Canucks vs Predators, Mar 14/13

So, I return to the blogging platform. Doesn't seem like I missed much, the Canucks had 4 straight losses. Bieksa finally returned tonight, against the team he was initially injured against. Ballard was still a healthy scratch. The big story of tonight: Steve Pinizzotto makes his NHL debut. After years of playing in the AHL, and being injured at the wrong time, the 28 year old grinder pushed his way into the NHL.

Coming off some of his best games of the year, Burrows again played with the Sedins. A recently called up Ebbett centred between Raymond and Hansen, recreating the speed line that has been absent. Higgins took on the 3rd line centre position, with Booth and Kassian on his wings. Sestito was a healthy scratch, replaced by Pinizzotto, who was on the 4th with Lappiere and Weise.

Most Canucks-Predators games are close, hard fought battles that usually only feature a goal or two. Just a minute and a half into the first period, Vancouver's speed line set the tone for the game. After clearing his own zone, Hansen chased the puck behind the Nashville net, and shot a sweet pass up to Ebbett, who took 2 whacks at it before pushing it past Rinne. Phew, run on sentence much? Moments later, Pinizzotto dropped the gloves with Ellen, after just obliterating him in a head on collision. Hands down a win for Pinizzotto, who had him down on the ice. 4 minutes into the game, the Predators tied the game. Bieksa turned the puck over to Halischuck, who took it behind the net and buried it on a wrap around.

Fear not, for less than 2 minutes later, Edler put the Canucks on top again. After Henrik won the faceoff in the Predators zone, Edler blasted a point shot that Rinne just never saw. With the Predators feeling a little outplayed, Clune challenged Weise to a fight. Weise took the brunt of the blows, and ended up on his butt, in what looked like some sick, twisted game of twister. Booth and Kassian almost connected a little later on, after Kassian flattened an unsuspecting Predators defender with his head down. Booth recovered the puck, but couldn't hit Kassian who was streaking to the net. With a little under 2 left in the period, a beautiful play by the speed line gave the Canucks their dreaded 2 goal lead. Hansen cross the blueline at full speed and dished to Ebbett on the left wing, who ripped a cross ice pass to Raymond on the right wing. His perfect slap shot from 40 feet out caught Rinne going the wrong way, and went off the post and in. End of the 1st, 3-1 Canucks.

In the intermission, we were treated to easily the best Luongo-Schneider video of all time. You're welcome. (Thanks to MAKAVELI719696 for the upload, and James Duthie of TSN for making it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnCCaAYtqbc

A 20 minute break did nothing to stop the freight train that is this game. Just minutes in, Daniel Sedin nailed Alberts with a tape to tape pass, and Alberts hit the post in his attempt to tip it past Rinne. Moments later, Edler split the Nashville defense and almost took Rinne's head off with his shot. Lappiere took an interference penalty 3 and a half in, but the Canucks managed to keep it out. As the penalty was ending, Raymond intercepted the puck and tapped it to Weise, who sprung Lappiere on a breakaway. Lappiere simply snapped it low right side on a frozen Rinne.

That would do it for Rinne, as he was replaced by Mason. 2 and a bit later, the Predators answered. After Alberts lost the puck on the side boards, Spaling ended up with it in the centre. His shot went off Bieksa's leg, of Luongo's pad, and trickled in. The next 5 minutes was basically just the Roberto Luongo show, as he stopped shot after shot from the persistent Predators.

The next little bit takes a little bit of explaining, so bear with me. With 6 and a half left in the 2nd, Bieksa took a huge hit in his own zone, but he took it to get the puck to Hansen. Hansen pushed it past Ellis. Too anxious to get back, Sean Hannan blew a tire and Hansen pushed past him. With Hannan still on his tail, Hansen cut to the net and lost the puck just a few feet from Mason. Ellis, who was sliding in on an attempt to cut off Hansen, ended up Mason out of position. On top of that, the puck went off Ellis' leg and in. The goal was under review, but it stood. 5-2 Canucks, end of the 2nd.

