Canucks win back to back games to start Eastern Conference road swing

The Vancouver Canucks improved to 5-0 against Eastern Conference opponents after a 5-2 shelling of the New Jersey Devils and a 3-0 shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers.

The game against the Devils was dubbed the 'battle of Team Canada goaltenders', as Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo faced-off in a rare matchup. If that was the case, Roberto Luongo will have the upper-hand as he simply outplayed Brodeur in what was expected to be a low scoring game, but started with a five goal 1st period.

Keeping up with his stellar play, Luongo shutout the struggling Flyers 24 hours later as the Canucks won 3-0. Willie Mitchell, Jannik Hansen and Christian Ehrhoff scored for Vancouver, who continue their road trip on Saturday in Carolina against the basement-dwelling Carolina Hurricanes. Andrew Raycroft is expected to get the nod in Raleigh.

Our take: I was quite weary of this road trip but the 2-0 start has been a welcome surprise. The Canucks seem to be reeling now after getting some of their injured players back, and Luongo seems to be getting back to his elite status. It's usually around this time of year that he goes on a 2 week run where he is as stingy as any goalie in the league. If Vancouver can ride him throughout this road-trip and the Canucks can come out of it with a strong record - they should be able to get right back into the playoff picture in the West. Vancouver just needs Calgary to go on a small losing streak so we can make up some points in the division and get back into the hunt.

Man2Man's Quarter Pole Grades

After 21 games of the 2009-2010 season, the Canucks are sitting in 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 11-10-0. Some would say that the Canucks could be satisfied with that record considering their injury situation, although the Canucks are not the only team in the NHL battling the injury bug.

At the 21 game mark of the NHL Regular Season, here is the Quarter Pole Report Card:

Defense:

Alexander Edler - 0G, 10A - 10Pts/-5

The young swedish blueliner has yet to find his stride this season. His inconsistent play has lead to a number of nights when you're left wondering if GM Mike Gillis' only regret of his tenure in Vancouver could be his arguable premature signing of Alex Edler to a nice raise. Edler has started to play better in recent outings, looking like he has more confidence and is cutting down on the turnovers, but he needs consistency in his game and to be more responsible in his own end before he gets a better grade.

Grade: C

Kevin Bieksa - 1G, 10A - 11Pts/-1

When Bieksa first entered the league and showed a gritty, hard-nosed, physical game he quickly became a fan favorite. That Kevin Bieksa has been hard to find in recent years, especially this season. We've seen spurts of it, as he's dropped the gloves on a few occasions to stick up for teammates, but too often we are seeing Bieksa not playing with enough energy or emotion. He also has a terrible time in own end some nights and doesn't exactly fill fans with confidence when he is handling the puck in his own zone. Bieksa hasn't scored a goal since the first game of the season, not being able to get his shots through from the point could be a big reason for that.

Grade: C

Sami Salo - 0G, 2A - 2Pts/-1

Widely considered the Canucks best defender (when in the lineup) he can definitely be a force when on his game and controlling the play in the Canucks end(when in the lineup). Salo has been a tale of two different players this year, in his own end, he has been one of the better Canucks blueliners defensively (when in the lineup) but offensively and on the Power Play, Salo has not been able to contribute enough. With no goals and just 2 points in 14 games, Salo needs to start shooting the puck more, especially with the man advantage. The Canucks need his great first pass and his booming shot to show up soon.

Grade: C+

Willie Mitchell - 2G, 5A - 7Pts/+3

The Canucks best and most consistent defenseman so far this season has to be Willie Mitchell. Not only has he been effective on the Penalty Kill and against the opposing teams best players, but he's also contributed offensively more than usual. Mitchell stepped up and played some of his best and most responsible hockey when captain Roberto Luongo went down with a rib injury, helping Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider to some solid outings.

Grade: B+

Christian Ehrhoff - 3G, 9A - 12Pts/+9

Christian Ehrhoff is battling Mikael Samuelsson for the title of best newly acquired Canuck. Ehrhoff has looked poised with the puck and has made an impact on the score sheet often this season. He is a team leading +9 and has been as good defensively as he has been offensively. Despite a couple of nights when the entire Canucks squad pulled a no show, Ehrhoff has been more than a pleasant surprise.

Grade: B+

Shane O'Brien - 0G, 0A - 0Pts/+3

The rough and tough O'Brien has had to fight to keep his spot in the lineup on most nights for the Canucks. With the addition of Mathieu Schneider and Aaron Rome solidifying a roster spot in training camp, O'Brien has had to stay steady in the defensive zone to make sure he stays out of the press box. For the most part, O'Brien has been pretty hard to notice in his own end this year, which is probably a good thing for his chances of keeping a spot in the lineup. He's been solid defensively and has stood up for his teammates a few nights this season too.

Grade: C+

Mathieu Schneider - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/-4

The veteran blueliner missed the first batch of games with injuries - and it showed in his first few outings. Schneider looked slow and easy to fight off the puck in the early going, but in the past few games he's looked more calm and accustomed to the Canucks system. Offensively, he's put up 3Pts in 8 games and a Power Play goal. Schneider seems to be getting better and making better plays with the puck with each passing game.

Grade: C+

Aaron Rome - 0G, 1A - 1Pts/-4

After a pretty impressive Preseason earned him the number 7 spot on the Canucks blueline, Rome has looked out of place when in the Canucks lineup. He has had trouble filling in spot duty on the back end and is surprisingly only a -4. The Canucks are healthy right now on the blueline, so don't expect to see too much of Aaron Rome barring injuries.

Grade: C-

Forwards:

Henrik Sedin - 12G, 11A - 23Pts/+1

The Canucks leading scorer has been consistently contributing offensively despite having more than a few different line mates this season. With Daniel suffering from a broken bone in his foot for 6 weeks, Henrik has been playing with Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Alex Burrows, Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner and even Tanner Glass at times this season. Being a 6 million dollar player, it doesn't matter who you're playing with, you need to put up points, and Henrik has done that pretty well in his brother's absence. There have been a few games when Henrik has looked slow and behind the play, but for the most part this season, his production has been there.

Grade: B+

Daniel Sedin - 0G, 4A - 4Pts/E

Since he's only played 4 games this season, we can't really give him a grade. At the moment, the Canucks just want him back in the lineup.

Grade: N/A

Mikael Samuelsson - 8G, 7A - 15Pts/-2

The former Red Wing has been a welcome addition to the Canucks lineup. When Daniel Sedin went down with a foot injury for 6 weeks, Samuelsson chipped in offensively and is now up to 8 goals on the year with 2 of them being game winners. Samuelsson has been bounced back and forth between the top two lines but has remained quite consistent with his play. He seemed to have most of his chemistry with Ryan Kesler and Michael Grabner, a combination that may be reunited when Grabner is back from an ankle injury.

Grade: B

Alex Burrows - 4G, 8A - 12Pts/+1

The feisty, agitating Alex Burrows we're used to seeing has been absent for the 2009-2010 season. He started off well offensively, but has cooled down considerably in the past 6 - 8 games. Questions were circling as to whether Burrows was 100% healthy, and it is now being reported that Burrows suffered a groin injury after a check from Drew Doughty in October. Burrows has not been the player that Canucks fans have come to love in recent years, and his injury has explained why he has not been involved in scrums, drawing penalties, and taking opposing players off their game. Hopefully with his groin injury behind him and Daniel Sedin's return imminent, Burrows can regain his form.

Grade: C

Ryan Kesler - 5G, 14A - 19Pts/E

The Canucks most valuable player from last season has picked up where he left off. Ryan Kesler has been the Canucks most all around player through 21 games this year. Defensively, he has been a force on the Penalty Kill and against the oppositions top line, and offensively he has found chemistry with fellow speedster Mason Raymond. Kesler is probably the Canucks most important forward, as he goes, the Canucks go it seems. His ability to increase the tempo of his linemates and a solid work ethic makes him a leader on this team.

