined him for a pre-game ceremony . . . Anaheim forward Cam Severson skated in his first game since being recalled from Cincinnati on Thursday . . . Vancouver defenceman Bryan Allen and centre Brandon Reid were healthy scratches. Both skated at Los Angeles on Saturday.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
81
Dammit, I can't believe the refereeing in that game. Baumgartner got tackled, someone else got tackled on a bloody breakaway, the quick whistle on Klatt, Klatt getting pitchforked in front of the open net... ARGH!!!

I did stay at the bar for the Canucks/Flames game after too :D

Jeremiah's btw ;)
 
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