So it being Markus Naslund's jersey retirement ceremony at the end of the week, you know the next few days until Saturday night will filled with Naslund stories about how the city is gushing over him. Let's not forget that the city and it's critical fans is one of the reasons he was driven away from here...but ok we'll forget that while we think up our favorite memories of #19.

I was asked by a certain Canucks blogger about what my favorite Markus Naslund memory was for a blog post that they were putting together (link will be posted one their post goes up). And I spent the weekend digging through my memory of favorite on ice moment. I think of the Westcoast Express line when I think of Naslund's time here in Vancouver. I think of his leadership and all the stories of how really genuinely NICE he was to fans. But favorite on ice moment?


Fastforward to Ed Jovanovski going crazy in the penalty box when he sees that the Canucks have scored for some youtube joy. no comments

Via @CanucksHD


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Even though we beat the Flames 7-2 on Wednesday night, the win, although it felt good after the game, was quick to disappear. The good feeling I mean, not the win. What I mean by that, is that because the Canucks had this Blackhawk game on the schedule for Friday night, the win against Calgary doesn't have that same emotion of confidence and joy that a win aginst Chicago could have.

Does this sound ridiculous?

Yes.

Two points are two points, but a game against Chicago has become a test every time it shows up in the schedule. Though it is in equal value to the game we played against Calgary, if we lose against the Blackhawks (AGAIN), the fans will be venting their rage on the TEAM 1040 and back to throwing the players/goalie/defencemen/coach under the bus. But that's what happens when a game against a team that a few years a ago meant so little has become a game against a team that has now reached mystical proportions in our perception. Of course they are the most recent Stanley Cup champions, so if there was a team to measure yourself up to, I guess it would have to be against them.

Obviously I want the Canucks to kick their ass like we did against the Flames, but a hard played game will do. Actually a win would be pretty fantastic but I think I would be content with a really well played game. I'm not looking for physical fights between players, as I don't think that really proves little to the fans anymore, just 60 minutes of well played hockey.

The good thing for the Canucks is that they're on a three game win streak having beaten the Avalanche, Sharks and the Flames. They are playing some of the best hockey they've played all season, and they've had scoring for all four of their lines. The combination of Kesler, Raymond and Tambellini is deadly with their speed and have really looked like they sparked the team. And who knew that dropping Samuelsson down to the third line would spark him?* In summation, the Canucks have played great hockey this week, and yes, tomorrow is a test. A big test.

Game time is at 5:30pm on TSN

Go Canucks Go

Enemy blog: Blackhawks Down Low

*Though maybe it didn't spark him but spread the talent out a bit more so that it's harder to contain? Have to think about that one some more. no comments

So maybe Tambellini didn't score in the Avs game, but he did open the scoring tonight!

Woo!

(In the photo he's just fist pounding Raymond like it's just another day at the office)



And there was this beautiful hip check by Dan Hamhuis on Douglas Murray that sent Murray flipping over.

Here's the video of that hip check



And no scrum after the check either. Love that.

Lots of videos from tonight's game and a bit of recap tucked after the jump...
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I don't care if it looked like it was a high stick, I cheered anyways.

I don't really care that it wasn't actually Tambellini's goal, I cheered again.

 

I also don't care if Tambo hit Budaj in the head and the ref didn't see it.

Also, his play last night? If he keeps that up, he's here to stay. Woo. no comments

Tomorrow's game is the second Ring of Honour night for the Canucks. For most Canuck fans, the most memorable memories of Kirk McLean have to do with the Stanley Cup run in 1994. If you watched the playoff run back then, then you can't forget "the save".

But heading into tomorrow's game, the Canucks have finally done what I was hoping for a long time: put Schaefer on waivers.

After training camp when we signed Schaefer to a contract, albeit a really paltry one, I didn't like the idea of him being back with Vancouver. I think it was something to do with the talk by fans when he was sent down to the minors by Boston. I remember fans complain about how even in the minors he was un-productive and not a good influence for the team. I may be wrong on what I remember, but I didn't think he'd be a great fit for the Canucks. He started off with some hustle, but now has been come unproductive for the Canucks on the fourth line. Not really surprising really to me.

So now he's finally on the way out and based on the Province article from above, even if he clears waivers Wednesday he may not report to the Moose as his wife is expecting their second child. Well quite frankly, I couldn't care less if he ever decides he wants to play again. As you can see, I really didn't care for him as a player this time round.

According to Ben Kuzma's article in The Province, the Canucks have recalled Jeff Tambellini (though I don't see on Canucks.com but Dan Murphy does say Tambo is enroute to Vancouver) to skate on the 2nd line with Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond. Alex Burrows will move up to the top line with the Sedins, and Samuelsson will drop down to the third line and Jannik Hansen to the fourth. I feel like all them are the right moves for the team right now, though I don't think Hansen on the fourth line is because he sucks, but more a 'where else will he fit in' move.

I'm exciting to have Tambellini back up with the Canucks as I liked his speed and felt like he was playing really well before he got sent down to Manitoba when Burrows made his return to the club. In the seven games he's played with the Moose he's had seven points with five of those from goals. The speed that the second line will have tomorrow with is why I'm excited for this change. And maybe if this combination works, then Vigneault can stop switching up the lines. So here's to hoping that the line will be successful on the scoresheet.

But now it's got me wondering, why didn't we do this earlier? and how much more obvious will Samuelsson's lack of production become now that's he's dropped to the third line? no comments

Woke up this morning and looked outside the window. It was like winter went BAM! "I'm here, have some snow". So now everything is white and rather slushy on my walk around town.

