[PGT] Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils

[coastal.view]

3 hours ago, Alflives said:

And add Marky's regular one weak goal.  

yep he has now started 16 games.. 6 wins, 8 losses, 2 ot losses

nilsson has started 7 games...... 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 ot loss

 

i guess markstrom is gonna start again next game

[mll]

10 minutes ago, *Buzzsaw* said:

Canucks did not look focused for most of the game... they looked like the previous back to back was catching up with them.

 

I'm a little concerned about Boeser, he was drifting around as if he was in a daze after the Hall hit... I hope they give him a concussion test... would hate to see him be put on the ice next game not at 100%... in fact I wonder if they should have sat him for most of the 3rd period.

 

Good to see Bo get back putting goals in the net, that was a great move he put on Schneider who is not easy to beat from that distance.

 

Generally good return for Stecher... Tanev though was not up to his standard level... might take him a little while to get his A game back.

 

Markstrom had a generally good game, but he didn't get the support he needed from the defense.

 

Here's my biggest observation:

 

I'm a big fan of Jake, but he is not working out with the Sedins.  Not saying the team should give up on him, but I think Daniel and Henrik need a more creative and experienced partner who can score.  I think they should put Granlund with the Sedins... Virtanen should drop down to the Vanek line and Eriksson should go with Gaunce/Sutter.

 

I believe Granlund is being wasted playing where he is.... he is a talented offensive player who can shoot the puck but he is not getting the chances he needs while he plays on what is a checking line.  The 19 goals he got last year were not a fluke... when he plays alongside creative linemates he can generate goals.

Granlund has been playing with Vanek and either Gagner (3x) or Eriksson (4x) on the other wing.  He only played with Sutter once over the last 8 games (vs the Sharks) and has been with Vanek/Eriksson over the last 4.

[coastal.view]

14 minutes ago, 6string said:

I thought Virtanen would be in Utica before this road trip actually, there is nothing to be gained from 15 games of less than 10 minutes a game.

i think being monitored daily by green is certainly a gain for the canuck team when it come to jake

only problem is jake appears to have plateaued already this year... and not at a very high level

i think he should stay for another 10 games with green and then revisit his status

 

[Hairy Kneel]

We're getting outhit badly the last two games. We needs our hits. Biega is our best hitter after Gud,  he should slot in over Gags.

Bo is going strong, and Jake? well at least he should have flattened someone for Boeser, if not Hall himself.

 

[Apricot]

 

[Jam126]

Special night for Brian Boyle, I'll take the loss for that. Great story, hope he fights and wins!

[RakuRaku]

Time to call up Goldobin and see if this kid is for real! Play Burmistrov a few straight games and see if he can outplay Gagner. 

[the_impersonator13]

My 8 year son: "Dad the Canucks sure have a better team than last year"

 

Me: "Yeah, they sure do have some good young players like Boeser"

 

Son: "They just need to make 1 adjustment" 

 

Me: "What is that?"

 

Son: "Get rid of Edler!!!!"

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

6 minutes ago, the_impersonator13 said:

My 8 year son: "Dad the Canucks sure have a better team than last year"

 

Me: "Yeah, they sure do have some good young players like Boeser"

 

Son: "They just need to make 1 adjustment" 

 

Me: "What is that?"

 

Son: "Get rid of Edler!!!!"

Then what did you say?

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[Ghostsof1915]

16 minutes ago, the_impersonator13 said:

My 8 year son: "Dad the Canucks sure have a better team than last year"

 

Me: "Yeah, they sure do have some good young players like Boeser"

 

Son: "They just need to make 1 adjustment" 

 

Me: "What is that?"

 

Son: "Get rid of Edler!!!!"

Your 8 year old son is wise beyond his years.....

[D-Money]

2 hours ago, Erik Karlsson said:

I don't understand why Jake won't hit, been defending him for a while but starting to get irritating. Also what happened to his accuracy. He was a snipe show in his draft year, even his backhand was deadly. 

 

He he needs to get off the Sedin line...

...And go straight to the first line...

 

...in Utica.

[apollo]

5 hours ago, Riviera82 said:

Honestly I just dont have a lot of faith in Markstrom. The Canucks need to score at least 3 goals per game almost every time he's in the net if they want to win.

