Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

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Mucman

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,246
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Yeah, Linden is doing awesome, but that's about it... I guess experience is one thing that the "nucks don't have in their favour.
 

oldfoof

Golden Member
Jun 11, 2001
1,127
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0
that would be cool if my thread could continue through the summer... But the mods lock it ... dono why thats what happened last year
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Blues put Canucks in a hole

Associated Press
4/16/2003

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Trailing early is no big deal for the St. Louis Blues.

Martin Rucinsky had two goals and an assist as the Blues, the best comeback team in the NHL during the regular season, rallied after a slow start for a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.

The Blues were a league-leading 22-15-3-6 when giving up the game's first goal in the regular season, falling behind in more than half of their contests.

``As soon as they scored, you're taking the most positive thing out of anything,'' said Blues centre Doug Weight, who had two assists. ``Hey, we've proved all year that we're good coming from behind and it's something we definitely talked about.''

Dallas Drake and Chris Pronger scored in the second period after the Canucks opened the scoring. Then Rucinsky scored twice in 1:37 late in the third as the Blues took a 4-1 lead.

``They came out hard, that's what we sort of expected,'' Rucinsky said. ``We stayed with the game plan.''

St. Louis, which got a strong game from goalie Chris Osgood to offset a 33-20 shots deficit, took a 3-1 series lead and can close it out Friday night in Vancouver. The Blues have won all six series in franchise history when taking a 3-1 lead.

The Canucks were second in the NHL with 264 goals in the regular season, trailing only the Red Wings. But Vancouver has been outscored 14-4 in the first four games.

``It may sound funny, but if we play like that, more times than not we're going to win,'' Vancouver captain Markus Naslund said. ``I don't think the series is over.''

Neither did coach Vancouver Marc Crawford, who noted improved play by his team.

``I thought it was our best game of the series,'' Crawford said. ``Sometimes, you get beat by the goaltender on the other side and I think that's what happened tonight.''

The Canucks outshot the Blues 12-5 and took a 1-0 lead in the first period as Naslund, the NHL's second-leading scorer in the regular season with 104 points, registered his first goal of the playoffs.

A strong first period by Osgood, who made a sprawling save on a break-in by Trevor Linden, kept the deficit from growing. Osgood also stopped a second-period break-in by Brandon Reid.

``He seemed so composed,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ``Ozzie kept us in the game.

``We were fortunate only being down 1-0.''

Pronger, who missed the first 77 games of the season with wrist and knee injuries, tied it with his first goal of the playoffs on a floating wrist shot from just inside the blue-line that eluded Dan Cloutier at 4:35 of the second. En route to the net, one Canucks player ducked the puck and another flailed at it.

Drake capitalized on strong plays by his linemates to make it 2-1 on a 2-on-1 break at 15:07, also his first goal of the playoffs. Rucinsky started the play by outfighting two Canucks for the puck at centre ice, and Weight fed Drake in the slot for his team-leading sixth point of the postseason.

Rucinsky got his first goal of the playoffs with 5:51 remaining on a 2-on-1 break with Drake. He scored again with 4:14 to play, beating Cloutier with a backhander from the right side of the net.

The Canucks broke up their No. 1 line of Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison, which was throttled in the first three games. Naslund, held to one assist previously, scored on a high wrist shot at 11:57 of the first.

The shot deflected off Weight's glove for Vancouver's first goal at even strength in the series.

``It definitely didn't help,'' Weight said. ``But my linemates made it all better as the game went on.''

Bertuzzi, one of the NHL's top power forwards, let his emotions get the best of him on a couple of occasions. He retaliated to a slash by Barret Jackman that wasn't called in the first and got caught spearing Jackman.

Bertuzzi also took a double-minor for roughing after another skirmish with Jackman in the second. Jackman was sent to the penalty box for two minutes.

NOTES - Blues forward Scott Mellanby, one of the team's three alternate captains, was scratched with the team described as flu-like symptoms. He was replaced by centre Steve Martins . . . The Blues played their second game without captain Al MacInnis, expected to be sidelined two-to-four weeks with a separated right shoulder . . . None of the Canucks have more than two points in the series . . . The Canucks were 0-for-5 on the power play and are 3-for-29 in the series.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
355
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wow. if i was a Canucks fann i'd be pretty pissed at the total lack of effort. i mean, to be happy about two periods of good play in 4 games is pretty weak. and someone call the National Guard. Bertuzzi, Naslund and Morrison are missing.
 

Loggerman

Senior member
Apr 28, 2000
822
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Well just got back from camp.See everyone is in a good mood here still :Q.

