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silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
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They played it about 8 times this morning on rock 101. My alarm clock is set to rock 101 and is right beside my bed. By pure fluke, I awoke to Marc Crawford talking about playoff sex this morning. :)
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
7,803
0
71
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: Aquaman
TSN Hockey Expert's Predictions for First Round

Cheers,
Aquaman

Dayum, the forums are sllllooooooooowwwwwwwww for me. Double posts everywhere.


Anyways, on a semi-related note, was it last year or two years ago that the TSN NFL analyst was only ~30% correct in his predictions for the year? :D

I know, the forums are slow for me too... I made a post about this yesterday in Forum Issues, but Zuni said the problem is on the client side and deleted my post...
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks, Blues prepare for physical series

Canadian Press
4/8/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Canucks don't appear worse for wear after that untimely 1-2 punch Phoenix and Los Angeles landed last week.

Their noses may be bloody. Their egos may be bruised. But they're up off the canvas and ready for a scrap with the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of their Western Conference quarter-final Thursday. And it's a scrap they'll likely get.

It probably won't be a replay of the Islanders-Leafs slugfest from last year, but it's going to be physical, within, they all insist, accepted rules of engagement.

``I think for the most part it's going to be controlled physical play,'' said defenceman Ed Jovanovski, who downplayed suggestions that the bad blood spilled between these teams during the regular season could be a factor.

There's been talk of retribution from the Blues because of a hit by the Canucks' Brad May that sidelined Keith Tkachuk on March 13. May didn't want to talk about that.

``We're not going to make anything out of this,'' he said Tuesday. ``That's the past.

``This is going to be spirited series for sure. I'm not worried about anybody on that side. I respect a lot of their players and how tough and aggressive they can be but the more physical confrontations there are the better it is for a player like myself.''

Jovanovski noted the two teams reconvened on March 18 and there was no trouble.

``You look at the game we played them after that and there wasn't too much,'' Jovanovski said. ``I think you have to realize the importance of playoff hockey and you have to put those things behind you.''

Still, seven games in 14 nights? Bad blood could develop.

``I think it could,'' said Jovanovski. ``But that's all part of competing.

``You can develop some extra hatred, I guess, if you want to put it that way, but I think for the most part you're just playing to beat the guy next to you.''

Matt Cooke added, ``It depends on your definition of bad blood. Physical confrontations can cause you to feel there's bad blood.

``You try to play physical and that's what happened in one of those games,'' he said of the May-on-Tkachuk hit.

There's also been talk of goalies becoming speed bumps. Both teams have agitators. The Canucks have May and Cooke. The Blues have Tyson Nash, Dallas Drake and Scott Mellanby, who introduced himself up close and personal to Dan Cloutier this season.

On Tuesday, Blues coach Joel Quenneville vetoed the possibility of retribution for Tkachuk but made no bones about getting in goalie Dan Cloutier's face.

``It's over with,'' he said of the May-Tkachuk incident. ``We can't be trying to get even with Brad May in this series. We have to move on.''

As for Cloutier, Quenneville said: ``He's a competitive kid. He's improved and we have to get to him the best we can. In the playoffs discipline usually comes to the forefront in how you handle situations. Will he do something like that 1/8going after Mellanby3/8? We don't know. We want to make sure there's a lot of traffic going his way.''

Cooke said Cloutier and the Canucks will be ready for any crease crashing.

``It's not new to him,'' said Cooke. ``He just has to keep his cool and if he does that it just assures the rest of us that he's ready for that. We'll do our best to not let guys get to him.''

And Trent Klatt reminded all within earshot there are two goalies in the game.

``Well, it's one of those things where you have to do what you have to do,'' said Klatt. ``There are two ends. There's a guy at the other end as well.''

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003 Email this to a friend

Cloutier may give Canucks an edge in the crease

VANCOUVER ? With the exception of J. Lo's backside, it's hard to imagine a body part getting more media attention than Dan Cloutier's right knee has over the last six weeks.

The Canucks? No.1 goalie has been drilled daily about his sprained MCL, constantly poked and prodded for more information about the injury that allowed him to play just three of 16 games through the end of March. Cloutier answered most questions on the ice with three solid starts down the stretch, but with the second season set to start Thursday he knows the focus will move up to his head.

