About This Morning: The Drew Doughty Show

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Feb 162014
 

Drew Doughty scored 3 goals in his last 28 games for the Los Angeles Kings. He’s had 3 goals in 3 games for Team Canada. Clearly he was conserving his abilities for the Olympics and as a Canadian, I’m okay with that. But I’m pretty sure the popping sound I’m hearing around LA today is Kings’ fans heads exploding.

Subban should be dropped in and Vlasic pulled out. Or Bouwmeester. I am not a PK Subban fan. I wasn’t even sure I wanted him on Team Canada because his attitude and his preference to play a bit dirty and arrogant isn’t an Olympic asset. But he was tight and controlled in his one game and played smart. He was noticeable in a good way unlike Bouwmeester and Vlasic today. Bouwmeester was unnoticeable and Vlasic was noticed for ridiculousness and sloppiness.

So now it’s the Swiss, who we had to beat in a shootout last time so no one better think this is an easy ride. The easier ride would have been if we won in regulation. However maybe we’ll face Latvia. I count no one out because it’s the Olympic and crazy things can happen.

Also, since we’re on the topic of the Swiss, you know who won that shootout in 2010? Sidney Crosby. For those who forgot, he did do more than that very last goal of the games. I feel the need to bring this up because the “Sid sucks’ tweets have already begun. There is no Country in the world that doesn’t know he’s the best in the world so, as Finland did so well, they are all going to make a point of shutting him down. And we should be ok with that because while they’re concentrating on Sid we have Toews, Doughty, Carter, Tavares and every other second and third and fourth best player in the world to score instead of Crosby. Remember that.

I heard on twitter (so it must be true and I’m too lazy to Google it) no undefeated team has ever won gold. Every men’s hockey gold medal has been won by a team that has lost a game along the way. Does that worry you? The way I see it is, That said, if a Country is going to buck a hockey trend, what better Country to do it than Canada?

Who sits the next one? I say it’s got be Vlasic and Kunitz.

Who is in net? I don’t care either way because Price and Luongo are both playing solid but I will say this. I think we need to start solidifying stuff and the goalie is where we should start.

Tell us your thoughts on who gets the net, who gets scratched and what we need to do to be the first team to go undefeated and win gold?

About This Morning: Bromances

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Feb 142014
 
Getty images

Getty images

A shutout and the first Team Canada natural hat trick since 1956. And a Nation breathes a sigh of relief. This is more like it.

  • Roberto Luongo saw as much action in the first 5 minutes as Carey Price saw in his whole game. And he handled it better. I have nothing against Price. I know he’s a great goalie.  I’d even be okay with the argument Price is a better NHL goalie. But Luongo is an amazing Olympic goalie. 2010 proved it and this shutout game keeps proving it.  So if the Canucks ever make it to another serious Stanley Cup playoff run can we put the Olympic decorations back up in Rogers and pretend it’s an Olympic run? Maybe he’ll do better that way.

  • I don’t know if this ‘Bring a Buddy’ selection process was worth it. At this point it doesn’t seem to be. Patrick Sharp was sitting this one out and Jonathan Toews did just fine without him. Chris Kunitz hasn’t made much of an impact.  He’s not scoring off The Kid and Crosby is making plays without him just fine. So far it hasn’t hurt us but it hasn’t helped us either. So much for that established chemistry people said these guys would have.

  • I am a HUGE Jeff Carter fan. I make no apologies for that. I’ve been going to Kings games consistently for a year now. Carter’s got great defensive skills and can find the net from any angle. He’s also one of the best skaters I’ve seen. Really good especially considering his size (6’4, 198 pounds in case you don’t know). I was shocked so many people thought he was the wrong choice for this team. Today he proved me right. If you’re still on the fence about him being on this team you legit suck.  End of story.

  • Did you notice Subban much? Me neither. That’s a good thing. In the NHL he gets a little too much attention for bad plays and ego trips. Glad to see he can reign it in and be a team player.

  • My heart-melting moment: Carter getting the puck for Luongo and Lu telling him to keep it for himself. God, I love a good Bromance moment, especially on Valentine’s Day!