But hockey on a Saturday night is always something to look forwards to, and for that the Blackhawks are in town. Head over my friends over at Blackhawks Down Low for your enemy blog coverage. And also check out Hockey Broad when you get some time to go through her massive collection of Hawks game photos.

So the Canucks have a back to back game this weekend with the Hawks tonight which will be aired on CBC and the Coyotes tomorrow night. We all remember the last game we played against the Hawks which was back on October 20th where we lost in the shootout. Last night the Blackhawks got massacred by the Flames last night in Calgary 7-2.

Returning from a 2-2-1 road trip, which other teams may consider a success, the Canucks look forward to being back on home ice where they have been the best in the league. Perrault gets called up from Manitoba to center the 4th line who becomes the fifth player to center that line as per Jason Botchford. After being a healthy scratch for four games Peter Schaefer will get back in on the 4th line with Perrault and Glass.

As for the two top lines, Burrows will be back with Kesler and Raymond and Samuelsson will start the game with the Sedins. Gold quote from Samuelsson today on that "Hopefully we can stay together the whole game" The Province.

Game time: 7pm, Rogers Arena
Watch it on CBC or listen to it on the Team 1040 no comments

Some days you just gotta admit that the game sucked. That you have no faith in your goalie when faced with a shootout, or worse a breakaway. And maybe he falls down behind the net, requiring Hamhuis to stack the pads

The gif's and photo are courtesy of the guys over at The Pensblog





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Today, Ryan Reynolds was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2010.

Today the Canucks did not look like hockey's sexiest team in the league.

In a game today that should have been a good match-up between the Canucks and the Penguins, turned into a game that was disappointing for Canuck fans who skipped out of work early to catch the game. After the whining of Canuck fans to get Ballard back into the line-up, the Canucks D collectively put on one of their worst games this season.

Let's start positive since in the opening of the game, after Craig Adams slid into Luongo, we did see Bieksa finally do something in a game by fighting Craig Adams



Nice one punch knock out there Bieksa

But that was as much positive as we could handle in the first period.

The opening goal of the game occurred because the Vancouver defence forgot what defencemen are supposed to do and instead allowed Crosby to get a breakaway on Luongo. Now we all know that Luongo can't stop shootout attempts, much less breakaway's so Sid scores to make it 1-0 for the Pens.

In the second period the Canucks end up giving up their first short-handed goal of the season to Talbot while Mike Rupp was in the box for his second penalty of the period. Then at 9:04 of the second period Arron Asham makes it 3-0 after a misplay by Ehrhoff.

As a positive, the Canucks did answer back with a goal 34 seconds later. It began as a two on one by Burrows and Sedin that led to some passing between the Sedins until Hamhuis put it in to the net.



And because LOLuongo falls down behind his net, super-Hamhuis needs to be a goalie to make a huge save on a shot by Evgeni Malkin. Luongo needs to buy Hamuis a beer for that save.

So the Canucks are down 3-1, not so bad right since they came back to tie it up in that game against Buffalo right?

Wrong.  The Canucks can't muster the effort tonight to make the comeback and end up losing the game 3-1. They went 0 for 5 on the powerplay, and as I said earlier, even let in a short handed goal. The boys are on the way back home and have some time to think about how to play better before their game on Saturday against the Blackhawks. no comments

We're midway through November and I've been feeling so conflicted about this team. During the summer I was feeling pretty good with all the changes that happened to our roster, and still feel confident in the job that GM Gillis is doing. But as this season got started all of the expectations that people had on the team made me feel that as a fan there was too much pressure on them to be great. Not that the team would necessarily fail, but that I as a fan would be let down when the team didn't achieve the expectations that were put upon them. What I'm trying to say is that up until a few games ago, I just want feeling into the season yet.

So over the past few weeks, although we have been winning games, I have been torn about writing about the team. The wins are good yes, but it seems like the team is getting by without having to convince me that they really are a good team.

The game against the Senators was a well played effort. We finally got to see Kesler show up on the score sheet in a convincing fashion. Mason Raymond and Mikael Samuelsson on the other hand still have some work to do to. And since we all watched the game against the Leafs on Saturday, I am aware that Raymond did score, but that would not have been a goal on a regular night, that was just a Leafs game thing. Leafs games have a curious way of being one of a kind.

The Canucks carry on with their roadtrip this week taking on the Sabres on Monday and the Pens on Wednesday before heading back home to face the Blackhawks on Saturday.

A few things:

• Jason Botchford of The Province mentioned on twitter a few days ago about Torres and his troubles in his off ice past and I really didn't have any idea of what he was referring to. Today in The Province, Ben Kuzma provides some insight about Torres growing up having to battle adversity. It's a good read.
• Pierre LeBrun on the Hotstove on HNIC really got the ball rolling with the media on the Christian Ehrhoff contract talks with the Canucks. So far there has been a contract offered and a counter-offer made and now a break in the contract talks. But this happens with contract talks often, so no biggie right now. In the end, from my understanding, it will come down to if Ehrhoff wants to accept a contract for less than market value with a contending team or go somewhere else for more money.
• With Mike Gillis making his debut on twitter this past week it comes as no surprise that his first tweets ended up being similar to other Canucks-run twitter accounts. I don't know what people expect with having a GM on twitter, though the early tweets have been expectedly bland. I guess it is a step forward in technology for the NHL as he is the first manager to make a debut on twitter, but unless he decides to surprise us, I don't think we'll see too many interesting tweets to come out of his account.

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