Cloutier also knows most questions will revolve around last year?s playoff implosion against Detroit, the 90-foot Nicklas Lidstrom goal that precipitated it, and what lasting effects that memorable meltdown has had on his playoff psyche.

``I just won?t answer them, that?s in the past,?? said Cloutier, who actually snuffed talk of the long Lidstrom goal back in October. ``Those questions are to be expected, but I don?t pay much attention to the newspapers and radio stations and whatnot. I stay away from all that and I think that?s a good thing when you?re playing for a Canadian team.??

Ironically, it might be a good week for Cloutier to start paying attention to the press.

He was blameless in a 3-1 loss to Anaheim, better during a 3-3 tie in Phoenix and brilliant against Los Angeles in the season finale Sunday. Vancouver still finished 0-2-1, handing the Northwest Division title to the Colorado Avalanche with poor defensive play and inconsistent efforts, but along the way Cloutier went from being the Canucks biggest post-season question mark to the least of their concerns.

``That?s the biggest positive that came out of yesterday?s game is that he played excellent,?? said captain Markus Naslund said after a brisk hour-long practice at GM Place Monday. ``He was our best player. He looked like he was in control.??

Cloutier may have looked good enough to give the Canucks something they would have lacked against any other first-round opponent: a decided advantage in goal.

With St.
Louis relying on Chris Osgood between the pipes, and a history of animosity between the teams, Cloutier may even be reduced to sideshow status in a media circus that typically targets goalies in the playoffs. With a post- season history that includes being yanked as often as he?s won (twice) and a monstrous 3.85 goals-against average, Cloutier won?t miss the spotlight.

``I can?t go out and start thinking or putting any extra pressure on myself,?? said Cloutier, who failed to finish last year?s playoff loss to Detroit and was pulled in favour of Bob Essensa for two games against Colorado two years ago. ``The last two years I got the opportunity to play and that?s how you learn and get better. This year I won?t be as nervous as I was last year and that?s a big thing. As a team I don?t think we?ll be as nervous, we know what to expect.??

That?s more than you can say for the Blues, who have to be wondering what to expect after Osgood arrived on trade-deadline day with Stanley Cup rings on two fingers and a small army of playoff skeletons in his closet. He debuted with a 35- save shutout of Nashville and quickly added another goose egg against Minnesota, but went 0-2-2 down the stretch, giving up 18 goals in the process.

Blues bench boss Joel Quenneville has already publicly picked Osgood as his Game 1 starter, citing his 1998 Stanley Cup run and a 12-1-4 record against the Canucks. With the exception of a 6-4 win in St. Louis three weeks ago, however, both feats were accomplished with a superior Detroit team and against an inferior Vancouver team.

With the Blues, Osgood is a mortal 3-2-1 with a sub-par 3.05 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage that ranks sixth among the seven goaltenders to suit up in St. Louis this season. At the other end, Cloutier finished tied for sixth in NHL wins with a 33-16-7-6 record despite missing 17 games to injury, improved slightly on his career-best with a 2.40 goals-against average, and proved he can carry the starting load as a No.1 goaltender.

``It was nice to have a good season, but once Thursday comes it?s a new season and I?m looking forward to it,? said Cloutier.

Icechips: Much-needed defenceman Mattias Ohlund was given a ?skating day off? Monday, sparking further speculation he won?t be ready for Game 1 Thursday. Ohlund, who missed the final 18 regular season games after surgery on his left knee, has been back on skates for the last week, but hasn?t practiced with teammates since late February. ? C Mats Lindgren also got a day off Monday after experiencing soreness in the injured back that kept him out of nine games before returning for the season finale, but is expected to be back to start the first round.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

XCLAN

Platinum Member
Mar 22, 2001
2,401
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0
Aquaman

congratulations! 8421 posts to date 1250am pacific time april ninth 2003 and
8419 of them were from this thread alone :) :beer::D:beer:
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Originally posted by: XCLAN
Aquaman

congratulations! 8421 posts to date 1250am pacific time april ninth 2003 and
8419 of them were from this thread alone :) :beer::D:beer:

