edit: lovin this change!

[BedBeats™2.0]

Cory wins.

Not sure what everyone else does.

[Smashian Kassian]

Here the Canucks are winning 6 consecutive games,top of their division and yet the AV haters can't be happy or content,never mind grateful.

The last game was an offensive burst for the first eight minutes and then the team went into lock down mode.Hank and others commented upon it after the game.They are doing it to win and AV has helped them to win in these situations.

Really,this is AV's greatest strenghth as he is a strong defensive coach.

No Kesler,No Booth,no PP d man and Eddie and the Sedins struggling big time because of that glaring fact.

You take Jordan out when the team is not offensively generating chances.Jordan is a defensive liability at this stage.

Goaltending/D is a huge part of the game.You don't blame the coach for having his goalie and shut down D pair playing like they should be.

Now we are talking boneheads.

[-DLC-]

We're not seeing a boatload of scoring because AV's focus has been on defense first (which is why we're getting some boring hockey). Injuries have plagued us and it's been amazing that we've managed to still win games...half of which were on the road. They've had to adjust and adopt a new style of play and it seems to have worked. People say we're not playing well enough because they're used to a skill game...but the adjustment was necessary and has gotten the job done.

Yes, Schneids has been amazing but it's also taken some pretty clever brainstorming to weather the storm...who do you think is responsible for that? For crying out loud, he's having to use D men as forwards and piece together line ups, yet you're worried that we're not winning convincingly enough?

Goaltenders do get hot...so to pretend that it's abnormal to experience or even count on this once in awhile is kind of ridiculous. Great goaltending has helped to carry many teams through injuries, etc. and we're now a beneficiary of that. Doesn't mean a coach should be fired.

[Smashian Kassian]

The team wins. Having strong goaltending is what they have needed for awhile. Its what ANY team needs.

Do not be so obtuse.

Unless i missed those goals Cory scored...and his shoot out deke a few games back.

Transparency. Try it.

[Smashian Kassian]

And for the record, I don't think we should fire AV right now, that ship has sailed. Its way too late in the season.

But the issues from the losing streak to this winning streak hasn't changed. Its the same, our goaltender is just playing great and thath Hamhuis/Garrison pair has started playing better.

Aswell Jordan Schroeder emerged.

Other than that the difference has been the goaltending.

[BedBeats™2.0]

Are you really that thick??!!

Do you watch the team play or just check the standings in the newspaper?

The Nucks this year are a shadow of themselves and their injuries have not been any worse than most teams, in fact less than many. THey have been dominated beyond belief this year - Chicago with 30 scoring chances - embarrassed by a depleted Detroit roster of AHLers etc - the only difference between their losses and their wins is their goaltending. If Lu and Cory can keep the other team to 1 or fewer goals (whith thier team being badly out-played) then they have a chance of winning. IF LU or Cory play average, the Nucks get blown out.

I don't dring the kool-aid about how these low scoring games ar epreaparing them for the playoffs. These games are lo-scoirng because our offence sucks! Because the team can't play a full 60 minutes! Because they get out-worked and out-hit every night! Because they play not to lose instead of playing to win..

WIth the talent on this team, I look to the coach as the architect of these short-comings.

[naslund.is.king]

No we aren't top of our division.

And your "lock down mode" was getting outplayed by the worst team in the league.

And your dead wrong, Jordan is not a defensive liability at this stage.

You can be content with Cory stealing us wins, but we will need to step it up if we have any hopes for a playoff run. And that's what I want, a cup. Not our goalie to carry us on a 6 game win streak in the regular season.

[J.I.A.H.N]

Usually, I get in Joe's face when he jumps on my posts, but I kinda know what Joe is saying. I just don't think that AV is to blame directly. I just don't know if AV goes scott free. Point in fact, the first line is plus +15 on average, we can't judge the rest, because basically, none of the other lines are intact, because of injuries and the juggling that goes on because of it.

But our PP is brutal, and that falls on the assistant coaches, and Gillis for having the altimate say on who's on the bench. That being said Garrison took awhile to get comfortable, which really affected everything on the back end. "IF" the PP was near the top of the league, Joe would be happier, I am sure. And we would be closer to the very top of the league, not that we are that far away, which would make everyone happier.

