Cory Schneider played great. So did Alex Burrows, who kept the Wings on their heels all night, and Max Lapierre, who chanelled his inner Patrick Kane in the shootout, and scored the shootout winner. With their 2-1 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings last night, the Canucks clinched their spot in the 2013 NHL playoffs.
But who cares about all that? DJ Tanner and Aunt Becky were at the game.
Most exciting part of this game was seeing DJ Tanner on the jumbotron. #Canucks#TGATT
Against another potential playoff opponent, the Canucks collapsed once again last night. This time around, they allowed 4 goals in the third period and lost 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars.
The forwards were bad, and the defense was especially bad.
Get well soon, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev. We need you back.
In an effort to create more offense (or in an effort to maintain his reputation as a chronic line juggler), Canucks’ coach Alain Vigneault made news by putting Ryan Kesler on the wing alongside recently-acquired centreman Derek Roy in practice. While I was looking forward to seeing them play together, many Canucks fans were up in arms at the move, citing Kesler’s preference to play in the middle and the potential of unbalanced forward lines (from a scoring perspective).
By game time, all was right with the world as Kesler took his centre position back while Roy was the one shifting over to the wing. Kesler supporters were happy and so was I – the two of them were still going to play together.
The result against Nashville was good: both Kesler and Roy had two points apiece in the Canucks 5-2 win. The duo was tamed in the subsequent game – a 2-1 shootout loss to St. Louis.
So why is playing centre so much better? Along with the help of some loyal CHB readers, I present to you The Top 10 Reasons Why Playing Centre is Better Than Playing on the Wing:
10. One word: faceoffs. Or is that two words: face offs?
9. The centre is the one who makes the line what it is. (Submitted by @RyanGuevs)
8. Centre of attention makes sense. Wing of attention doesn’t.
7. Because he won the friggen Selke. (Submitted by @BrowntoBure)
I think my Twitter-buddy Dave mistook the topic to be “Top 10 Reasons Why Kesler Should Stay at Centre” but I’ll accept it nonetheless. Then, as a reply to my reply, Dave added:
I actually prefer wing…it’s less work.
6. The wingman never gets the girl. (Pat on Facebook)
I hope he’s not speaking from experience.
5. Centres can be smooth like the centre of a Caramilk. Wings can be good too…with hot sauce. (Submitted by @Rozzy80)
I think my buddy Jay mistook the topic to be “Top 10 Ways to Relate This Hockey Blog to Food”.
4. Who would you rather be? Ricky Bobby or Cal Naughton Jr.? If you ain’t first, you’re last. (Submitted by @lyteforce and @mattlee61)
Yes, it takes 2 CHB contributors to come up with one entry: one of them to suggest it, the other to correct it.
3. Playing centre, it doesn’t matter if you’re a right-handed shot on the right side, a right-handed shot on the left side, a left-handed shot on the left side, or a left-handed shot on the right side. Either side will be your strong side because you’re in the middle of the ice.
2. Both of these guys won the Art Ross. But only one of them won the Hart.
Photo by Jeff Vinnick
1. No guy dreams of becoming Goose. You dream of becoming Maverick. (Submitted by Jason on Facebook)
No doubt this will make fellow CHBer @lyteforce proud. Very proud.
After rolling through some of the weaker teams in the West, the Canucks begin a stretch of games against potential playoff dance partners.
They started with a game against the St. Louis Blues last night, a chippy affair that featured a lot of rough stuff and name calling, and resulted in a 2-1 Canucks loss in the shootout.
So, of course, we find a way to work an O.C. reference in TGATT.
Tomorrow’s #TGATT features Wolverine and Ryan Atwood. So ya, it’s gonna be a good morning.
Ryan Kesler didn’t mince any words after the Canucks blew two, third period leads to the last place Colorado Avalanche yesterday. “We played like shit for 40 minutes,” he said. “We gave them everything they got with turnovers and miscommunication and not getting the puck out. It was shit,” he added.
In my first Clay’s Canucks Commentary since my trip to Rome 3 weeks ago, I look at Vancouver’s 2-0 win over Phoenix at Rogers Arena and in particular the return of Ryan Kesler.
Kesler returned to the line-up after missing 19 games and he made an immediate impact by scoring the game-winning goal just 7 minutes in.
Kesler’s return, coupled with the acquisition of Derek Roy at the trade deadline, bolsters the Canucks down the middle and gives some much needed strength and firepower to the forward group overall.
The Canucks really couldn’t start a game than they did against the Edmonton Oilers last Saturday. I mean, they gave up 3 goals on 3 shots in the first 3 minutes. Would love for that not to happen again.
It’s really nice to see that the #Canucks showed up for this game. Phew. #TGATT
It really was an entertaining game. A 4-0 win against a streaking divisional rival, some big plays, big goals… and a return visit by the most exciting player to ever put on a Canucks jersey, Pavel Bure.
With the season finale of the Walking Dead, one of my favorite shows on TV, I started to think about which Canucks I would want on my team if there was a Zombie apocalypse… and which ones I wouldn’t want. Hmm…
David Booth
The funny thing about this is I don’t want him on the actual Canucks. I feel that he’s been a huge disappointment and a waste of money, but in a Zombie apocalypse, I want him on my team. Finally, all that gnarly hunting he does in his spare time will come in handy. Let’s face it, he’s the closest thing the Canucks have to a Darryl… if you take away the hillbilly badassness and add a blonde surfer flo and a bible. Like it or not, the fact that Booth’s shot is way better off the ice than on, makes him essential in a Zombie apocalypse.
Kevin Bieksa
Shots! Shots! Shots! He will punch right through a zombie’s head like it’s made of paper. Plus, his witty banter will keep things light back at camp. If you’re going to be stuck in a zombie apocalypse you might as well be stuck with a tough guy with a great sense of humor.
Chris Higgins
There are a few reasons why Chris Higgins should be on my team in a Zombie apocalypse. He’s fit. He can definitely out run a Zombie, or 16 of them. Food is scarce and not necessarily healthy in the zombie apocalypse, and the one time I met Chris Higgins, he was coming out of a Subway. Clearly the dude can eat ANYTHING and stay fit. Last but not least, if he gets caught, the Zombies probably won’t eat him – there’s not a lot of fat on that body to gnaw on. (Yes this was just an excuse to show his abs again. Female Canucks fans, you’re welcome).
Who wouldn’t I want with me in a Zombie apocalypse? I’ve been thinking about that too.
Max Lapierre
If you know me, you know admitting this pains me more than I can say but Lappy would not be a good person to be with in a Zombie apocalypse. He’s too antagonistic. He’d taunt the zombies. If Max waves his fingers in front of a zombie and tells them to take a bite like he did with Boston, they will. End of Lappy.
Mason Raymond
I know he’s been playing better but I’d still be worried about his ability to stay upright. Dude spent a lot of time falling down last year in crucial moments. If he does that even once in a zombie attack, he’s an instant appetizer.
The Sedin twins
Sorry Hank and Dank. These guys aren’t big fighters. I don’t mind them taking the high road on the ice, but in a zombie apocalypse, there is no high road. Just ask Dale how taking the high road worked out for him.
So who would you want in your corner in a zombie apocalypse? Who wouldn’t you want with you? Give us your picks in the comments!