Gotta keep the faith brotha :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
81
One last check in before arts county fair tomorrow. May I come back alive and satisfied, ready for some canucks :)
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Originally posted by: silverpig
One last check in before arts county fair tomorrow. May I come back alive and satisfied, ready for some canucks :)

Arts Country Fair :confused: Did you bring your banjo? :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Mucman

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,246
1
0
Yay! I'm writing a Data Structures and Algorithms exam from 7:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday
rolleye.gif
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Originally posted by: Mucman
Yay! I'm writing a Data Structures and Algorithms exam from 7:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday
rolleye.gif

Ah man.......... that sucks :(

At least it's only the first rounnd :)

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Bob McKenzie: The Blues know they have to shut down Vancouver's top line of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison. That line combined for 119 goals this year. Vancouver's next nine forwards totalled 98 goals. I think this series is going to get down and dirty, it's going to get nasty.

Pierre McGuire: The Canucks have two players on my All-Monster team. Bertuzzi is the ultimate package of size and skill, determination and vicous finishing ability. And though he's not big, Matt Cooke is tough, hard and in your face. He's a monster, too. And I can't wait to see Ed Jovanovski play against Keith Tkachuk. A couple of years ago, Colorado's Adam Foote just fed Tkachuk and he couldn't respond. Vancouver has to win that matchup if they are going to win the series. Another thing to pay attention to is the balanced scoring in St. Louis as opposed to Vancouver's single line offence. The big intangible for the Blues is the return of Chris Pronger.

Gord Miller: The losing goaltender in this series is really going to take some off-ice shots. Chris Osgood had a great start in St. Louis, but then fell off dramatically. His goals against average was 3.94 in his last six games. Fans in Vancouver shouldn't be worried about Dan Cloutier, he had a pretty good year. But the pressure in on the Canucks for the first time. Their fans expect a lot and it will be interesting to see how the team responds to that.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
81
Damn, I really wish people would stop saying the Canucks are a one line team. There are only a few teams who have as many 15 goal scorers as Vancouver...
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Originally posted by: silverpig
Damn, I really wish people would stop saying the Canucks are a one line team. There are only a few teams who have as many 15 goal scorers as Vancouver...

let them think that............. they will be in for a rude awakening :D

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003

mytelus.com's fearless NHL playoff predictions

(mytelus.com) ? Bragging rights in the office don't show up on the paycheque, but they're money in the bank at the water cooler. Of course, you can make us all look bad with your own NHL playoff predictions in our discussion forums.
Make your predictions here

Here's what our seven in-house 'experts' believe will happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs first round:

Kevin Woodley

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Stars in five
Marty Turco can make the league's best shooters look bad and the Oilers are prone to prolonged dry spells on offence. This drought won't last long.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Red Wings in five
Brett Hull may be the NHL's biggest golf nut, but the rest of the veteran Wings won't want to make any extra trips to the sunny West Coast.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Avalanche in six
Special teams might even things out a little, but even with Minnesota's strong systems play, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay will cause fits for the undersized Wild defence.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Canucks in six
Vancouver hasn't had a prolonged slump all season and Dan Cloutier appears poised to outbattle Chris Osgood, but a coin-flip series could easily go the other way and may be decided by the health of Mattias Ohlund.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Senators in four
Anyone who thinks Alexei Yashin will wake up just because he's playing his old team hasn't been paying attention to his money-first track record. Too much firepower in Ottawa, too little goaltending in New York.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
Bruins in six
Someone has to get upset in the opening round. The Devils bowed out early to Carolina last year and the Bruins just got dynamic forward Sergei Samsonov back in the lineup.

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Lightning in seven
If Nikolai Khabibulin shuts the door early, how long will it be before Jaromir Jagr refuses to go back onto the ice at crunch time?

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Flyers in six
This one is like a battle of breakfast cereals: which flake will go soggy first? My money's on Darcy Tucker going snap, crackle and pop before Roman Cechmanek does.

Kevin Woodley is a Vancouver-based freelance writer who covers the Canucks for TELUS and the Associated Press. He wonders why anyone nicknamed "the Donator" in his regular season pools would be asked to pick up anything other than the bill.