Grade: A-

Mason Raymond - 8G, 5A - 13Pts/+1

Mike Gillis said last year that Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows stepping up to be consistent offensive contributors was critical to his team's success. Gillis stated before the season started that he needed new players to take the next step and be consistent offensive producers at an NHL level, Mason Raymond is doing his best to be one of those players. The young forward can flat out fly, he has been all over the ice at times this season and is finally starting to finish his chances. Raymond's ability to go straight to the net with speed frees up his linemates and can lead to a lot of rebound opportunities. So far this season, Raymond has been a big factor in the teams 11 wins.

Grade: B+

Steve Bernier - 6G, 4A - 10Pts/-5

It's been a mixed year for Steve Bernier. After losing 15 lbs in the offseason in hopes of improving his conditioning, the Canuck forward has started off relatively well offensively. His goal total is definitely a positive for the Canucks but his physical play has been lacking. Bernier was among the Canucks most physical and gritty forwards last year, this season has been different though. Bernier needs to start finishing more of his checks, his offensive game would improve even more if he was more noticeable on the forecheck. Overall though, with the amount of injuries the Canucks have had this season up front, Bernier's 6 goals have been a big help.

Grade: C+

Kyle Wellwood - 0G, 1A - 1Pts/+1

One of the biggest, if not the biggest disappointment this season has to be the play and production of Kyle Wellwood. Coming off an inspiring performance in the playoffs last year, many expected Wellwood to be a solid contributor for the Canucks. The argument going around defending Wellwood is his lack of quality linemates this season, Tanner Glass has been a mainstay alongside Wellwood this year. Although, he has also had his fair share of Power Play time and hasn't garnered any results. Wellwood is dangerously close to losing his roster spot and needs to start shooting the puck more. Time and time again he passes when he is in prime scoring position.

Grade: F

Tanner Glass - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/+3

Glass scratched and clawed his way onto this Canucks team with his solid effort in training camp and an unfortunate injury through training camp to Jannik Hansen. Although at times you wonder if Glass is an NHL calibre player, his work ethic and defensive responsibility has kept him in Alain Vigneault's good books. Once the Canucks are healthy though, it remains to be seen whether Glass will still be in the lineup.

Grade: C

Rick Rypien - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/-2

Even though he deserves an A for staying healthy for the bulk of this season so far, Rypien has been an effective 4th liner for the Canucks and has replaced Darcy Hordichuk as the Canucks most frequent fighter. Rypien has continued to finish his checks but unfortunately has been part of the Canucks 4th line that has been consistently outplayed by the opposing teams 4th line on far too many nights. It may not all be Rypien's fault, and he probably has been the best 4th liner this season for the Canucks, but since he's on the line, he takes some of the blame.

Grade: C+

Ryan Johnson - 0G, 4A - 4Pts/+3

A slow start to the season really hurt Ryan Johnson and the Canucks fourth line. Johnson's specialty is supposed to be the Penalty Kill which struggled to start the year. He suffered a pretty horrific crash into the boards but returned to the lineup soon after, thankfully not seriously hurt. Johnson's play has been indifferent, don't let his 4 assists fool you, 3 of those came in 1 game in the Canucks 8 - 2 rout of the Avalanche.

Grade: D

Darcy Hordichuk - 1G, 1A - 2Pts/E

Skating has been a really big problem for Hordichuk this year, he has been badly outplayed by opposing team's enforcers for most of the season and is usually spending his entire shift in the defensive zone chasing the puck. Not only is he not playing well, he doesn't seem to drop the gloves when necessary for the Canucks. There have been times this season when the Canucks have needed some energy or a game changing shift, Hordichuk has rarely been the player to provide that this year. Basically, when your coach would rather dress two defensemen as forwards over you, I think the writing's on the wall that your game isn't up to snuff.

Grade: D-

Michael Grabner - 2G, 3A - 5Pts/-1

It was a tough training camp for Grabner who was sent back to Manitoba after a disappointing string of exhibition games. After being sent back to the Moose, Grabner turned his game up a notch, he was Manitoba's most dynamic forward for a stretch of games and when Daniel Sedin got hurt, Michael Grabner was given an opportunity to make an impact at the NHL level. Grabner's speed and shot are his bread and butter, although he wasn't quick enough to get away from the injury bug. Grabner suffered a tough luck injury playing soccer with his teammates before a game and is expected to stick with the big club when he returns. He (finally) showed the potential to be a 20 - 30 goal scorer at the NHL level.

Grade: B-

Goaltending:

Andrew Raycroft - 2.18, 4 - 2, .916%

A solid preseason won Andrew Raycroft a spot with the big club and a front row seat for 70+ games of watching Roberto Luongo stop the puck - or so he thought. Luongo went down with a rib injury and Raycroft was thrust into action and played fairly well. He was calm and poised in the crease and made few mistakes. The Canucks tightened up defensively to help Raycroft who was he was more than solid when counted upon. Despite a few tough outings (namely St. Louis and Anaheim) when his teammates abandoned him in goal, Raycroft has been impressive and reliable as a backup.

Grade: B

Roberto Luongo - 2.69, 7 - 7, .906%

The numbers are not very Roberto Luongo like, but the Canucks captain has started to show signs of rounding back in to form after coming off a fractured rib injury that sidelined the netminder for 2 weeks. Luongo got off to his typical and on schedule slow start in October, and just as he was beginning to turn the corner, he got hurt. Now that he's back and has had an extra week to rest with this odd break in the schedule, Roberto should be re-charged and eager to start stringing wins together. With the Team Canada Olympic announcement just over a month away, expect Luongo to start ratcheting it up. So far, he's been above average, but that's not good enough for the Canucks leader, best player, and highest paid player.

Grade: C+

K-mode's quarter mark rankings and grades

Goalie's

Roberto Luongo - C+ - Luongo got off to an awful start - even worse than usual. He seemed to have turned his play around just when he was got injured and missed a few weeks. Since his return, Bobby Lou has been very good and seems to be back to his top form.

Andrew Raycroft - A - No-one could have predicted that Raycroft would step in for an injured Roberto Luongo and outperfrom him. Raycroft was at one stretch, leading all goalies in GAA, and was right up there in save %. Considering his expectations (very low), Raycroft must be commended for his play.

Defense

Willie Mitchell - A- - Mitchell has been an anchor of consistency on an otherwise inconsistent Canucks blueline. He is rarely out of position and rarely turns the puck over, something that we couldn't say for the previous couple of years. He has also chipped in offensively a little more, especially at the start of the season.

Christian Ehrhoff - B+ - Ehrhoff has been almost exactly what I was expecting - a solid D-man with some offensive ability that can make some nice outlet passes and generate some offense from the backend. I was expecting a bigger presence on the powerplay but overall I am quite happy with him. Other than the odd turnover and defensive gaffe, the german blueliner has at least met my expectations.

Shane O'Brien - B- - O'Brien, at least in my eyes, hasn't been nearly as bad as many Canucks fans are portraying so far this year. He hasn't taken nearly as many dumb penalities as last year and has limited his turnovers dramatically. I think his good play has been quiet because he doesn't bring much to the table offensively, but I think he has been pretty solid all year.

Sami Salo - C - To no-one's surprise, Sami Salo has already missed a significant period of time with an injury, and although he has been pretty solid defensively, he hasn't brought much to the table offensively. With his booming shot he is usually a factor on the powerplay, but not so much so far this year. Here's to hoping he can stay off the IR and start contributing with some goals.

Alex Edler - C- - Edler's defensive gaffe's and awful turnovers have greatly outshone his signs of potential. There's no doubt Edler has the tools and ability to be a top 3 d-man on any team, but his consistently poor defensive play has really cost the team at some crucial times. He is prone to bad turnovers in his own zone that leave us wondering what the hell he sees out there. His offensive ability is nice, but overall he has to turn it around in his own zone in order to get a better grade.

Mathieu Schneider - C- - For a guy of his age to come off major surgery and get a late start on the season, it's no wonder he is off to a rough start. He has been average defensively and average offensively, but I expect him to keep improving as the year goes on. One thing I do like about him, which is different than almost every other D-man on this team, is that he can hit the net with his shot resulting in rebounds and scoring chances. I expect his grade to keep rising slowly.

