Drouin Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 November 9th - 7PM PST Staples Center CBC Last Game vs. the LA Kings Last Game [@ SJ] SAN JOSE, California – Once in a while, as if to show us that no game is gravely important, the hockey gods take over and have some fun. The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks were powerless to stop their folly Thursday in a game that featured goals bizarre, grotesque and comical. The Canucks, at least, could laugh along with the gods as they beat the Sharks 4-2 to end a nine-game losing streak against their National Hockey League rivals. And the Canucks deserved this one, too. They were better than Sharks from the opening faceoff, quicker and stronger to pucks and far superior territorially. Vancouver was so good defensively, San Jose generated just 11 shots through two periods and the Sharks' best line was Andrew Desjardins, Tyler Kennedy and Mike Brown. The Canucks force-fed the Sharks just their second outright loss this season and by doing so caught them in the Pacific Division standings, although San Jose has played two fewer games. But what this game will be remembered for are the wacky, stunning, hilarious ways pucks found their way into the nets. It was 1-0 San Jose after 75 seconds, before either team shot the puck on net, as Joe Thornton's tumbling slingshot towards the general area code of the Vancouver goal somehow levitated off the ice and up the back of the netting before ricocheting in off Canuck goalie Roberto Luongo. Here is how Luongo described it: “It was a rim, first of all. It came off the boards funny, then it started climbing the net. Still no panic at this point. Once it got on top of the net I thought: 'Oh (crap), what's going on here?' I tried to put a glove on it but it kept going, and once it got over the crossbar I was in an awkward position. It's going to make for a good tweet. “I was sick and tired of being told I get scored on on the first shot every game, so I decided to let one in even before I get a shot on goal just to change things up.” Later in the five-goal first period, Brown, 35 games removed from his last goal and two teams removed from where he reported for this season, finished a 2-on-0 breakaway after Canuck defencemen Kevin Bieksa and Ryan Stanton appeared to skate into quicksand at centre ice. But the Canucks retook the lead, 3-2, at 18:55 of the opening period when Sharks' defenceman Jason Demers, without pressure, passed a hopping puck into the path of streaking Canuck Alex Burrows. While the Sharks converged on Burrows, Canuck Chris Higgins emerged like a roller-derby jammer from the pack and with one touch flipped the puck over Sharks' goalie Antti Niemi. Weird goals? “Yeah, all of them,” Higgins said. “It's just kind of this building. It doesn't feel like any other building; it kind of feels like a roller-hockey rink sometimes, the ice isn't always too good. There are some strange bounces every once in a while.” By the time Bieksa's point shot rocketed into the net off teammate Zack Kassian's foot to make it 4-2 at 5:22 of the second period – causing the goal scorer to simultaneously limp and laugh – we got the sense that this was going to be the Canucks' night. They hadn't had one of those against the Sharks since Jan. 21, 2012. “Listen to him complaining over there that his foot's sore,” Bieksa said in the dressing room, nodding towards Kassian. “What does he think? I've got a hard shot. I said: 'What better way to break your foot than with a goal?'” This wasn't close to the same Canuck team that was outplayed and outscored 4-1, twice, by the Sharks in the first eight days of the season. Nor did anyone expect it to be after another month under new coach John Tortorella. As San Jose coach Todd McLellan said before the game: “Their coach is a very good coach and he now has had time to implement and work with them as a group and get them to believe. And they do. They play a fast, hard game. They play the way he wants them to play. Their goaltender has been very good. They're an all-around good team right now.” And they certainly were that Thursday night. They survived their bad luck, took scoring chances when they came, and defended terrifically against a dangerous, talented team for the final 35 minutes. Luongo was excellent, making 22 saves. “It's nice to get rid of this nine-game slump,” Bieksa said. “Once you guys brought it to our attention, it is embarrassing. There's an element of pride in this dressing room and we certainly don't want to be losing to one team nine times in a row. We played with a little chip on our shoulder tonight and talked about being the hungrier team going out there. We won most of the 50/50 battles.” And they survived the hockey gods. Next they face Kings, Saturday in Los Angeles. Read more: http://www.vancouver...l#ixzz2k2twr5xq Projected Lineups Vancouver D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Kesler Higgins - Santorelli - Burrows Archibald - Richardson - Kassian Sestito - Welsh - Dalpe Edler-Garrison Stanton-Bieksa Hamhuis-Tanev Luongo Lack Link LA Williams-Kopitar-Brown Toffoli-Richards-Carter King-Stoll-Frattin Clifford-Lewis-Carcillo Doughty-Mitchell Voynov-Regehr Muzzin-Greene Quick Scrivens Link VANCOUVER 4TH PACIFIC LOS ANGELES 5TH PACIFIC Standings Players To Watch Ryan Kesler Anze Kopitar Tweets/Updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apples Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Go Canucks Go! Watch out for the quee... I mean queens 3-2 win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks3322 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 2-0-1 on the trips hopefully the boys can destroy the kings predicting Canucks win 4-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoted Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Another tough team on a tough road trip. If they stick to the game plan and play hard for the full 60 they have a great chance to pull off another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merci Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Nucks 1st game on a back to back. Nucks 3-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex the Great Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 4-1 Canucks D Sedin Burrows Kesler Bieksa Stoll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.Tallhouse Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Nucks 1st game on a back to back. Nucks 3-0 Pit/Columbus. NJ/STL say hi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar baby watermelon Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 One thing noticeable from everyone so far, is how our team has been playing for the full 60 minutes. If we do this, we can compete with anyone. LA will be tough but the way we have been playing so far, other teams will be on their heels within the first few minutes. Would like to see more of those tip passes by Kesler from the Sedins to the Sedins to cash in. Also would like to see our 2nd line continue contribute, love how Higgins is shooting continuously, & how that 2nd line is looking right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiley2051 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Monster game for Richardson? Cant say he'd be happy with all the time he spent in the press box last season. Canucks 3-1 Richie Danny on PP Bieksa Carter Doughty lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AriGold Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I will be there, row 14 lower bowl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strombone1 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I'll be there too, right behind canucks bench/torts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice orca Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I'll be there too, right behind canucks bench/torts Are you the stripper with the massive jug's we saw from the playoffs a couple of years ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackberries Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Are you the stripper with the massive jug's we saw from the playoffs a couple of years ago? Lmao. I'm the bad ass italian gangster guy behind the visitors bench at rogers arena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strombone1 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Are you the stripper with the massive jug's we saw from the playoffs a couple of years ago? no im a dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice orca Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 no im a dude Lol just bustin your balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colts_14 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 we are going to have to mute our TV's again because Toronto is playing before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canucks-12 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Pit/Columbus. NJ/STL say hi He means 1st of the two from this back to back. Anyways 5-2 Canucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACanuck Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 If we bring the same perseverence and determination we did yesterday to LA it'll be a nice to win! Cross my fingers, toes and eyeballs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kakanucks Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 not looking forward to CBC praising the kings every time they touch the puck or even looks at the puck... wish there was an option of on ice audio, no commentary just like at a live game. that would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Vintage Canuck- Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 GO CANUCKS GO!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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