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Randy Sportak

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Stars in five
It's a law that Dallas knocks Edmonton out of the playoffs every year. I think it has something to do with Oil prices.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Wings in four
Some laws of nature are wrong. This time the parts (Wings) are greater than the sum of the whole (Ducks)

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Avalanche in six
A good defence can't beat a great offence, great defence and great goaltender.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Canucks in seven
The team that choked gets to oust the biggest chokers to make the playoffs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Senators in five
You don't honestly think Alexei Cash-in has what it takes to beat his old team. Especially with the Isles goaltenders.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
Devils in five
Marty Brodeur by himself in net is better than Steve Shields, Tim Thomas and Jeff Hackett combined.

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Capitals in six
There has to be an upset somewhere and the Caps are too skilled.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Flyers in five
Wishful thinking? Maybe. Then again, who can stand an insufferable Leafs fan when they're nothing more than this country's version of Cubs fans.

Randy Sportak is a regular contributor to mytelus.com and covers the Flames for the Calgary Sun



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rob Klovance

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Dallas in six
The Oilers will outwork the Stars, and it still won't be enough. Marty Turco and more talent rule the day.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Detroit in five
Paul Kariya scores a highlight-reel goal to help win a game from the Wings on a so-so night for Curtis Joseph. And that's it.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Colorado in six
Tight, low-scoring series, but Patrick Roy and Peter Forsberg - who sets up one goal by heading the puck to Milan Hejduk - make the difference.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Vancouver in six
If Matthias Ohlund doesn't return, the Canucks may never get out of their own end and lose in six. But if Dan Cloutier outplays Chris Osgood, the Canucks move on to the next round.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Ottawa in five
The Isles eliminated the Rangers, for which we're all grateful. But they're no match for the Sens. Sticking it to Alexei Yashin never felt so good.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
New Jersey in five
Joe Thornton's heroics keep the games close. But hey, this is the Devils, who thrive on one-goal games and big saves by Martin Brodeur.

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Tampa Bay in five
Nikolai Khabibulin is good enough to take this so-so team all the way to the Stanley Cup final. Jaromir Jagr eyes the 'Bulin Wall... and chooses to focus his energies on the blonde behind the Capitals' bench.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Philadelphia in six
If this one goes to seven, bet on Eddie Belfour to pull it out for the Leafs. But injuries and negative energy from the rest of Canada will spell Toronto's demise by Game 6.

Rob Klovance is a former junior hockey player and current mytelus.com managing editor who scores great goals on blazing one-timers - in his dreams.



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Bill Wren

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Edmonton in six
It's not supposed to happen; therefore, it will. (Besides, it wouldn't be the first round without at least one big upset.)

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Detroit in six
Because they're Detroit. But Anaheim will scare them - briefly. Very briefly.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Colorado in four
Colorado will take this one too easily. Bad set-up for the next round.

Vancouver (4) vs.
St. Louis (5)
Vancouver in seven
This one's a coin toss, but I think the Canucks have the edge up front and in their own end.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Ottawa in four
The Isles are wobbly and Ottawa has too much strength. Watch for annoying claims of grandeur coming from the Nation's Capital afterwards.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
New Jersey in five
No real reason other than I like Jersey and have never liked the Bruins. (Sorry, Grapes.)

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Washington in six
I don't want to see games played in Tampa Bay on melting ice.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Philadelphia in 6
The Leafs need to be turfed quickly so the CBC doesn't drive us crazy with "rah-rah Toronto" nonsense. I think the Flyers can handle this request.

Bill Wren is an editor at mytelus.com who generally favours the longshot. His fondest hockey memory is being in an Edmonton bar and totally ignored by the entire staff for over an hour after Gretzky, Messier and Co. entered the room.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bo Gembarsky

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Edmonton in seven
Many are predicting defeat (again) for the Oilers. This time the Slicks finally upend their playoff nemesis in a gruelling campaign which goes the distance.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Detroit in six
Despite deadline-trade discovery Steve Thomas finding his scoring touch again, the Feathered Ones don't stand much of a chance against the defending champs.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Colorado in five
Minnesota has had an amazing run in the Western Conference this season, but Colorado is just too deep and talented for the Wild to tame.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Vancouver in six
Osgood is what the Blues needed in net, but even with Pronger back the defence will find it difficult to contain the Canucks' top line.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Ottawa in five
The President's Trophy winners are brimming with confidence; the Isles are just happy they made it to the postseason instead of the hated rival Rangers.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
New Jersey in six
The Devils are as consistent as ever, while the Bruins have looked very vulnerable lately despite their firepower and the emergence of Mike Knuble (!).