Kevin Bieksa - D+ - I have always been a huge Bieksa supporter but my god has he been bad this year. Between mindless defensive turnovers in his own end, terrible decisions to pinch resulting in him getting caught deep and his forgetfullness to take the open guy in front of his own net - Bieksa's defensive play has been horrendous. He was more affective as a winger on the forecheck than he has been on the backend. And where has his physical play gone? Argh, he is frustrating!

Aaron Rome - D+ - It must be tough for a guy like Rome to get comfortable in the lineup considering how sporatically he plays. Also, he has played forward just as often as he has played defense, his natural position. With that said, he hasn't been overly affective at either position and needs to turn his play around in order to get more time.

Forwards

Mikael Samuelsson - A - I for one thought this guy would be a bust, but up until this point he has been a pleasant surprise. He loves shooting the puck, which is a great asset and has resulted in lots of points by rebound or tip shots. He has been pretty affective and 30 goals isn't out of the question.

Ryan Kesler - A - This guy is Mr. Everything for the Canucks. He can score, he is very good defensively and he is a leader and plays tough. Even when the points aren't there, the guy is affective. Mike Gillis better lock this guy up long-term, and do it fast because I think all 30 teams would have interest in a stud like Kesler.

Henrik Sedin - B+ - Despite being invisible for a couple games this year, and not having his brother, and lifelong linemate by his side, Henrik has put up some pretty incredible numbers. He is currently tied for 9th in league scoring, and also tied for 9th in the NHL in goals. Yes, Henrik Sedin, not Daniel is tied for 9th in the NHL in goals! Imagine how many goals he would have if he shot the puck as much as he should or if he could raise the puck off the ice!

Mason Raymond - B+ - We have seen the flashes of brilliance before from Raymond, but he has been consistent all year which has been his biggfest problem since becoming a regular NHLer. His speed makes him a threat everytime he is on the ice, and he has added some much needed finish to his game. The best thing about him might just be that he is still young and can probably only get better from here.

Michael Grabner - B - Who would have thought after his horrid pre-season that he would even be discussed in this thread? Grabner really gelled on a line with Raymond and Kesler, and found his hands and confidence and played remarkably well for a 3 week stretch before getting injured. Like Raymond, his speed makes him a threat whenever he is on the ice, and this kid has a rocket for a shot! He rarely hits the net, but he has shown signs of greatness that Canuck fans can only pray he can continue upon his return from the IR.

Matt Pettinger - C+ - He was signed as a temporary injury replacement and has been a pleasant surprise. He has been much more affective than he was a couple years ago as a Canuck. He has played his role very well, and has also killed penalties affectively and netted a few points as well. When everyone is back from injury, and someone has to be waived, Pettinger might just make a case for himself to stick around a little longer as he has outplayed the likes of other 4th liners like Darcy Hordichuk or Tanner Glass.

Rick Rypien - C+ - This grade might be strictly refelcted on him kicking dudes asses! He is one of the best fighters in the league, especially considering his diminutive stature and his willingness to scrap anyone, including guys twice his size. Defensively he has been average as our 4th line has often been outplayed by the opposition's 4th line, but his physical play and speed have been a factor. Regardless of production (or lack thereof), he is an exciting player and deserves to stay in the lineup.

Steve Bernier - C- - With the amount of chances this guy gets, he should have at least 15 goals by now, no joke. Bernier came into camp in great shape and with high expectations, and to this point it is fair to say that he has been a major disappointment. He has been invisible most games, and other games he is in the right places and gets the opportunities but for the life of him he cannot finish. A very frustrating player so far but shows signs of turning it around. Here's to hoping!

Tanner Glass - C- - Glass has been decent. That's about all you can say. He plays a pretty physical game and has surprised me with his willingness and affectiveness in fighting. However, he along with the rest of the 4th liners on this team have been getting outplayed quite dramatically and aren't producing offensively.

Alex Burrows - C- - Coming off a great year and signing a new long-term extension, expectations were high for Alex Burrows. Needless to say he hasn't met those expectations and is very much a disappointment to this point. He started the year with the Sedins on the top line and was pretty much inaffective in that short stint. It seems like he isn't sure of his role anymore as he isn't scoring, nor is he being the pest that originally worked for him when he entered the league. Burrows needs to find his place and work on being affective at that specific role.

Ryan Johnson - C- - Johnson is a good penalty killer and one of the best in the league at blocking shots, but aside from that he isn't particularly useful. He has zero offensive ability and his faceoff percentage isn't anywhere near what it should be. He is a member of the aforementioned 4th line which is getting badly outplayed consistently.

Kyle Wellwood - D+ - Wellwood is very frustrating mainly because we know how talented he is and he should be able to put up some decent numbers. He has 1assist all year and has passed the puck on so many good scoring attempts that it is mind boggling. With that said, he has been a pretty solid defensive center all year and is quite noticeable as a deep back-checking forward however Wellwood recieved a raise this year with expectations of raising his point stats too. Clearly this hasn't happened so Wellwood must be considered a disappointment to date.

Darcy Hordichuk - F - This guy is in the lineup to provide energy, hit and fight. I don't know if he has done any of these on a regular basis and when he does fight.....he usually gets dropped. Also a member of the now infamously hated on 4th line, Hordichuk has my vote for the waiver wire.

Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen - N/A - Neither player has played enough games to acquire a grade but both guys are important parts of the team and are expected to be valuable when in the lineup.

Canucks Explode for 8 Against Avs

The Vancouver Canucks were coming off a 3 - 1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in a game in which many would feel they deserved a better fate. The Canucks played extremely well but had problems finishing their chances in recent contests. There was no such problem in Colorado on Saturday night as the Canucks exploded for 8 goals on their way to an 8 - 2 victory in the mile high city.

Henrik Sedin scored the first two goals of the game and Jannik Hansen made it 3 - 0 Vancouver midway through the first period. Mathieu Schneider increased the Canucks lead to 4 - 0 in the second period. The Avalanche had trouble generating many chances through the first two periods, the Canucks looked good and were forechecking well but the Avs looked far from the team that was sporting one of the best records in the Western Conference.

In the third period, the Avalanche started to get things going, they drew some penalties as they finally started moving their feet in the attacking zone, and Marek Svatos scored on the Power Play to get them on the board. 5 minutes later Matt Hendricks inched the Avs closer making it a 4 - 2 hockey game. The Canucks didn't waste any time answering back as 25 seconds later Steve Bernier scored his 5th of the season to restore the 3 goal lead. Henrik Sedin notched his first career Hat Trick later in the period on a beautiful cross seem feed from Alex Edler.

Steve Bernier scored another and Tanner Glass added a goal to help the Canucks cruise to an 8 - 2 win. The Canucks needed this effort. They needed to get their confidence back in the offensive zone, Mason Raymond was all over the ice and if it weren't for Henrik Sedin's effort, he would have been the best Canuck on the ice.

Alexander Edler and Kevin Bieksa have started to improve on the back end as well, which is definitely a positive for the Canucks as they like to roll their top 4 defensemen throughout the game and rely on Bieksa and Edler heavily to log important minutes. Whether they continue to play well remains to be seen, as the knock on both of the blueliners is their lack of consistency.

The Canucks have hit another strange lull in their schedule and don't play until they host the very same Avalanche at GM Place on Friday night.

Despite good Vancouver effort, Wings beat Canucks 3-1

It was a disappointing loss for the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night in Detroit for a few reasons, but the toughest aspect of the 3-1 defeat had to have been that they just may have played their best game of the year. They outworked, outshot and outplayed the Red Wings but were unable to beat Jimmy Howard who stopped 31 of 32 Vancouver shots. Henrik Zetterberg danced between Kevin Bieksa and Willie Mitchell, and shelfed a gorgeous backhander behind Roberto Luongo for the game winning goal, eight minutes into the final frame. Tomas Holmstrom scored in the 1st period for Detroit who also got an empty-netter off a goofy bounce from a Niklas Kronwall clearing attempt late in the game. Mason Raymond continued his hot hand, scoring a goal in the 2nd to tie the game.