Game 2 was great to watch,but why the he!! have they qiut hitting in the last two games?It's frustrating to watch. If the ref's would just let them play they all could be like game 2 . But a person never know what they're going call / MISS / or just thay them play.

But they have to get back to hitting everything that moves :evil:

Maybe a goaltending change,I still think Audl should be between the pipes.
Maybe light a match under Jovo's ass,remember when he used to be one of the best open-ice hitter around.Well he needs to setup and starting hitting.The whole team needs to layon the body,and if the ref's screwup ,well they screwup ,but you didnit go down without a fight.

I know I'll be glued to the tube for the next one.

A couple wobblie-pops :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: ::p

I BELIEVE !!!!!!!!!!!
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks face elimination vs. Blues

Canadian Press
4/18/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - Like survivors of a shipwreck clinging to what ever floats, the Vancouver Canucks are grabbing onto any positive they can find to keep their heads above water in their turbulent NHL playoffs.

The Canucks head into Friday night's game against the St. Louis Blues trailing 3-1 in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series. A loss dumps Vancouver out of the opening round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year and torpedoes a regular season that saw the Canucks set a franchise record with 104 points.

"I feel confident we can beat them," said captain Markus Naslund, who scored his first goal of the series in Wednesday's 4-1 loss in St. Louis.

"I don't get a feeling anyone has given up. We know it's a tough task coming back from 3-1. With a win here we get another shot at beating them in St. Louis, which I think we can do, then hopefully we can finish it off here. I see the possibilities."

The Canucks might have played some of their best hockey of the series Wednesday night. They outshot St. Louis 33-20, scored their first even-strength goal of the series and killed five Blues power plays.

After the loss power forward Todd Bertuzzi confidently predicted the Canucks would return to St. Louis for a Game 6. By Thursday Bertuzzi had changed his solid guarantee into a firm maybe.

"We're going to come out extremely hard," said Bertuzzi, who has just two assists in the series.

"I'm confident in this group. I know that through adversity in the past we've bounced back extremely well and I'm expecting the same results."

The Canucks have some history on their side. Vancouver has twice trailed opening-round series 3-1 - in 1992 against Winnipeg and 1994 against Calgary - and recovered to win both.

"It's important to take the positives out of how we played last night and look at those as encouragement," said forward Trevor Linden, a member of both those teams including the 1994 squad that went on to lose in the Stanley Cup final.

"We just have to play well. The bottom line is we have to score. We have an opportunity to win a game. We have to start there and move on from there."

The Blues have drowned the potent Canucks offence by clogging up the neutral zone, blocking shots and taking advantage of Vancouver mistakes. St. Louis has also got some outstanding goaltending from Chris Osgood, obtained from the New York Islanders at the trade deadline.

Still, the Blues won't let their confidence overtake their common sense.

"They're going to come out firing and give us their best," said defenceman Chris Pronger.

"Their backs are against the wall. The fourth win is the toughest one to get for that reason, the desperation teams play with when they know it's win or go home for the summer. We have to come with an attitude we're gong to push them down and keep them down."

Left-winger Keith Tkachuk doesn't want to give the Canucks any swimming room.

"We want to close it out tomorrow," he said.

"We have to play better off the start than we did last game but overall we feel pretty confident about our game."

Scott Mellanby, who missed Game 4 with the flu, didn't fly to Vancouver with the Blues but could arrive in time for Friday's game.

Canuck coach Marc Crawford refused to comment on the status of defenceman Sami Salo who left Wednesday's game after being slashed on the arm.

If the Canucks sink from the playoffs management faces some stormy weather over the summer.

Callers to radio sports phone-in programs are already burning up the lines criticizing general manager Brian Burke for not making any significant moves at the trade deadline.

Burke's only acquisition was obtaining grinding winger Brad May from Phoenix.

Naslund, who was second in NHL scoring this season with 104 points, has also received some heat. The Swedish forward had just a goal and an assist in last year's six-game playoff loss to Detroit.

During the regular season the Canucks, who finished fourth in the Western Conference, five points ahead of the fifth-place Blues, had a 10-game win streak and a 14-game unbeaten string. They never lost three consecutive games.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
81
Originally posted by: Qosis
4-1 :D

Now this is how hockey should be played by the Canucks. Hitting everything in sight, shots from everywhere, crashing the net for rebounds... Just great :)
 

etalns

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2001
6,513
1
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Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: Qosis
4-1 :D

Now this is how hockey should be played by the Canucks. Hitting everything in sight, shots from everywhere, crashing the net for rebounds... Just great :)

Precisely, they really need to continue hitting, it gives them a ton of momentum. This game is baiscally in the books, sunday night canucks fans!
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
11
81
w00t w00t! Go Canucks Go!