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Tampa Bay in seven
The Lightning appear to be more of a playoff-ready team than the Capitals, and Khabibulin gets the nod over Kolzig between the pipes.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Philadelphia in seven
The Maple Leafs will give it their all, but the Flyers should have the edge as Amonte, Roenick and Co. continue to light the lamp.

Bo Gembarsky is an editor at mytelus.com who will go to his grave believing the JET Line of Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson was the best of all time.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike MacKinnon

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Dallas in five
The Oilers have heart by the truckload, but there's no reason to believe they can stop this year's edition of the Stars.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Detroit in seven
The Ducks aren't the laughingstock they used to be. They'll make the Wings work for their series win.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Colorado in six
Much is made of the Wild defence, but the Avs have firepower, playoff experience and monster momentum heading into this round.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Vancouver in seven
Tough call. History favours the Canucks, who won the only other playoff series between these two in 1995.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Ottawa in five
The league-leading Sens will be eager to put past playoff failures to rest, while the Islanders are lucky to have made it at all.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
New Jersey in seven
The Devils' first-round ouster last year was an aberration. Only their paucity of goals this season will give the Bruins a fighting chance.

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Tampa Bay in four
Both coaches are playoff rookies, so I'm going with chemistry: the Lightning are firing on all cylinders, while the Caps barely look interested.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Toronto in six
This series will boil down to goaltending. Roman Cechmanek is no match for Ed Belfour.

Mike MacKinnon is an editor and writer with mytelus.com who lives the sad, lonely life of a Canucks fan in Calgary. His neighbours hate him, no one will go to the bar with him to watch the game and he is shunned by children and pets.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gordon Andru

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8)
Dallas in five
You don't trade away your leading scorer and best defenceman, and then go on a playoff run. Spirits will be Lowe in Edmonton.

Detroit (2) vs. Anaheim (7)
Detroit in six
The Ducks have the best chance for an upset but even Walt Disney wouldn't be able to save this fairy tale, as Cinderella goes down.

Colorado (3) vs. Minnesota (6)
Colorado in six
The smurfs will frustrate the giant, but in the end, Gargamel will win.

Vancouver (4) vs. St. Louis (5)
Vancouver in five
Cloutier defeats Osgood in this exciting series filled with speed, hits, fights and emotion.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (1) vs. New York Islanders (8)
Ottawa in four
No goalie, no defence, no speed, no chance. Plus, Ottawa added bite to its bark at the trade deadline.

New Jersey (2) vs. Boston (7)
New Jersey in five
Brodeur will be enough to stop the Thornton/Murray combo, and shaky goaltending/defence will be a welcome sight to NJ's weak offence.

Tampa Bay (3) vs. Washington (6)
Tampa Bay in seven
The 'Bulin wall is back up and it will win TB the round, in the East's most exciting series.

Philadelphia (4) vs. Toronto (5)
Philadelphia in six
Hitchcock has Philly finally playing D, and Belfour will not be enough to stop the likes of LeClair, Roenick, Amonte, Recchi, Primeau, Gagne...

 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003

Canucks' fortunes may rest on Ohlund's knee

Kevin Woodley
For mytelus.com
VANCOUVER ? A late-season collapse has some suggesting couch time to cure the Canucks wounded psyche. But the weight of Vancouver's playoff hopes rest more on the physical condition of Mattias Ohlund's left knee than the mental state of his teammates.

MRIs, not inkblots, will determine the Canucks' chances of beating the Blues and the medical report on Tuesday - along with a full-contact workout with the Canucks Wednesday morning - looked promising.

"It was the best I felt since it happened," Ohlund said after skating alone on his surgically repaired knee before Tuesday's practice. "I had a good 35 to 40-minute skate and I did everything I would practising and playing so we'll see how it is tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. It's tough to say whether Thursday or Saturday but I'm not far off at all, I feel very good after today."