The Canucks complete their 5 game road trip Saturday in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

Our take: What a tough game to lose but with a depleted lineup and a bunch of guys who are struggling to put the puck in the net what do you expect? Kyle Wellwood played well but still has only an assist to show for it all year. Steve Bernier was inaffective and quiet once again. Kevin Bieksa was back on defense and was on the ice for both Detroit goals (with a goalie in net), completely forgetting to put a body or stick on Holmstrom in front of the net. Alex Edler was very good which was nice to see, but he will have to put a string of nice games together before we can say he has turned it around.

All in all Vancouver is simply icing a lineup that will have trouble scoring. They are essentially playing with two seperate 4th lines and 2 seperate 2nd lines - a concoction that is certainly not in the recipe for success.

Daniel Sedin has setback, will not play remainder of road trip

Daniel Sedin has flown back to Vancouver and will not play tonight in Detroit or Saturday in Colorado as originally planned. Sedin reported pain in his foot after skating for three days straight and the Canucks were expecting him back in the lineup tonight after missing the last month with the break in his foot.

It appears that Daniel will aim for next Friday's home game against the Avalanche, but at this point it may be too early to tell. Stay tuned for the latest info. (source)

Blues score early and often, throttle Canucks 6-1

The St. Louis Blues scored four times in a 7:36 span to open the game en route to shelling the Vancouver Canucks6-1. David Perron with his first career hat-trick, Brad Boyes with 1+3, Andy McDonald with 1+2 and Erik Johnson with his first of the year scored for the Blues. Henrik Sedin potted the Canucks lone goal.

Chris Mason was strong when he needed to be, but unfortunately (for Canuck fans) that was not very often as Vancouver came out flat and remained that way for much of the game. Roberto Luongo was supposed to get the night off but was called upon after 20 minutes when Alain Vigneault decided he had seen enough of Raycroft's poor play. In Raycroft's defence however, the team was plain and simply not good enough in front of him and the goaltender didn't have a chance on a couple of the goals.

The Blues snapped a 3 game losing streak with the win and improved to .500 while the Canucks fell to 10-9 on the year. Vancouver is back in action on Thursday night in Detroit, where Luongo will get the start and Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen are expected to dress for their 1st game back from injury.

Our take: Is it just me or do a lot of teams and players break their slumps (and players with their 1st ever NHL goal, while we're at it) against the Canucks? Both David Perron and Brad Boyes snapped their slumps while the Blues also snapped their 3 game losing streak.

Injuries or not, a performance like that against a struggling young team is just not acceptable. Vancouver was rested and should have been the fresher team and they came out sloppy allowing a goal in the first 16 seconds, and then a bunch more at quick intervals for a few minutes after. The Canucks will have to come out strong and play a solid overall game to get a win against a smart, experienced Red Wings squad, and a trip back to .500 would be tough to swallow.

Canucks set for battle with Blues

The Vancouver Canucks are in St. Louis tonight to battle the Blues in what will be the first meeting between the two teams since Vancouver swept St. Louis in the first round of last year's NHL playoffs. The Canucks are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday while the struggling Blues are trying to snap a 3 game losing streak.

The Canucks will have Roberto Luongo back in the lineup after missing 2 weeks with a fractured rib, but because of a bout with the flu (seasonal, not H1N1) he will be backing up the NHL's GAA leader Andrew Raycroft. Luongo is expected to get the start on Thursday in Detroit.

Along with Luongo, Vancouver is expecting to have both Daniel Sedin (foot) and Jannik Hansen (hand) back in the lineup Thursday night barring any setbacks. Hansen hasn't played a game all season as he was injured in the pre-season while Daniel Sedin has been out since Oct. 10th.

The lines for tonight are as follows. (source)

Burrows Sedin Bernier
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Glass Wellwood Rypien
Hordichuk Johnson Pettinger

Ehrhoff Bieksa
Edler Mitchell
O'Brien Salo

Raycroft
Luongo

Healthy Scratches:
Bliznak
Rome
Schneider

Our take: Definitely some positive news with Luongo, Sedin and Hansen nearing their returns to the lineup, and it's been almost miraculous that they have managed to stay above water with those key guys out. Luckily Andrew Raycroft has been marvelous and he is - at least statistically - the best goalie in the NHL this year.

With Luongo back in the lineup, Vancouver sent Corey Schneider back to the Moose. Also, once Sedin and Hansen are back, the Canucks will have to waive someone in order to be roster compliant. Matt Pettinger is the likely candidate despite playing quite well as an emergency injury signing.

Luongo and Daniel Nearing Return

The cavalry is on its way for the Vancouver Canucks. Captain Roberto Luongo is close to making his way back into the Canucks lineup and is targeting to see action either on Tuesday in St. Louis or Thursday in Detroit. The Canucks feel they are solid in goal for the time being after strong play from Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider which is why a Thursday start is more likely for Luongo, to avoid rushing him back from a case of the flu and his recovery from a hairline rib fracture.

Daniel Sedin has been skating hard and is coming off an intense practice which saw the elite winger experience some soreness in the injured toe but stated that it was not a step backwards and that he feels he will need to play through some discomfort for a few games upon his return.
Daniel will most likely not play Tuesday against the Blues but will be questionable for the Canucks in Motown on Thursday.

Winger Jannik Hansen also has a shot at making his season debut for the Canucks after a training camp injury forced the Danish winger into the press box for a few months. Hansen's status will be decided closer to game time in St. Louis.

Canucks Chasing Forsberg

The Vancouver Canucks are looking to make a run at 36 year old Swedish free agent Peter Forsberg. After facing years of nagging foot problems, the big Swedish center has been working out and is currently playing with the Swedish National Team at the Karjala Cup in Sweden and Finland.

The Canucks are believed to be in competition with the Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and the Montreal Canadiens. Canucks GM Mike Gillis has admitted his interest in signing the big free agent center, and believes the Canucks would be on his short list of teams. Russian powerhouse AK Bars Kazan was reported to be interested and pursuing Forsberg but they have refuted those reports and stated they are not planning to pursue Forsberg.

Forsberg has also stated his interest in playing for Sweden in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics slated for February in Vancouver. The free agent centre is expected to announce his decision as soon as his stint in the Karjala Cup is over, which could be as early as this week.

Canucks shell Wild, win third in a row

The Vancouver Canucks won their third straight game, and seventh in their last nine with a 5-2 stomping of the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. Darcy Hordichuk scored his 1st goal on his 1st shot of the year, Matt Pettinger scored his first of the year while Mason Raymond, Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows on an empty net completed the scoring for Vancouver. Kyle Brodziak scored both goals for the Wild.

Niklas Backstrom was pulled after the 2nd period in favour of Josh Harding, while Andrew Raycroft was once again spectacular in net for the Canucks making 28 saves and keeping his GAA to a league leading 1.60.

Vancouver is right back at it tonight in Dallas for a meeting with the Stars. Corey Schneider is expected to get his 1st start of the year for the Canucks.

Our take: It's quite amazing that the Canucks are still finding ways to win considering their incredible injury woes. If they can remain over .500 without Luongo and other key parts - then the future looks bright for when they arrive.

Also, how nice is it that Kevin Bieksa is playing forward? No more turnovers from the backend and his forecheck is actually pretty good. I would seriously consider keepeing him there going forward, or at least while we still are short bodies up front.

Canucks Beat Slumping Blueshirts

The Vancouver Canucks went right back to Andrew Raycroft against the visiting New York Rangers who were coming to town for the one and only time this season. Coming off a 3 - 0 shutout of the Colorado Avalanche, the Canucks were hoping to get another win on home ice before heading out on a five game road trip.

The Canucks had some chances on the Power Play in the first period but couldn't capitalize and were victim to some good Ranger penalty killing. After feeling some heat for not having a goal in his past few contests, Mikael Samuelsson stepped up and opened the scoring with under 2 minutes to go in the first period. Wade Redden committed a brutal turnover and Samuelsson was alone in front of the net and was able to beat Henrik Lundqvist to give the Canucks the 1 - 0 lead.