If we had not have had so many injuries, hadn't had a veteran team ( Older/slow start ), if this year wasn't such a mess, with the 48 game schedule, and if the Power Play wasn't so dismal......well, Joe would probably like AV a little more.

Just for the record Joe, I don't think you are that far off. Fire the Assistant Coaches instead. I actually think AV is doing a pretty good job right now with what he's working with. Special thanks to Hansen, Raymond and Tanev! All of which are at the end of their contracts, or close to it.......man Joe you started a crap storm with this one! CDC posting like crazy! You should be proud of this one!Go pop a cold one! LOL

[BedBeats™2.0]

We're not seeing a boatload of scoring because AV's focus has been on defense first (which is why we're getting some boring hockey). Injuries have plagued us and it's been amazing that we've managed to still win games...half of which were on the road. They've had to adjust and adopt a new style of play and it seems to have worked. People say we're not playing well enough because they're used to a skill game...but the adjustment was necessary and has gotten the job done.

Yes, Schneids has been amazing but it's also taken some pretty clever brainstorming to weather the storm...who do you think is responsible for that? For crying out loud, he's having to use D men as forwards and piece together line ups, yet you're worried that we're not winning convincingly enough?

Goaltenders do get hot...so to pretend that it's abnormal to experience or even count on this once in awhile is kind of ridiculous. Great goaltending has helped to carry man teams through injuries, etc. and we're now beneficiaries of that. Doesn't mean a coach should be fired.

[oldnews]

If someone were to look ahead at the season that is now in progress, and you told that person that the Canucks entire second line would be out the majority of the season, and not only that, but a half dozen of the top 12 forwards out on a regular basis - and the Canucks would not make any trades, but draw instead from their AHL farm team - if you told that person the Canucks would not only be in the playoffs, but still in first place in the division, third in the conference.... that person would probably express some serious doubt.

Yeah - fire the coach. Fire Paul McLean while you're at it too!! He has Anderson - that's the only reason the Sens are in the race!!! herpaderpaderpyderpderp

AV has done fine, is doing fine. It's not only Cory giving the team a chance to win - it's the entire team, the coach included.

Very proud of them all.

[J.I.A.H.N]

Oh...well, to be fair, the injuries and depth dictate the style of play. They tried their usual quasi-speed game and were getting burned. Mainly because the lack of center depth and chasing after lost draws.

I blame the bad PP, especially on the 1st unit squarely on the Twins. and to a lesser degree Brown.

I wont bother posting links to back up the sheer fact that the players and coaching now understand that they have to play defensively against certain teams and grind them out until they have the full compliment of players back.

And it is boooooooring against certain teams. Usually the opponent dictates the posturing. Unless scouted differently.

For a coach "that cannot adjust", he has done that.

Is it exciting? Against certain teams they do revert to their hallmark ways, yes. But generally it is just dullsville.

Makes you appreciate what Kes brings to the team.

[BedBeats™2.0]

Usually, I get in Joe's face when he jumps on my posts, but I kinda know what Joe is saying. I just don't think that AV is to blame directly. I just don't know if AV goes scott free. Point in fact, the first line is plus +15 on average, we can't judge the rest, because basically, none of the other lines are intact, because of injuries and the juggling that goes on because of it.

But our PP is brutal, and that falls on the assistant coaches, and Gillis for having the altimate say on who's on the bench. That being said Garrison took awhile to get comfortable, which really affected everything on the back end. "IF" the PP was near the top of the league, Joe would be happier, I am sure. And we would be closer to the very top of the league, not that we are that far away, which would make everyone happier.

If we had not have had so many injuries, hadn't had a veteran team ( Older/slow start ), if this year wasn't such a mess, with the 48 game schedule, and if the Power Play wasn't so dismal......well, Joe would probably like AV a little more.

Just for the record Joe, I don't think you are that far off. Fire the Assistant Coaches instead. I actually think AV is doing a pretty good job right now with what he's working with. Special thanks to Hansen, Raymond and Tanev! All of which are at the end of their contracts, or close to it.......man Joe you started a crap storm with this one! CDC posting like crazy! You should be proud of this one!Go pop a cold one! LOL

[J.I.A.H.N]

Didn't we have 75+ attempts on net last game? Or was it the game before? Any thoughts on that?