  • So who starts in net against Finland? Do you think Carter and Marleau have earned their spots now? Do you put Sharp back in? Do you keep Kunitz in? Subban?

Tell us your thoughts!

CHB Countdown (Olympic Edition): Top 5 Players who want to beat Team Canada

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Feb 142014
 

With the NHL in full shutdown mode, and the Olympics underway it’s difficult to stay focused on the NHL standings and the teams that make up said standings. So we won’t – and I’m sure the Canucks vacationing in Barbados won’t bat an eye. Instead it’s time to shift our criticism and expertise to the team that holds the weight of a nation on their shoulders. As Allen Iverson once claimed- ”We talkin’ bout Team Canada” (or something along those lines). Now, if you think that the term “Team Canada” refers to a certain blue and white colored jersey adorned by players such as Phil Kessel and Dion Phanuef – you’re an idiot. The Canadian Olympic team is set to play Norway on February the 13th and is looking to get a good start to a tough tournament.

Roberto Luongo 2010 Olympics

Courtesy of Wikipedia

While the Norwegians don’t pose too many threats, at least in terms of superstars, there will be plenty of other teams and plenty of others players who will try their darndest to take our  red and white heroes down. Here are the biggest threats to another Canadian gold medal in Olympic Men’s hockey.

5) Ryan Kesler (USA) – Kesler may not be the most offensive or skilled player on Team USA but one could argue he loves beating Canada more than anyone. He has been a thorn in Team Canada’s side since his days in the World Juniors and scored two goals against Canada in the 2010 tournament.

4) Henrik Zetterberg (SWEDEN) – An excellent two-way player and a natural leader Sweden will look to Zetterberg to take the team under his wing with Henrik Sedin injured. Zetterberg is always dangerous and is very crafty on the big ice.

3) Pavel Datsyuk (RUSSIA) – Another two-way player with tremendous skill, Datsyuk will thrive on the open ice. Datsyuk is still very much a Russian at heart despite playing in Detroit for over a decade. Look to him to be a stoic leader in the Russian locker room, keeping the emotions at bay.

2) Zdeno Chara (SLOVAKIA) – With Chara anchoring the back-end, Slovakia has dark horse written all over them. Chara will be the best shut-down d-man in the tournament. Expect an upset at an unlikely time for the Slovaks, similar to the performance they put in at the 2010 games.

1) Alexander Ovechkin (RUSSIA) – This guy will be the most fired up player in the tournament, maybe even the entire Olympics. Expect goals, goals and more goals from Ovi. Oh and maybe a thunderous hit here and there too.

 

About This Morning; Team Canada Conquers Norway… Sort Of

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Feb 132014
 
Getty Images

Getty Images

We came, we conquered! Well… maybe that’s an overstatement. ‘We came, we won’ is more fitting.

  • We had a rough first period. Canada had 7 off-side calls. Clearly the boys hadn’t gelled yet. More concerning was the abysmal first powerplay. It was so bad I thought I was watching the Canucks for a second. You had to be a bit concerned, even if it was almost expected. After all these guys haven’t had a lot of time together yet. Babcock’s furrowed brow on the bench wasn’t helping my nerves either. That said, although we beat Norway in 2010 by a score of 8-0, Canada did not score in that first period either.

  • There was some good in the first period. Jeff Carter kept Norway from their best scoring chance with some awesome stick work. I have to make note of this because so many people didn’t want him on Team Canada. I like to rub noses in stuff, sue me.

  • The second period felt a little more cohesive. And we got to see the deadly weapon we forgot we had – Shea Weber’s slapshot. No, it didn’t rip through the net this time but it wasn’t from lack of effort. Weber’s shot is so fast you can’t even see the puck.

  • Not only did we get on the board in the second, but we had one of those HOW DID THAT NOT GO IN moments in front of Norway’s net and the much hated post shot. There’s something comforting in seeing that kind of effort from Team Canada even if it didn’t result in more goals. They were getting their legs and starting to gel. Always a good thing.

  • Jamie Benn’s goal, putting Team Canada up 2-0, felt like the flood gates opening, but yet they never fully opened.