The second period was back and forth with both teams having opportunities on the man advantage, especially the Rangers who had a 4 minute Power Play that was unable to generate many shots or scoring chances. In the third, Andrew Raycroft was at his best, he seemed very comfortable in the crease and was calm and collected when needed. He made key saves as the Canucks were shorthanded and then things got physical and some emotion entered the game when an innocent looking altercation between Ryan Kesler and Marion Gaborik set off a chain reaction. The incident took place in the middle of a line change for both teams and saw 10 Rangers in a shoving match and a scrum against 7 Vancouver Canucks.

The scrum lasted for quite some time and saw Kevin Bieksa and Dane Byers get into a war of words which lead to Bieksa and Byers almost coming out of the penalty box and fighting immediately, but they were interrupted and separated by the linesman. Bieksa was furious and the Canucks, despite having 3 less skaters on the ice during the scrum, ended up shorthanded, and it didn't sit well with Alain Vigneault. To add insult to injury, the Canucks gave up a goal just as the penalty ended to Chris Higgins, who scored his first goal of the season and finally broke out of a monumental goal scoring drought.

With the game tied 1 - 1, Bieksa was then charged with a penalty while still inside the penalty box, but the Canucks were able to kill the penalty and then Ryan Kesler made a nice play to find a trailing Rick Rypien who buried a shot over the shoulder of Lundqvist to give the Canucks a 2 - 1 lead in the third. Mikael Samuelsson added his second of the night on a Power Play and Henrik Sedin scored an empty net goal to seal the 4 - 1 victory for Vancouver.

The Canucks head out on the road for back to back games on Thursday and Friday in Minnesota and Dallas.

Raycroft Leads Canucks to Shutout of Avs

Andrew Raycroft and the Vancouver Canucks bounced back in a big way after a beat down in Southern California at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks. The backup goaltender got his first shutout as a Vancouver Canuck and it was over the red hot Colorado Avalanche.

The Canucks came out and generated a number of scoring chances on Avalanche netminder Craig Anderson, who has been the MVP for the Avalanche so far this season. Mason Raymond beat Anderson off a rebound in the slot midway through the first period and Ryan Kesler slid a loose puck in the crease into an empty cage to double the Canucks lead in the second period.

The third period saw the Canucks shut it down - they played smart defensively and the Avalanche had trouble generating chances all night, especially in the third. The Canucks got a boost and some insurance when Tanner Glass, an unlikely candidate scored his first goal as a Vancouver Canuck at 9:25 of the third period to give the Canucks a three goal lead.

Andrew Raycroft stopped all 18 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and further helped his goals against average and save percentage to remain at the top of the goaltending statistics in the NHL - despite his small sample size.

Corey Perry and Ducks Rout Canucks

The injury riddled Vancouver Canucks were no match for a struggling Anaheim Ducks team that had their core players bump offensive slumps on Friday night. Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan all did their parts to help the Ducks to a 7 - 2 thrashing of the Canucks.

Steve Bernier opened the scoring early in the first on a deflection and Mason Raymond added a goal on the Power Play to double the Canucks lead. The Ducks got a big goal late in the first from Corey Perry and evened things up early in the second as George Parros took advantage of a bad Canuck turnover and slid one through Andrew Raycroft.

Once the game was tied at 2, the Ducks took over. They attacked in waves and the crippled Canucks had trouble generating many chances and were hemmed in their own end for most of the second and third period. Corey Perry scored again and gave the Ducks their first lead of the game late in the second period and his linemate Bobby Ryan owned the third period as he beat Corey Schneider, who came in to relieve Andrew Raycroft, twice in the third period. Joffrey Lupul added the final goal of the night to add to the 7 - 2 rout.

Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler were the two Canucks who struggled the most, Bieksa was fighting the puck for most of the night and was caught out of position, turning the puck over, and made some poor decisions. Alex Edler was again slow to move the puck out of his own zone and had trouble handling the Anaheim forecheck.

The Canucks faceoff against the red hot Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night back home at GM Place.

Raycroft Leads Canucks to Shootout Win in L.A.

Andrew Raycroft was thrown to the wolves on Thursday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, as the Vancouver Canucks (and partly the Manitoba Moose) came into face one of the NHL's highest scoring teams.

Without their best player and captain Roberto Luongo for an indefinite amount of time, it was Raycroft's opportunity to solidify himself as a legitimate NHL netminder and after last night's performance, he got off to a good start. The Kings came out flying and dominated the entire first period, Scott Parse scored his first ever NHL goal to put the Kings up 1 - 0 but they couldn't capitalize on some man advantage situations to double their lead. The Canucks got a goal from Mikael Samuelsson completely against the run of the play late in the first period to even things up.

The second period was a much more even period, the Canucks generated some chances but both goaltenders were playing well enough to close the door. Andrew Raycroft made timely saves and was able to weather the Los Angeles attack which came in waves throughout the game. The leagues leading point getter heading into last night, Anze Kopitar was held off the scoresheet.

In the third, it was much of the same, although the Canucks were not generating many shots on goal as they only managed a few in the period and the Kings had some glorious chances, the best one off a solo rush from Anze Kopitar but Raycroft got the better of him with a nice save.

Overtime solved nothing, so for the second straight game in as many nights the Kings found themselves in a shootout, Michael Handzus was unable to give the Kings the early lead, and Ryan Kesler went high glove on Jon Quick to give the Canucks the early advantage in the shootout. Jack Johnson evened the shootout at 1 until Mikael Samuelsson stepped up again and made a key play for this hockey team by scoring the shootout winner on a nifty backhand deke.


The Canucks travel to Orange County to take on the struggling Anaheim Ducks tonight at the Honda Center. Andrew Raycroft is expected to start again.

Luongo week to week with fractured rib

Just when you thought the Canucks injury woes couldn't get any worse, Roberto Luongo goes down with a hairline fracture on his rib, and will be out of action for at least a week. Luongo originally injured the rib in a win against the Leafs on Saturday, but was able to suck it up for their next game versus the Oilers. He re-injured it sometime during last night's loss to the Red Wings and an MRI this morning revealed the fracture.

Vancouver has called up Corey Schneider from the farm and Andrew Raycroft is expected to get the nod on Thursday in Los Angeles.

The Canucks have the most injuries in the NHL right now with Luongo joining Daniel Sedin, Sami Salo, Kyle Wellwood, Pavol Demitra, Ryan Johnson and Janik Hansen on the shelf.

Canucks unravel in 3rd, lose to Red Wings 5-4

The Vancouver Canucks allowed three goals in just under a 6 minute span in the third period to lose 5-4 to the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night. Jason Williams scored the winner on the powerplay with 5:03 left in the final frame to put the game away.

Henrik Sedin and Christian Ehrhoff scored softies in the first ten minutes to chase Wings starter Chris Osgood. Jimmy Howard entered the game and earned the win for Detroit who improved to 4-4-2 on the season. Henrik scored his 2nd of the game and Mathieu Schneider with his 1st as a Canuck, completed the scoring for Vancouver, while Pavel Datsyuk with his 1st and 2nd goal of the year, Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall scored for the Red Wings.

Our take: Even though they struggled out of the gate, the Detroit Red Wings are still a dangerous team, and they proved that against a Canucks team that once again got outplayed for the majority of the game. You can get away with it against a team like the Leafs, but the Wings will (and did) exploit you if you bring a lackluster effort.

Vancouver were lucky to even be ahead off the bat as Chris Osgood let in two dirty, dirty goals to give the Canucks an early 2-0 lead. Roberto Luongo was solid in net, but it wasn't enough as they were outworked, outclassed and outplayed by a better Detroit Club.

Roberto Luongo, Canucks shut out Oilers 2-0

Roberto Luongo appears to have finally returned to form as he and the Vancouver Canucks shut out the Edmonton Oilers 2-0 on Sunday night. Michael Grabner, who continues to look comfortable alongside Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond on the 2nd line, scored the winner tipping a Christian Ehrhoff point shot past Jeff Deslauriers. Henrik Sedin, also with a deflection in front, scored the other Canucks goal.

Vancouver is over .500 for the first time all year, and look to improve on their 6-5 record Tuesday night as the struggling Detroit Red Wings are in town.

