The Horvatian One Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Willie Mitchell could not tell a lie: To beat his old club was special. “When you’re playing against good friends and people you see all summer, sure it means something extra,” the Port McNeill native said. “I’d be lying to say it didn’t, sure.” Mitchell even gets power-play time with the Kings, and has been rewarded for his fine defensive play with a two-year, $7-million contract extension. The Canucks had offered a one-year, $3.5-million deal two years ago. “It works both ways, they wanted the same thing over there as I wanted,” Mitchell said. “I think the biggest thing, though, this [the Kings’] organization hasn’t had success in awhile and we talked about that, that it’s our time to make a statement, time to take that next step. “You have to do that against good teams. We beat a very good team over there.” It wasn’t just the former Canuck who had praise for the Canucks. The appreciation seemed universal in the Los Angeles locker room. Jonathan Quick, just about unbeatable in the series, won a classic showdown with Cory Schneider, the two New England goalies having risen through the ranks facing each other in big high-school, college, AHL and now NHL games. “I told Cory he played great and he said the same to me,” said Quick of the handshake line. “We played against each other growing up at every level. “He’s succeeded at every level and it’s going to happen here, too. He’s a great goalie. He kept them in it the other night and sure enough tonight, too.” The Kings came out like they were trying to run the Canucks out of their home barn. The hits were 11-1 in favour of Los Angeles before the first period was 10 minutes old. “We wanted to see if we could draw a couple of penalties,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said and it worked, Dan Hamhuis taking a retaliatory roughing penalty against Dustin Brown at 1:23 of the first period. But Schneider was unsolvable until Brad Richardson made it 1-1 at 3:21 of the second period. For Richardson, is was a nice cap to a ragged journey that began with emergency appendectomy surgery on April 10, a return two games ago, a short stint on Sunday in Sutter’s doghouse when his roughing penalty on Chris Tanev in the offensive zone led to Henrik Sedin’s power-play goal, then the game-tying heroics. “I just went to the net with my stick on the ice,” Richardson said. Richardson and that fourth line of the Kings gave the Canucks fits for the past two games. And, sure enough, it was Jarret Stoll ending the Canucks’ season in overtime. “Schneider’s a great goaltender, [Roberto] Luongo’s a great goaltender and they’re a great team,” Stoll said. “They had 100 and some points in the regular season and, from top to bottom, they were built to be in the Stanley Cup final. “But we weren’t thinking No. 8 seed against No. 1, just the L.A. Kings against the Vancouver Canucks. “We knew they were a great team, but we feel we’re a good team, too. We just found a way to win three games in this building.” Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Former+Canuck+Mitchell+savouring+Kings+series/6500970/story.html#ixzz1syZvRpbZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louielouie1 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Always said we should have kept him, not just now in hindsight. He is captain material. Very articulate and charismatic in interviews and plays quite solidly. He's a guy that will quietly win you games. Canucks should have pushed harder for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raph Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Willie has battled a lot, much respect to him. Class act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Money Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Every year our defense was falling apart due to injuries. And there was Willie, exhibit "B" of it (Salo=A), with a real possibility of packing it in, or at least being one concussion away from it. At the time, Vancouver made the right call in going a different direction. Of course, with hindsight, Mitchell has persevered, and would have been a great guy to keep. But that ship has sailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanCityScout Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 B.C boy with a Canuck tattoo still on his body somewhere sad the Canucks made that movie "Free Willie" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 We sure took it easy on him. Their 'best' defenseman could've been KO'd in game one if we really wanted to win this thing. Cheers. TOML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Good for Willie. Silver lining to an awful ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttock Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 We sure took it easy on him. Their 'best' defenseman could've been KO'd in game one if we really wanted to win this thing. Cheers. TOML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MashedBananas Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I still wear my Willie Mitchell jersey. Why? Easy, Willie is such a class act and one of my favourite defensemen of all time. He was so good for us, and should have been our captain. I was so upset when we let him go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandlakthehouse Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I like Willie Mitchell but it kinda sucks how he plays really well against us in the playoffs and not so much while in a Canucks sweater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPRYP Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 · Hidden by hockeyville88, April 24, 2012 - No reason given Hidden by hockeyville88, April 24, 2012 - No reason given Hodgson came out of the closet, that's why he wanted out. LOL Link to comment
hockeyville88 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Great player, great leader, great guy And I'm happy for his success. After all, it was his concussion that was the start of this epidemic in the NHL and his harsh words to the league might have forced them to take the situation seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc_devil Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Willie was a bust. Remember he can't skate. All he had to do for LA was stand in front of net big whoopie do barely any skatting. He's still overratted for shutting down a one hit wonder in Bertuzzi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menace Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I am happy for Willie and his success in LA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill-House Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I don't want to root for the Kings, but I wouldn't mind seeing Willie raise the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyKenGuy Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 always been a fan of his congrats and good like to big willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviewonder20 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Always said we should have kept him, not just now in hindsight. He is captain material. Very articulate and charismatic in interviews and plays quite solidly. He's a guy that will quietly win you games. Canucks should have pushed harder for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cIutch Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 before the series "mitchell is slow as hell i hope booth skates right around him" after the series "i wish we resigned mitchell , hes such a good guy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themcdeal Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 love that guy, sucks we couldn't keep him but i could understand managements decision. Would rather see him win the cup with us though lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradin123 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I don't believe the Canucks really did offer Willie Mitchell a "one-year, $3.5-million deal two years ago." The Canucks showed no interest in retaining Willie after signing Dan and trading for Ballard. This article was the very first time I have heard they offered him $3.5M and honestly I don't think it is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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