  • And there were Norway chances, their best coming with 27 seconds left in the period. Luckily, it also resulted in Carey Price’s best save of the game. The score remained at 2-0 as the second period ended.

  • The third period had a shaky start with Price misplaying the puck and resulting in a Norway goal. The Olympics like to create new and different hockey rules, like the one where if your helmet comes off you have to go directly to the bench or take a penalty. They should implement the rule where the goalie can’t play to puck. Why? Because Canadian goalies are horrible at playing the puck. Price and Luongo both suck at it. But it’s not just about us, I’ve watched Quick (as an LA King) cost himself a goal too. So come on IOC, if you won’t do it for us, do it for America.

  • It was a little weird but mostly sad to see the Norway player get injured and then, while trying to leave the ice, get slammed by the referee. What an NHL thing to do, Ref. After the player literally crawled to the bench, the ref did go over and apologize to the team. What an un-NHL thing to do, Ref.

  • Doughty’s goal, the final nail in Norway’s proverbial coffin, was, in my opinion, a much owed apology goal because Doughty had made some mistakes throughout this game.

  • Is it just me or was the game a little rougher than anticipated? Sidney Crosby got shoved around and Chris Kuntiz got into it. For such a match-up with a non-traditional rival, it seemed a bit much.

  • In the end, although I think the game should have been easier, it was still a win and I’ll take that any way I can get it. Also I have to remind myself that maybe not repeating the ride and road we took to the 2010 Gold isnt a bad thing. Yeah it ended with the right color medal but the path was rocky in huge, over-dramatic ways that cause Ativan addictions. Kind of slow, mostly steady and relatively drama-free wouldn’t a bad way to win Gold either.

  • Looking ahead, I’m glad Roberto Luongo is going to get a chance in net. Price’s performance wasn’t strong enough (like Quick’s for the US earlier) to make trying another goalie a crazy idea. Also, I think Weber needs as much ice time as possible and so does Carter. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kunitz sit a little more. So who stood out for you on Team Canada? Who should get more ice time and who should get less? Let us hear it!

Half Empty, Fully Disappointed – February 10th, 2014

 C4 from CHB  No Responses »
Feb 112014
 

C4 on CHB

C4 on CHB – a canucks hockey blog podcast

To help you get through the sad slide of 2014, Chris, Clay and Matt break down EVERYTHING they feel the Canucks need to do to bust the slump in the fifteenth episode of C4. They also throw on their red and white as they prep the Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament, outlining what to expect and provide you insight into who they think win Gold, Silver and Bronze. As always, we involve our listeners in #AskCHB and end it off with some Canucks Haiku.

Half Empty, Fully Disappointed – February 10th, 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Game According to Twitter: Canucks 1 at Leafs 3

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Feb 092014
 

I supposed all good things eventually had to come to an end. Before last night’s game, the Canucks had won 11 consecutive games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, dating back to November 2003.

So much for that.

But you know what’s still going? The Canucks’ losing streak.

This two-week Olympic break couldn’t come soon enough.

Read more #TGATT goodness past the jump.

Game Day Preview Canucks vs. Maple Leafs: Please Please Please Beat The Leafs

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Feb 082014
 

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(Photo Credit: canucks.nhl.com)

Vancouver Canucks (27-23-9) at Toronto Maple Leafs (31-22-6)

First, the good. When the Vancouver Canucks face the Toronto Maple Leafs this afternoon, they’ll be going for their 12th straight victory against the team from the center of the universe; the Leafs haven’t beaten the Canucks since November 2003. In their last meeting earlier this season, the Canucks blanked Toronto 4-0 as Roberto Luongo stopped all 21 shots he faced. That night was also the night the Canucks retired Pavel Bure’s jersey and raised it up to the rafters.

However, now may be as good a time as any for the Leafs to break out of their misery against Vancouver. Quite simply, they’re on a roll right now. One of the hottest teams in the league, the Leafs are have won 10 of their last 13 games (10-2-1), and they’ve moved all the way up to 5th place in the Eastern Conference after sitting in 10th place before this streak began.