Our take: Although they shut out the flu-ravaged Oilers, the Canucks have a long way to go in order to turn their season around. Luongo is looking great and could be en route to another great year. The 2nd line of Raymond - Kesler - Grabner is extremely fast and affective and have been the team's best unit for the last couple weeks. With speed like that, they are always making things happen. Mikael Samuelsson and Henrik Sedin continue to show good chemistry, and it would be hard pressed for Alain Vigneault to not keep Samuelsson with both Sedins once Daniel returns from injury. With all our injuries, if we can continue to put up wins like we have, fans will have to see it as positive.

Red flags however are still the play of Kevin Bieksa and Alex Edler. Both guys are extremely prone to bad turnovers, and in Bieksa's case, he has completely forgotten how to play physical. What Bieksa needs is a good ole fashioned line brawl or something where he tunes on someone and remembers how much he loves hurting people. Hopefully this happens sooner than later because I can hardly take it any longer.

Canucks Down Leafs, Get Set for Oilers

The Vancouver Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers tonight at General Motors Place in the second half of a back to back for both teams. The Oilers are coming off a 5 - 2 loss at the hands of their Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames. The Canucks were able to hold on for a 3 - 1 win over the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs last night, a game in which Roberto Luongo seemed to be in the zone.

Tonight, the Canucks looks for some revenge after a 2 - 1 loss in Edmonton last week, Sam Gagner scored the winner midway through the third and the Oilers held on for the two points despite a late charge from the Canucks. The puck drops at 7PM at the garage.

Vancouver:

Luongo

Willie Mitchell - Alex Edler
Kevin Bieksa - Shane O'Brien
Christian Ehrhoff - Mathieu Schneider

Mikael Samuelsson - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows
Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Michael Grabner
Steve Bernier - Alexandre Bolduc - Sergei Shirokov
Darcy Hordichuk - Ryan Johnson - Tanner Glass

Edmonton:

Khabibulin

Ladislav Smid - Lubomir Visnovsky
Denis Grebeshkov - Tom Gilbert
Taylor Chorney - Theo Peckham

Dustin Penner - Sam Gagner - Ales Hemsky
Ethan Moreau - Shawn Horcoff - Patrick O'Sullivan
JF Jacques - Andrew Cogliano - Robert Nilsson
Steve MacIntyre - Zack Stortini - Jason Strudwick

The Oilers are coming off a 5 - 2 loss at the hands of their Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames.

Key players to watch for tonight: Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky have been on fire recently. Penner already has 15 points this season and has been a force for the Oilers heading to the front of the net and causing trouble for opposing defenders. Mason Raymond was the Canucks best skater last night and hopes to continue providing that critical secondary scoring the Canucks so desperately need right now.

Notes: Kyle Wellwood will not play tonight due to a broken toe, the Canucks have re-called youngster Sergei Shirokov who will be in the lineup.

Mathieu Schneider will make his Vancouver Canucks debut tonight, Aaron Rome is expected to be the odd man out on the blueline.

Canucks rake lowly Leafs; Improve record to .500

Although it wasn't the 60 minute effort the Canucks were looking for, the way this season has gone so far they will certainly take the win. Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond scored 1st period powerplay goals for Vancouver, while Niklas Hagman replied for the Leafs. Raymond would pot his second goal of the game into an empty net to lead the Canucks to a 3-1 victory. Toronto dominated the 3rd period, but couldn't beat Roberto Luongo who has seemed to turn it around after an extremely poor start.

Vancouver is right back at it tonight against the Oilers who are coming into town after a tough 5-2 loss to the Flames last night.

Our take: An effort like that against any other team and Vancouver most likely loses that game. Good to see Luongo is back in form, and he finally stole a game for the 'Nucks. The line of Grabner - Kesler - Raymond is looking unreal and could possibly be the fastest line in the NHL - it's very nice to see Grabner playing well after his awful pre-season, and he looks to be determined to stick with the big club. With news that Pavol Demitra is probably out for the whole season, Grabner will have a good chance at sticking with the Canucks all year.

Canucks Get Character Win in Chicago

Willie Mitchell and the Vancouver Canucks came into Chicago struggling to find their game on the road, but the bruising Canucks blue liner had no problem finding Jonathan Toews with his head down in the neutral zone. Toews got caught watching the puck on his stick as Willie Mitchell exited the penalty box and knocked Toews off of his feet. The Hawks youngster stumbled to the bench, left the game and did not return.



As for the Canucks, they fell behind on two occasions in this hockey game and battled back to get a victory, their first away from GM Place. Duncan Keith opened the scoring for Chicago and Steve Bernier scored his second goal in as many games to tie it up for the Canucks. Late in the second period Duncan Keith made a heads up play to find Troy Brouwer at the side of the Canucks net who was able to re-direct a shot past Roberto Luongo.

The Canucks captain played well in the third period, as the Canucks were forced to kill off a long 5 on 3 and Luongo wasn't overly busy, but made some timely saves to keep the deficit at 1. After Willie Mitchell's big hit, the Canucks seemed to get some life as Ryan Kesler took a hit of his own to make a nice pass to Michael Grabner who scored his first NHL goal on a rocket slap shot that beat Antti Niemi post and in.

3 minutes later, Brian Campbell turned the puck over in his own zone, Mikael Samuelsson came up with the puck and snapped a shot by the young Hawk goaltender to give the Canucks a 3 - 2 lead, the goal went on to be Samuelsson's second game winner of the early season.

The Canucks get set to face the winless (the only winless team in the NHL by the way) Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night at home. Note the 4PM faceoff at GM Place.

Canucks Back in Windy City to Face Hawks

The Vancouver Canucks are back in the hostile confines of the Madhouse on Madison. The United Center will play host to the Canucks and Blackhawks tonight as Vancouver tries to get their first road win of the season in one of the most difficult places to play in the National Hockey League.

The Blackhawks boast 3 deep lines that roll at their opposition in waves, all three lines can score as they are anchored by Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Dave Bolland and a host of other young foot soldiers. Despite their amazing depth up front, the biggest strength for the Blackhawks is their mobility, youth, and puck movement on the back end. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are among the top young puck movers in the league and can make a great first pass.

As for the Canucks, they'll need to come together quickly now to avoid a major dismantling tonight. The Hawks can skate, score, and are getting good goaltending from youngster Antti Niemi who is expected to start tonight. Roberto Luongo obviously has some demons at the United Center, and he's going to need to to conquer them tonight for the Canucks to have a chance to pick up 2 points.

The Canucks once again outshot their opposition in Edmonton but could not bear down and finish their chances. Kyle Wellwood came within half a second of sending the game to overtime, but even by the slightest margin, it was too little, too late.

That was the 4th time in this young season that the first star of the game has been the team's opposing goaltender. The Canucks should look to take the crowd out of it early if they have hopes of skating away with a win, but they'll need to play well and make good decisions in their own end tonight to avoid this:



I challenge any Canucks fan not to CRINGE when they hear that. Puck drop is at 5:30 PM PST.

Canucks lose 2-1 to Oilers; Remain winless on the road

The Vancouver Canucks were once again unable to put together back to back wins as they lost 2-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. Steve Bernier got the Canucks on the board early in the 1st, banging in a rebound off a Kyle Wellwood shot. Patrick O'Sullivan tied the game up only 26 seconds into the 2nd period off a nice feed from Denis Grebeshkov then Sam Gagner scored midway through the third on a terrible Alex Edler turnover to put the Oilers up 2-1. Nikolai Khabibulin stood on his head throughout the whole game, stopping 39 of 40 shots. Kyle Wellwood actually put the puck in the net after a gorgeous end to end rush late in the third, unfortunately the time had just run out and the puck went into the net about a second too late.

Our take: Is it just me or have the Canucks run into a hot goalie in every game so far this year, except against the Canadiens? Khabibulin was miraculous tonight, but clearly Vancouver is also lacking finish and aren't capitalizing on their chances. They are however averaging close to 40 shots a game and have outchanced their opponent's in most of the games this year.

Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa have been god awful so far this year with their terrible pinches and brutal turnovers. What happened to the Kevin Bieksa that used to smash everything in sight, and used to love to punch people in the face? The Kevin Bieksa that came out of nowehere to become a fan favorite, and a tough guy to play against? Apparently he thinks now that he has a big contract and is an everyday NHLer that he can coast through games and get away with it. It's time Alain Vigneault grows some balls and sends some messages to some of these guys before it gets too late - which is sooner than later.

Canucks in Oiltown Aiming for Back to Back Wins

The Canucks and Oilers face off tonight for their first matchup of the season. The Oilers are 4 - 2 - 1 and the Canucks are 3 - 4 -0 to start the year, with both teams coming off victories over the lowly Minnesota Wild.

The Canucks peppered Wild goaltender Nicklas Backstrom and were able to pull out a 2 - 1 win on home ice despite the Wild getting some incredible goaltending. Roberto Luongo wasn't extremely busy but he did look sharp when the Canucks needed him, especially on the Penalty Kill.

The Oilers have some young guns that are playing well right now, Gilbert Brule seems to have found his game as he has started the year with 4 goals and 3 assists in 7 games. Dustin Penner seems to be living up to his paycheque for the time being as he has gotten off to a solid start as well.

As for the Canucks, they'll need to get continuous production from Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and Henrik Sedin in order to battle through this stretch of injuries. It's time for the Canucks young players to start making an impact as well, Michael Grabner will need to start converting on his chances and Mason Raymond will need to do the same. Raymond was flying on Saturday night, but he'll need to do more than just speed up and down the wing.

The Canucks look for their first points and first win on the road tonight at Rexall Place in Edmonton.

Canucks beat Wild; Improve to 3-4

The Vancouver Canucks got back on the winning track Saturday night with a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild. In familiar fashion, the Canucks got behind early on a Mikko Koivu shot that deflected off of Kyle Wellwood's skate and slipped past Roberto Luongo to make it 1-0 Minny. The score would remain that way until the 2nd when Ryan Kesler banked one in off a stickless Niklas Backstrom to tie the game 1-1. Early in the 3rd period, Mikael Samuelsson collected a rebound off of an Alex Burrows attempt, and quickly went backhand to forehand and roofed one passed a sprawling Backstrom.

Backstrom single-handedly kept the game close as the Canucks peppered him all game finishing with 39 shots. It was easily Vancouver's best performance of the year, playing a solid game for nearly all 60 minutes, something they haven't been able to say all year.

Our take: About time!! Good to see the boys finally put it all together and play a solid game. I don't think it's a fluke that for the first time all year we were the more physical team, and it resulted in a win. Roberto Luongo was sharp when he needed to be (which wasn't often), especially with a point blank save on Brent Burns with just over a minute remaining.

Another positive in this game was the play of Michael Grabner. He seemed to try and keep things simple, and he along with linemates Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond were buzzing all night. It will be interesting to see how this line can produce in the next couple games, and to see if Grabner can hold onto his spot in the lineup.

Next up for Vancouver is a date with the Oilers in Edmonton Monday night. The Oilers are coming off a 5-3 drilling of the Wild in their last game, and seem to be turning the corner themselves, so this could be a very interesting game.

Canucks visit Flames in huge Northwest matchup

The Vancouver Canucks finally get back on the ice tonight after a five day layoff which last saw them beat Dallas 4-3 on Sunday night in a shootout. After starting the season with three straight losses, the Canucks have reeled off two wins in a row, and are looking to move to .500 with a victory tonight in Calgary. Conversely, the Flames started the year with four straight wins, but have since lost three in a row.

Vancouver is already dealing with some serious injury issues. Daniel Sedin and Sami Salo are out for at least another month, while Pavol Demitra's rehab isn't going as well as planned. There is a possibility that he might miss the entire season, and at best won't be back until around Christmas. Mathieu Schneider is expected to be back in early November, but with his age, it might take him awhile to get back into game shape. Rookie Michael Grabner will finally play in his 1st NHL regular season game, and he is slotted on the top line with Alex Burrows and Henrik Sedin. Aaron Rome will play his 1st game with the Canucks, filling in for the oft-injured Salo.

Our take: Any time these two teams faceoff it's a big game, regardless of what time a year or standings or anything. Vancouver will be looking to avenge a 5-3 opening night loss to the Flamers. Michael Grabner will get 1st line minutes, and is looking to work off the early season success he has found in the AHL. Alain Vigneault has made a few more tweaks to the lineup, moving 4th line center Ryan Johnson to the wing on the 3rd line alongside Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier. Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler and Mikael Samuelsson will remain together on the 2nd line while Tanner Glass will join Rick Rypien and Darcy Hordichuk on the 4th line. Guillame Desbiens has been sent back to the Moose.

Prediction: 4-3 Vancouver win. Goals by Ryan Kesler, Kyle Wellwood, Alex Edler and Henrik Sedin with the winner late in the 3rd.

Canucks recall Michael Grabner

The Vancouver Canucks have recalled former 1st round pick Michael Grabner from the Manitoba Moose. Grabner has been impressive thus far for the Moose, recording 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 games. He was disappointing in the pre-season, but the Canucks are willing to give him another shot Friday against the Flames.

Our Take: A little surprising that they called up Grabner instead of Sergei Shirokov considering Shirokov drastically outplayed Grabner in the pre-season and by all accounts Shirokov has been the most impressive player for Manitoba so far in the young season. Grabner has said that he felt extremely nervous in the pre-season, which makes you wonder how he will feel in an important division matchup and in hostile enemy territory in Calgary. Expect the Canucks brass to have a short leash with the young Austrian, so if he doesn't perform on Friday, he could be sent down instantly.

Canucks Injury Woes Grow, Salo Hurt

Most Canucks fans would pretty much say it was a matter of time, but blueliner Sami Salo is hurt yet again. Salo left in the second period of the Canucks 4 - 3 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars after he apparently tweaked his lower body in an awkward, but harmless looking play.

Salo has an extensive (and this is an understatement) injury history. This is classified as his 28th career injury and further solidifies him as one of the most fragile players in the league. Salo is expected to be out 4 - 6 weeks with a knee injury.

Our Take: Another blow to the Canucks, after losing their best goal scorer, they lose arguably their most consistent defenseman. When Salo is healthy and on his game, he is a huge asset to this team, his first pass is noticeably sharp and he has an absolute rocket from the point on the PowerPlay. The issue is, the words healthy and Sami Salo go together quite rarely. On the bright side, in about 5 weeks, the Canucks will get back two huge pieces to their success, in Salo and Daniel Sedin. They'll need to stay above water until then.

Canucks beat Stars 4-3 in shootout

It probably should have never gotten there, but Vancouver needed a shootout to sneak past Dallas 4-3 on Sunday night. Ryan Kesler and Kyle Wellwood scored shootout goals, and Roberto Luongo stopped all three Stars' shooters to earn the victory. Kesler and Alex Burrows with powerplay goals, and Willie Mitchell even strength scored for the Canucks, while Mike Ribeiro, Brad Richards and Jamie Benn (late in the 3rd period, tying the game) with his first career NHL goal netted the tallies for Dallas. Henrik Sedin - playing his first game of the season without his brother (read previous story) - recorded 2 assists in the win despite Dallas outshooting Vancouver 36-25 in the game.

Our take: As mentioned before, this game should not have gone to a shootout. Vancouver allowed a goal to Jamie Benn with 1:33 remaining to force overtime. In order to be successful, the Canucks cannot allow Conference opponents to earn points like that. Fans should be thankful to see Henrik Sedin have a good game without his brother and that Roberto Luongo didn't allow a weak goal. They should be thankful that despite pretty much playing with 2 fourth lines (mixed with Kyle Wellwood) and getting outshot drastically, that Vancouver still pulled off the win. And last but certainly not least, we should all be thankful for everything we have. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Daniel Sedin out 4-6 weeks with Broken Foot

The Canucks were dealt a huge blow this weekend after an x-ray revealed Daniel Sedin broke his foot. Sedin took an Alex Edler slapshot off the skate in Wednesday's 7-1 win over Montreal. He is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks, although Danny claims he is "shooting to be back in three weeks."