Great to see Salo get that goal 7 seconds after the Blues made their mini-half comeback.
 

oldfoof

Golden Member
Jun 11, 2001
1,127
0
0
Wow , what a game! Sweet goaltending !!!!!! Only one softone in but who-cares!

hehe this would be amazing game 7 :D
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
0
Canucks stay alive against Blues

Canadian Press
4/19/2003

VANCOUVER (CP) - When it looked like it could be the beginning of the end, Todd Bertuzzi gave the Vancouver Canucks a new start.

The big power forward ended a 10-game scoring drought with a huge goal just 1:34 after goaltender Dan Cloutier almost gave the series away as the Canucks beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Friday to stay alive in their Western Conference quarter-final playoff.

``We weren't sinking this ship in this building,'' said Bertuzzi, who beat goaltender Chris Osgood with a backhand goal in the second period that restored a 2-1 Vancouver lead and put the wind back in his team's limp sails.

``It's nice to see the confidence in this room.''

Markus Naslund, on the power play, Brendan Morrison, Brent Sopel and Sami Salo also scored for the Canucks, who trail in the best-of-seven series 3-2. The series resumes Sunday in St. Louis.

Tyson Nash, Cory Stillman on the power play, and Martin Rucinsky scored for the Blues.

In the only other NHL playoff game Friday, Tampa Bay beat Washington 2-1 to take a 3-2 lead in their series.

Bertuzzi's goal came after Cloutier made a costly mistake in a game where the Canucks had no margin for error.

With the Canucks clinging to a 1-0 lead, Cloutier went behind his net to field a shoot-in but misplayed the puck. He was caught in no-man's land as Ryan Johnson banked the puck off the boards over to Nash, who sent a wrap-around shot into the empty net to tie the game 1-1.

``It was important (Bertuzzi scored), especially after I kind of gave them a freebie,'' said Cloutier.

``It was important for our team to keep battling and keep going. A lot of guys could of said `here we go again' but we didn't.''

Nash said the goal helped derail the Blues train just as it was preparing to get on track.

``It kind of took the wind out of our sails,'' he said.

``It was a big goal by them. We've got to come out with a better shift after a goal. We've got to come out and be ready.''

After the game Osgood was hobbling around in the Blues' dressing room with what was described as a lower body injury. He said he would be ready to play Sunday.

Several of the Blues, including defenceman Alexander Khavanov who left the game in the first period, are also suffering from the flu.

Vancouver looked to have a comfortable 4-1 lead going into the third period but the Blues poured on the pressure. Stillman scored on the power play and Valeri Bure thought he had a goal but the referee ruled the net had been knocked off before the puck went in.

Rucinsky made it interesting, pulling the Blues to within 4-3 late in the third. But Salo cemented the victory by scoring shortly after.

`We got ourselves back in the end there,'' said St. Louis coach Joel Quenneville.

``We will get ourselves ready and fresher for Game 6.''

The game turned nasty in the dying minutes of the third. Drake was given a major for hitting from behind and a misconduct after driving Vancouver's Jarkko Ruutu into the boards.

For the first time in the series, the Canucks showed the scoring talent that made them the NHL's second-highest scoring team.

Naslund's goal was just his second of the series and Vancouver's fourth on the power play in 34 chances. Morrison notched his first point in 10 games.

Despite Cloutier's blunder, he still was sharp most of the night.

He kept the Canucks in the game in the first when they were outshot 13-8. In the third period he made a doorstep save on Johnson, then made a pad save on Stillman after defenceman Ed Jovanovski gave the puck away.

Sensing the desperation of the moment, the towel-waving, sellout crowd of 18,514 began chanting ``Go Canucks go'' even before the national anthems. They joined Mark Donnelly in singing O Canada and gave a huge cheer when the big scoreboard showed clips of Canadian Mike Weir winning last weekend's Masters golf tournament.

In the third, a salmon was thrown on the ice to celebrate the win.

The Canucks have trailed 3-1 in a playoff five times and twice come back to win. The last time was in 1994 when they rebounded in the first round of the playoffs against the Calgary Flames, then advanced to the Stanley Cup final before losing in seven games to the New York Rangers.

Vancouver, which set a franchise record with 104 points this season to finish fourth in the Western Conference - five ahead of the fifth-place Blues - last won a playoff series in 1995 when it needed seven games to beat St. Louis in the Western Conference quarter-final.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
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