Decimated by injuries, the Canucks only wish right now to get back on the winning track, let alone start another lengthy win streak. After a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, the Canucks have lost 6 games in a row – their longest losing streak in 15 years. They’re struggling at both ends of the ice, averaging less than 2 goals a game over the last 23 games, but yet allowing more than 3 goals against per game in that same span. Even their penalty-kill, the best in the league for most of the season, has dipped, allowing at least a power play goal against in each of the last 3 games and in 9 of the last 12 games; including that 9-1 debacle in Anaheim, they’ve now allowed 15 power play goals against in the last 12 games.

This is the final game for both teams before the Olympic break. For the Canucks, it sure would be nice to at least head into it with a win. Especially against the Leafs.

The Game According to Twitter: Canucks 2 at Habs 5

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Feb 072014
 

Can we at least beat the Leafs on Saturday night?

Read more #TGATT goodness past the jump.

Game Day Preview Canucks vs. Canadiens: Limping Against Les Habs

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Feb 062014
 

184264657_slide
(Photo Credit: canucks.nhl.com)

Vancouver Canucks (27-22-9) at Montreal Canadiens (30-21-6)

To say that the Vancouver Canucks are struggling is an understatement. For starters, they’ve lost 5 games in a row, and are 4-11-3 in their past 18 games. They can’t score – averaging just 1.88 goals per game over their last 18 games – and they can’t keep the puck out of their net – allowing an average of 3.16 goals against per game over that same span. They’re battered physically – the injury list includes regulars Henrik Sedin, Chris Higgins, Mike Santorelli, Brad Richardson, Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev – and I’m sure mentally as well.

Tonight’s opponents, the Montreal Canadiens, are faring a bit better. At least they are now. After losing 5 of 6 games a couple of weeks ago, the Habs have bounced back nicely and are 3-1-1 in their last 5 games. Goaltender Carey Price has had a lot to do with that turnaround, stopping 130 of 134 shots (0.970 save %) and posting 2 shutouts in that span.

This is the second and final meeting between the Canucks and Habs this regular season. The Habs won the first meeting back on October 12th, and of course, Price paid a huge part in that victory, stopping 40 of 41 Canucks shots that night.

Tonight’s game is being billed as the battle for the starting goaltender spot for Team Canada in Sochi in just a week from now. (Poor Mike Smith.) Winner gets first crack at the starter’s spot? Or maybe first pick of beds in the Athletes Village? I’m sure Luongo – and the Canucks – will settle for getting the two points tonight.

CHB Countdown: Top 5 Eddie Lack Saves

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Feb 062014
 


(Photo credit: vansunsportsblogs.com)

2014 has been anything but kind to the Vancouver Canucks with a plethora of losses peppering their game calendar. Questions are virtually everywhere with every fan and their dog voicing their idea for a quick fix or easy solution. The defence has looked slow and the forwards are virtually non-existent when it comes to providing offence. Coaching has been an issue and player morale hasn’t been this low in over five years. The team is in turmoil.

But one area which, for the past two years, has been the focal point of gossip has remained static and solid. The goaltending debacle of the past two years has come to an end with a true starting and backup goalie program finally intact. The symbiosis between Roberto Luongo and Eddie Lack has been a bright spot in an otherwise, underwhelming 2013-2014 season. Lack, in particular, has been a pleasant surprise taking the reins when needed and providing highlight reel saves night in and night out. Here’s hoping Eddie can somehow provide a spark for a team desperately searching for life.

So here’s a little chicken soup for the weary Canuck fan’s soul – the top 5 Eddie Lack saves:

5) Eddie Lack vs. Cam Atkinson - Lack shows his flexibility and long leg reach making a horizontal stop against a streaking Cam Atkinson.

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3) Eddie Lack vs. Ben Smith – This dude belongs on the runway with legs this long. The young Swede pushes across and outwaits Ben Smith for another remarkable pad stuff.

2) Eddie Lack vs. Bryan Little – Who needs a glove and blocker? Lack denies Bryan Little with terrific anticipation through traffic.

1) Eddie Lack vs. Brad Richards – Finally a save that doesn’t involve a pad. Lack casually bats this puck out of the yawning cage with his paddle in a game against the rangers. Talk about hand-eye.

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