[BedBeats™2.0]

If someone were to look ahead at the season that is now in progress, and you told that person that the Canucks entire second line would be out the majority of the season, and not only that, but a half dozen of the top 12 forwards out on a regular basis - and the Canucks would not make any trades, but draw instead from their AHL farm team - if you told that person the Canucks would not only be in the playoffs, but still in first place in the division, third in the conference.... that person would probably express some serious doubt.

Yeah - fire the coach. Fire Paul McLean while you're at it too!! He has Anderson - that's the only reason the Sens are in the race!!! herpaderpaderpyderpderp

AV has done fine, is doing fine. It's not only Cory giving the team a chance to win - it's the entire team, the coach included.

Very proud of them all.

[DIBdaQUIB]

Not thick at all. I actually have to wipe my PVR of all the games ive watched.

They are low scoring because the opponent dictates the style of play, which is now defensive. They are also low scoring because of injuries, particularily Kesler.

I do not subscribe to the asinine notion that they are holding back with purposely scoring low til the playoffs. That is just silly.

Nice how you neglected to mention the games where the Canucks outchanced other teams but couldnt get the damn puck in the net.

There are other teams with good goalies as well.

They flat out do not play not to lose. Absolute rubbish. The whole of the NHL would be tarnished if you really believe that garbage.

Pros play to win by any means necessary.

[naslund.is.king]

I disagree on the "play not to lose" mindset/strategy. AV's comfort zone has always bee to play a defensive shell style. He was fortunate enough to have the Sedins in their prime putting up 100 + points.

As of right now, the Sedins aren't even in the top 20 (Henrik is 28th)! WIth their offensive decline, the Nucks have been exposed as a 1 trick pony (not that the playoffs hadn't exposed that before).

The explanation for the reduced offence is injuries and strategy. As I said, their injuries have not been as severe as some other teams (Ottawa, Detroit etc). as for the focus on a more defensive game, it has been siccessful in getting guys to play conservatively in the offensive end of the ice, thereby reducing goals but in the defensive ends, any success they have had is based on the wuality of their goaltending who are regularlly called on to stop a disproportionate number of grade A scoring chances that should not be possible against a team focusing on good defence.

I believe AV has been the benificiary of the prime years of the Sedins production and of Lu's (and now Cory's) outstanding goaltending. I believe his coaching style and personnel/strategic decisions have been a factor in this team under-performing in the post-season.

THis team has been picked by most hockey experts as favorites to win the cup for the last 3-4 yeasr yet have only made 1 deep run. If the talent has been there on paper to justify thoser pundits, where-in lies the problem?

[oldnews]

As i am too. That recent slide really had me concerned, because the injuries were stripping away their identity. They all adjusted.

Too bad the haters cannot be impressed with the streak. Because it is impressive. All things considered.

Now it is MG's turn now to help the team with some solid depth down the middle.

[RyanKeslord17]

The team wins. Having strong goaltending is what they have needed for awhile. Its what ANY team needs.

Do not be so obtuse.

Unless i missed those goals Cory scored...and his shoot out deke a few games back.

Transparency. Try it.

[Hyzer]

I'm pretty sure I can do AV's job. Just chew gum and protect the 1 goal lead, on top of giving no direction at all to his players. I can do that.

[BedBeats™2.0]

Yes. We've seen some adjustments that normally would never take place on this team

Henrik Sedin taking a dzone faceoff with less than a minute left and a one goal lead?

Result - empty net goal.

Guys are stepping up in various ways, and it's a very good thing for this organization imo. What is more motivation for a franchise than players who don't normally get a shot being able to be positive contributors?

One thing that is very telling as far as I'm concerned - so much whining about nothing of value on the Wolves - and yet, under the crunch, the Canucks have a quality depth and energy guy like Andrew Gordon to call upon - a player Gillis quietly poached at the deadline last year. He has played 5 games of shutdown, dzone start hockey, and he is an even 0.

I'm not saying that no moves are necessary, but one thing is certain - people in general really underestimate not only the depth, but also the scouting, management, and the coaching of this franchise.

People also complain about Gillis all the time here, but very few deals have taken place this season - and with all due respect to the Penguins, I would not have rented any of the players they did at the cost they paid - and most definitely not what they paid for the pylon they got for their blueline.

There are a lot of teams with needs that they have been unable to address - if and when a few deals start to take place, I'm sure MG will be ready to take advantage in any way he can.