Ohlund insisted a Game 1 return was still possible - an encouraging sign after the Swedish stalwart took Monday off amid speculation he could be out significantly longer. And it was evident from Wednesday's practice, in which Ohlund took part in regular drills, including contact, that the Canucks are trying to get him ready for Thursday's opener.

Ohlund is still experiencing pain from a displaced kneecap that required arthroscopic surgery in early March, but doctors have cleared him to play and the soft-spoken Swede doesn't think it will take him long to overcome a six-week absence.

"I don't think I'll need too many [practices]," said Ohlund, who already played with a brace on his left knee and won?t need a new one. "I've had three or four hard skates and I've worked hard in the gym the last month so fitness-wise I feel pretty good. It's just a matter of getting my timing back and feeling comfortable with my knee."

To say the Canucks defensive core misses Ohlund would be like saying the Boston Red Sox miss Babe Ruth. In addition to playing team-high minutes and matching up against the opposition's top line, he's a big part of the power play and a vital part of the penalty kill. Vancouver has struggled to redistribute his 25-plus minutes, giving up three goals a game to playoff teams, more than half a goal above the season average, without him.

"We'?ve missed Mattias a lot and we?re anxious to get him back," said fellow penalty killer Matt Cooke of a shorthanded ranking that has slipped to 12th. "He goes out there with Murray Baron and kills the first minute of it usually for us."

Instead the Canucks have relied more and more on a pairing of Baron and Sami Salo, both to kill off the start of penalties and to match up against the opposition?s top lines. Against the Blues that means stopping the trio of Pavol Demitra, Scott Mellanby and Keith Tkachuk, which is asking a lot of Baron, a 35-year-old veteran who was scheduled to rest down the stretch, but has instead seen his minutes ? and the importance of his role in them ? increase steadily.

"It's just a matter of taking away their space, whether it's me or Sami or our forwards coming back hard on the backcheck," ho-hummed Baron of the match-up.

Baron's matter-of-factness may be appropriate because the toughest task could be slowing a deep St. Louis supporting cast that includes three more forwards with 20- plus goals and another three players in the mid-teens.

To do that the Canucks will need solid outings from all six defenders, including Brent Sopel, who went from being a top-line stopper playing with Ohlund to being spotted against third and fourth lines with rookie Bryan Allen. Hiding the pairing won?t be easy against the Blues.

"Obviously in crunch time coaches shorten the bench and Matty is a hole to fill, he's a big part of this team," said Ed Jovanovski, whose freewheeling has been hampered by the added defensive role. "I haven't heard anything but hopefully he's ready to play."

So do a lot of Canucks fans who would much prefer to spend their money on second-round playoff tickets then another trip to the psychiatrist's couch.

Captain?s medical mystery

Markus Naslund skipped practice Tuesday, but coach Marc Crawford was quick to snuff any alarming rumours before they started, insisting his captain would be back on the ice for Wednesday?s last chance at playoff preparation.

"Markus is just ill today and we decided to give him a day off, it?s nothing alarming," Crawford said. "He?s just sick and we?re not going to say anything more about it than that."

Ice chips: The Canucks finally burned the second of their four official call- ups on 22-year-old goaltender Alex Auld, meaning he can now safely ride the pine behind Cloutier and ahead of Peter Skudra without benefit of a medical emergency. Considering Cloutier has yet to play a full series in two playoff rounds and is still just a few weeks removed from a nagging knee injury, Auld is best advised to stay sharp...Defence-first centre Mats Lindgren was back on the ice after a day off Monday, and back between Trent Klatt and Brad May, his wingers in the season finale Sunday.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,241
5,810
126
Originally posted by: silverpig
Damn, I really wish people would stop saying the Canucks are a one line team. There are only a few teams who have as many 15 goal scorers as Vancouver...

I agree. Canucks have 1 great line and 3 good lines where scoring is concerned. Some nights Line 1 did all the work, but on other nights the other 3 Lines did. A team can't win just by stopping the top line, they need to stop all 4.
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Demitra goes home to expectant wife

Canadian Press
4/9/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - Pavol Demitra, the St. Louis Blues leading scorer, returned home Wednesday to be with his wife, who is expecting the couple's first child.