Our take: This is obviously a huge loss for the Canucks as they are losing their leading goal scorer for a significant period of time. This also begs the question, how will brother Henrik do without his twin on a line with him? The Canucks will undoubtedly need others to step up and fill the void in Daniel's absence. Vancouver called up grinder Guillaume Desbiens, who is clearly not the answer offensively, while Steve Bernier is expected to replace Daniel on the team's top line.

I am surprised they didn't call up Sergei Shirokov as this looked to be the chance the young Russian needed. If Desbiens fails as an everyday NHLer, expect to see Shirokov or perhaps Michael Grabner get the call to see what they can do in an offensive role for the Canucks.

Canucks Youngster Shirokov Sent Down to Moose

Sergei Shirokov has had a tough go of it lately. Coming off a stellar pre-season performance while leading the Canucks in exhibition scoring, he was vaulted to a top 6 role with Ryan Kesler and Mikael Samuelsson. Shirokov has shown some growing pains, as he has had trouble generating any offense and has looked lost at times.

The Canucks are not giving up hope that he can and will one day be a consistent contributer for them at the NHL level, but at this time they feel playing the pro game down in the AHL could add a lot to his development.

Our Take: The Canucks aren't going to mess with a winning lineup. So if he isn't going to play up here, it's the best thing for him to season his game in Manitoba and be a first or second offensive call up for this organization.

Leafs fined "undisclosed" amount for tampering with Canucks

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been fined an undisclosed amount after being found guily of tampering by the NHL. The undisclosed amount is rumoured to be $25,000, which to an NHL team is pocket change. As I discussed earlier, Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs can get away with murder, so this tiny fine is no surprise to anyone. Clearly, the NHL isn't taking this as seriously as they should. Tampering is a serious offense, and now the precedent has been set that a small fine will ensue any offense. Just another ridiculous call made by the NHL, one that will undoubtedly have undesired affects in the future.

Our take: Gary Bettman is a bonehead and so is Brian Burke. Enough said.

Canucks Break-Out, Rout Habs

You could feel the negativity in the air, you could sense the hand hovering a few inches over the panic button - until the Canucks came out and dominated the Montreal Canadiens at GM Place on Wednesday night. It was a slump-busting night as Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler and Steve Bernier scored their first goals of the season.

Kesler opened the scoring on a beautiful breakaway feed from Alex Edler, as he slid in behind the Montreal defense and beat Carey Price with a nifty forehand deke. Mason Raymond blew by Hal Gill and cut to the net to increase the Canucks lead to 2 - 0, the Canucks capitalized on their first Power Play of the night to make it 3 - 0 with Steve Bernier netting a tap in off a feed from Daniel Sedin.

The Habs made it interesting - at least for a little while - until the Canucks big guns took the game over. Henrik Sedin scored back to back goals to give the Canucks a 5 - 1 lead, Mikael Samuelsson and Alex Burrows also both scored their second goals of the season to cap a 7 - 1 win for Vancouver.

All eyes were on Roberto Luongo heading into this matchup with Montreal, he made some key saves, especially on the Penalty Kill, and despite the 1 questionable goal he allowed to Andrei Kostitsyn off the half boards on the Power Play, Luongo seemed to start getting his game back on track.

On a lighter note, Rick Rypien stunned the GM Place crowd as he dropped the gloves with Canadiens giant Hal Gill. Rypien was landing some decent punches while holding his own against the much taller, heavier, and stronger Hal Gill. Check out the fight below:



Our Take: The Canucks needed this. They needed every second of this. Finally finishing their chances was critical for this group, and obviously having Roberto Luongo back on track was key as well. He'll need to cut down on the questionable goals, but he made some significant saves tonight at important times for this team. Vancouver has some time off now, as their next game is Sunday against Marc Crawford and the Dallas Stars, before they head out on the road to Calgary.

Canadiens in town to face winless Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are still looking for their first win of the season as the Montreal Canadiens pay a visit to GM place. Montreal is coming off a tough 4-3 loss to Calgary last night, while the Canucks last played in a lost to Columbus on Monday night.

Vancouver will have two changes in their lineup as they look to shake things up a bit. Defenseman Aaron Rome will see his first regular season action replacing Shane O'Brien, while Tanner Glass will enter the lineup for the struggling rookie Sergei Shirokov. The lines are expected to look like this:

Canucks

D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows
Raymond-Kesler-Samuelsson
Glass-Wellwood-Bernier
Hordichuk-Johnson-Rypien

Mitchell-Salo
Edler-Ehrhoff
Rome-Bieksa

Roberto Luongo
Andrew Raycroft

Canadiens

Cammalleri-Gomez-Gionta
Pacioretty-Plekanec-A.Kostitsyn
Latendresse-Lapierre-Moen
Stewart-Chipchura-Laraque

Hamrlik-Spacek
Gill-Gorges
Mara-Weber

Carey Price
Jaroslav Halak

Our take: It's pretty much a must win for the Canucks tonight. If they don't win, and especially if they play poorly, expect a major backlash from fans and media alike. Roberto Luongo MUST be better, and I expect him to comeback with a vengeance. Kevin Bieksa has been god awful, as has Ryan Kesler and the whole 4th line. In order to get out of this early slump, all parties will have to step up their play.

Mike Gillis and the Canucks officially file tampering suit against Brian Burke and the Leafs

Mike Gillis announced on Monday that the Vancouver Canucks have officially filed tampering charges against the Toronto Maple Leafs after Toronto GM Brian Burke went public in saying that the Canucks offered Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows and their 1st round pick (22nd overall) to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the 2nd overall pick (Victor Hedman) at this year' NHL entry draft. Gillis commented on the issue on the Team 1040 earlier this week.

"There are certainly some issues that the league needs to take control off when players' names are being thrown around. You're talking about lives and families and those things need to be kept confidential when you may be discussing a transaction of some type. There was a mention of player's names, which was very upsetting for them, and it doesn't make me feel very good."

Furthermore, earlier in the summer, Maple Leafs' head coach Ron Wilson made remarks that could possibly be interpreted as tampering on a Toronto radio station when he stated that the Leafs' would be interested in going after the Sedin twins during the free agency period.

Stay tuned to CanuckCity for the latest on this issue.

Our take: Brian Burke and Gary Bettman are tight and it seems like Burkie can get away with almost anything. With that said, the precedent will be set with the outcome of this case, so if the NHL doesn't dish out any punishment expect tampering to become a prevalent issue in the future. Clearly these things are considered illegal according to the CBA, especially Wilson's comments before July 1st about signing the Sedins (who were UFA's).

Wewould be naive to think that these kinds of things don't happen quite regularly, but they definitely shouldn't be done publicly. If found guilty, expect Toronto to owe Vancouver a draft pick and some cash.

Luongo & Canucks Slow Start Continues

Roberto Luongo is trying to erase the memories of that horrible night we all remember in the Windy City last summer. Some would say, he isn't quite on his way to doing that yet. Another poor outing from Roberto Luongo was enough to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a win last night as the Canucks played their home opener at GM Place.

Henrik Sedin scored first for the Canucks, but the Blue Jackets tied it at the end of a Canucks powerplay, a man advantage in which the Canucks had a 1:30 5 on 3 but couldn't finish, and in the end, that was the turning the point in the hockey game.

Columbus came out in the second period and scored 3 goals, on 3 consecutive shots on Roberto Luongo in under 3 minutes. A stunned crowd at General Motors Place was silenced, until Christian Ehrhoff was (finally) able to get a shot from the point through which found the back of the net. The Canucks went into the third in familiar territory, trailing by 2 or more goals.

Willie Mitchell made the game close, but a hooking penalty on Mikael Samuelsson with 5 minutes to go would prove to seal the deal, as Fedor Tyutin was able to get a seeing eye shot through traffic and past Andrew Raycroft, who was solid overall in relief of the Canucks Captain.

The slow starts are common with Roberto Luongo, but that doesn't mean he should be given a free pass. As the highest paid player and captain of this hockey team, he needs to be ready to play from October to April and beyond, not November to April and beyond. The points matter just as much now, as they do down the stretch.

Luongo needs a solid outing to shake off the comments that he can't focus in big game situations lately.