Out of Markstrom's 16 starts we've needed 2 goals to win only 2 times. And of course, no shutouts.

 

I'd like to see more starts for Nilsson.

Wow... I agree with Riviera's goalie assessment... What is the world coming to hahah 

 

I think you are bang on. Nilsson needs to be played more. I give him the next game probably. 

 

Marky just doesn't have tbe same composure. I really hope he can get one shutout though... Soon. Before he breaks the record. 

[sockeye]

3 hours ago, JamesB said:

My takeaways are as follows.

 

1. It is not often that my headline would feature an opposing player, but I have to say that I still really like Schneider. He played a good game and I really liked his interview after the game. He talked about Danny closing in on 1000 pts and just comes across as a really decent guy. If I had the trade to do over again (trading Schneider for the pick the Canucks used to draft Horvat) I guess I would do it again as Horvat is an excellent young player and also seems like a great guy. But I would love to have both guys on the team.

 

2. As for the Canucks, Gagner was slow on the backcheck on the first NJ goal and played poorly overall. Hutton made two mistakes on the second NJ goal and also had a disappointing game.

 

3. The biggest hole on the team is team toughness. With both Guddy and Dorsett out the Canucks are just a very soft team. I agree with @Nuxfanabroad that in the circumstances I would play Biega as a forward. He is not likely to score but he will make hits, play with intensity, defend teammates, and play solid defence. Also, if Guddy is going to be out for any length of time I would bring up MacEwen. The Canucks just have to have more team toughness.

 

4. On the plus side, Horvat had a nice goal and played a solid game (with more than 20 mins in ice time). Boeser seemed a bit quiet tonight but still got on the board with an assist. He is just one of those guys which such great puck skills (shooting, passing, receiving the puck, stickhandling) and such a high hockey IQ that he just can't help generating points.

 

5. Finally, nice to see the Sedins continue to play well. They have had a very good road trip so far and now looking like legitimate second liners in terms of performance, although their minutes are low, as they should be. I like the way Green is handling the Sedins with limited minutes so they can play at their best for the entire game.

 

Overall, it was disappointing to lose but the Canucks did not really play a bad game. Just one of those road losses where the team with the better goalie wins. Not that Marky was to blame for the goals, but Schneider was very good at the other end. And I would give Nilsson the next start.

Well said.  I'm not one of the Hutton detractors on CDC, although, it wasn’t one of his better games.  I appreciate how he battles and I think he has been playing well this season.  I also like how he is starting to use his size more along the boards.  For a defenceman, 24 years is still young.

As expected for their first game back, Tanev's and Stecher's game was a little off.  The rest of the D played quite well.  Let's hope we play hard for the full 60 minutes next game.  We'll need to as the Rangers are hot right now.  I wouldn't mind seeing us slotting in Biega as a forward if Sutter is out.  At least we can count on the Bulldog to hit and defend his teammates (we are lacking in that area right now).

[messier's_elbow]

7 hours ago, Davathor said:

 

Both injured

They should get Dorsett to teach Virtanen how to fight. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if Jake knew how to throw them if needed. If Sutter is injured that stings, he’s been a beast this year. 

[alfstonker]

I'm sick of teams having their way with us with impunity.

I have rattled on and on over the years that this rebuild MUST include a change in mindset - and it must be in the lines that are on the ice the most, not the friggin 4th line.

 

Benning has done a pretty good job so far but looking at the players we have brought into the team only Jake has any potential for pushback. We need to forget about expecting DD to do all the answering for this team, it's not right since the op. and thankfully he is a good enough player to be selected on his hockey abilities.

 

We are without a doubt the team with the worst "collective" pushback in the league and looking down the pipeline I don't see anyone other than Gadjovich and maybe Gaudette who might have any potential to make other players think twice. If Guddy goes the D has nothing, not even down the line. 

I understand taking the best player available but sometimes you have to think of "team needs" and ability to withstand attrition.

 

On that basis alone Ericsson, Gagner, Vanek, Del Zotto, Pouliot were the wrong players to add to this team. You don't fix a soft team by adding more softies.