Demitra left Vancouver on Wednesday morning team spokesman Frank Buonomo said.

The Blues hope Demitra's wife, Maya, will give birth in time for him to return to their lineup when they open their best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.

Demitra, 28, a native of Dubnica, Czech Republic, led the Blues with 36 goals and 57 assists for 93 points in 78 games this year.

In 11 playoff games last year, he had 10 assists.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Goaltenders share the spotlight

Canadian Press
4/10/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - Redemption and respect.

That's what Vancouver Canucks goaltender Dan Cloutier and St. Louis Blues puckstopper Chris Osgood are both hoping to earn when their NHL Western Conference playoff series begins Thursday.

Despite back-to-back 30-win seasons, Cloutier must prove he can perform in the playoffs. He wants to erase the memory of a goal on a 90-foot Nicklas Lidstrom slapshot in Game 3 of last year's playoffs, the turning point in Vancouver's six-game loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

"That's in the past," said Cloutier, who was yanked from the final two games of that series. "This is a new year."

Osgood wants the respect due a goaltender who helped Detroit win two Stanley Cups, even though he was pretty much a spectator for the first one.

"It's so long ago," said Osgood, obtained by the Blues from the New York Islanders at the trade deadline. "I'm not the same goalie I was four or five years ago. I'm a lot better.

"Even when I won the Cup, I think I'm better than I was then. I feel like I'm good and I feel that every year I go into the playoffs I'm going to play well."

The Blues come into the playoffs winless in their last seven games. Osgood has allowed 18 goals in his last four and his goals-against average this season has been around three, by far the highest of any of the playoff starting goaltenders in the Western Conference.

He shrugs and lets the concerns roll off his back like a Vancouver rain.

"I got hammered the first month of the season but other than that, things have gone really well," said the Peace River, Alta., native, who has a career record of 12-1-4 against Vancouver.

"I know my abilities and quite honestly, I don't care what other people think."

Cloutier was the NHL player of the month in November when he led the Canucks to a league-high 10-game win streak.

He suffered a left knee injury in December and since then has missed 16 games, including three in March.

He still managed to post a career-high 33 wins and career-low 2.50 goals-against average.

"The knee has been fine," said the Mont-Laurier, Que., native, who came to the Canucks in a Feb. 7, 2000, trade from Tampa Bay.

"It's a good opportunity for myself. I'm looking forward to it."

The Canucks were 2-1-1 against the Blues this season and there's no love lost between the two teams, who play Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Saturday.

In a Nov. 12 game, Cloutier took exception to a bump by Scott Mellanby, skated 30 feet from his net and swung his stick like a Samurai sword at the St. Louis forward.

In a March 13 game, Vancouver's Brad May knocked Keith Tkachuk out for nine games with a wrist injury following an open-ice hit that looked like a collision on the freeway.

Cloutier knows the Blues will be trying to light the fuse on his fiery temper.

"I expect them to come hard at me and try and bump me," he said. "Teams have been trying to do that for a while.

"I'm prepared for that. I'll have to focus and let my team take care of that."

Tkachuk said discipline will be important for both teams, especially the Blues who were the league's most penalized team this season.

"We've been in the box way too much this year," he said. "You have to be disciplined. You have to initiate but you can't retaliate."

The Canucks set a franchise record with 104 points this season to finish fourth in the Western Conference - five points ahead of the fifth-place Blues. But they haven't won a playoff game at home since April 22, 1996.

Vancouver's last playoff series victory was in 1995 when they needed seven games to beat the Blues in the Western Conference quarter-final.<

The Canucks were encouraged Wednesday when defenceman Mattias Ohlund practised with the team for the first time since injuring a knee on March 1.

He remains questionable for Thursday.

"We'll see tomorrow after the morning skate," said Ohlund. "It's up to the coaches how I look in practice."

Leading scoring Markus Naslund also practised after missing Tuesday's workout with food poisoning.

"I was up throwing up all night so I was basically recovering yesterday," he said.

"I feel better now."

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
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