 

This is not becoming a serious problem, it has been one since as long as I can remember. They don't ALL have to be fighters but they should all imo pass a "Hansen comparison test" with only exceptions being made for Pettersson if he makes it as we have children in our fan base.

 

Size and physicality is not imo just about pushback it is about handing out punishment AND BEING ABLE TO ABSORB punishment. We lost that game imo because it was our 3rd in 4 days and we just don't have the ability to keep taking the hits without it effecting us down the line. Imo it is why we pick up so many injuries.

 

When you, as a team, are not handing out punishment, there is little doubt you will be taking it in this league.

 

Coach X "The game's in the balance, these guys are all pretty small and it's their 3rd game in 4 days, lets finish our checks hard, keep their heads on a swivel and slow them down"

[CeeBee51]

I thought both Tanev and Stecher looked like they hadn't played in awhile. Hutton as well.  

[Phat Fingers]

6 hours ago, coastal.view said:

yep he has now started 16 games.. 6 wins, 8 losses, 2 ot losses

nilsson has started 7 games...... 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 ot loss

 

i guess markstrom is gonna start again next game

Don’t know what game you watched but Markstom made some sick saves.  Had Edler not passed to a Devil on the opposing blue line at least twice leading to one goal and Hutton taken the body instead of watching the puck go thru his legs on his blue line, the Canucks win this 2-1. The first goal was another Edlerism and Hall had wicked shot, that’s kinda why he was a 1st OA. 

 

Shnieds played very well

and take away some horrid defensive gaffs and it’s a one goal game the other way. 

 

IMO for those that watch more than stats sheets there is no problem with our goaltending. Added to that, Green knows better how to handle Markstom as he had Markstom playing his best professional hockey of his career. 

 

Instead of blaming the goalie for a one goal loss, why not be very positive that our GM went and found one the best bargains in FA by bringing Nielsson into the fold. 

 

 

Just a thought. 

 

EmW

[spook007]

2 hours ago, alfstonker said:

I'm sick of teams having their way with us with impunity.

I have rattled on and on over the years that this rebuild MUST include a change in mindset - and it must be in the lines that are on the ice the most, not the friggin 4th line.

 

Benning has done a pretty good job so far but looking at the players we have brought into the team only Jake has any potential for pushback. We need to forget about expecting DD to do all the answering for this team, it's not right since the op. and thankfully he is a good enough player to be selected on his hockey abilities.

 

We are without a doubt the team with the worst "collective" pushback in the league and looking down the pipeline I don't see anyone other than Gadjovich and maybe Gaudette who might have any potential to make other players think twice. If Guddy goes the D has nothing, not even down the line. 

I understand taking the best player available but sometimes you have to think of "team needs" and ability to withstand attrition.

 

On that basis alone Ericsson, Gagner, Vanek, Del Zotto, Pouliot were the wrong players to add to this team. You don't fix a soft team by adding more softies.

 

This is not becoming a serious problem, it has been one since as long as I can remember. They don't ALL have to be fighters but they should all imo pass a "Hansen comparison test" with only exceptions being made for Pettersson if he makes it as we have children in our fan base.

 

Size and physicality is not imo just about pushback it is about handing out punishment AND BEING ABLE TO ABSORB punishment. We lost that game imo because it was our 3rd in 4 days and we just don't have the ability to keep taking the hits without it effecting us down the line. Imo it is why we pick up so many injuries.

 

When you, as a team, are not handing out punishment, there is little doubt you will be taking it in this league.

 

Coach X "The game's in the balance, these guys are all pretty small and it's their 3rd game in 4 days, lets finish our checks hard, keep their heads on a swivel and slow them down"

His name is Kane.... would make a huge difference to our two top lines...

BTW wonder if Virtanen has been told to reduce his hitting? Either because they don't want him to get suspensions or for medical reasons.

Or are they just wanting him to concentrate on improving his on ice understanding?

[NHTyrany]

Any hits by Bo? I think he could step up as much as Jake in that category. Players shouldn't rely entirely on deterrents to save them, they should look in the mirror--just like Biega and Dorsett--and run amuck. Smaller players can hit too. It's an equality movement and all teams have small players.