Early in the third, with literally everyone on the opposite wing, Weber and Luongo had a stand off. Weber moved in slowly, Luongo out to challenge, Weber moved around him but Luongo down and got a paddle on the wrist shot. After that, the Preds dominated the play. With 13:22 left in the game, a Canucks turnover in the offensive zone ended up deep in the Canucks zone. Fisher pulled the puck out of the corner, took it in front of the net and then backhanded it past Luongo. 5 minutes later, Tanev blocked a slap shot from Weber, and hobbled to the dressing room.

He returned a while later, seemingly OK. Soon after, the Predators struck again. Legwand found Bourque in front, who pulled it backhand and snapped it past Luongo. 5-4 Canucks, 2 and a half left. Henrik moves in on the right wing, hooked, and was APPARENTLY past the defense. Ruled a penalty shot. Henrik moved in on the left, pulled centre, faked going right. Mason took the bait, and Henrik simply slid it past him and into the net. Immediately after, the Predators pulled Mason. Lappiere and Booth both hit the crossbar, but Booth eventually buried one for his first of the year, 7-4 Canucks, game over.


Tidbits:

 - PK: 4/4 Often found them congregating around the puck, leaving an open man on the opposite point position. Other than that, A-OK.
 - PP: 0/2 Picked up a little in Columbus, has looked better since.
 - Kassian: Seems to play good with Booth. His size and passing ability are a great combo for the shooter in Booth.
 - Booth: Finally. Easily been one of the Canucks best players in the previous 10 games, finally has a goal to show for it.

 - Bieksa: Rough game. Responsible for the turnover that caused the first goal, had Nashville's second goal go off his skate, took a bad penalty at the end of the second.
 - Pinizzotto: 11:01 TOI, 4 hits, 1 shot. Not a bad first game. Had a few offensive chances. If he is able to be consistent, he will easily replace Sestito.
 - Tanev: What a tough cookie. Farhan Lalji tweeted a picture of his knee pad after blocking Weber's shot.
 - Sedins: Non existent. As in, I watched the game, but didn't see them.
 - Speed: The Canucks need it. Their game is based on beating the other team to the puck, and cycling it so fast that your head starts to spin. When you remove that element, like we saw in Columbus and Minnesota, you lose. The fact that the Raymond-Ebbett-Hansen line was the most lethal line out there is a testament to that.

So I'm going to be honest. Sure, we won 7-4, but it could've easily been 4-1 Nashville. The Canucks only had 22 shots, and only a third line that can skate circles around everyone saved our butt. Don't believe me? The Raymond/Ebbett/Hansen line had 8 points tonight. Each one had a goal, and at least one assist. Booth finished the night on the 4th line, so his and Lappiere's goal count for two for the 4th. That makes 5, count 'em, 5 for the bottom 2 lines.

Next game is Saturday at home against the Red Wings, 7 PM. Canucks will be looking for revenge after having their butt handed to them on a silver platter awhile back, in an 8-3 loss.

Game in Review: Canucks at Nashville, Feb 22/13

Hansen returned tonight from his one game suspension, so Volpatti was a healthy scratch. He played on a line with Higgins and Kesler, and the only other change was that Kassian started on the 4th line with Weise and Lappiere. Historically, the games between the Predators and Canucks in Nashville have always been close, and usually required some amazing goaltending,

There wasn't a goal against on the first shift of this game, but it was no better than last night. It was a contender for one of Vancouver's slowest starts this season, and that's saying a lot. Only some sharp saves by Luongo and some smart defense saved this from being a devastating loss. Midway through the first, Hansen split the defense on a breakaway, but was hauled down. The defenceman touched the puck first, so no call. Soon after, Vancouver got their first powerplay. It was easily the worst that the powerplay unit has played since Kesler got back, and looked sloppy. No shots on the man advantage, and Henrik took a holding call a few minutes later, where Nashville got their best chance of the period. Luongo was forced to make a goal line stand, and Patric Hornqvist kept whacking at what he thought was a loose puck. Only a superman -like shove from Bieksa saved a goal. The 1st ended in a 0-0 tie, with the shots 13-3 for Nashville. Vancouver was lucky to get out of the period tied.

The Canucks seemed to pull together in the 2nd, and the chances evened out. Booth's line generated a few good chances early in the period, and Kesler's line held the puck in for almost an entire shift. Vancouver's 2nd powerplay was a lot better, and managed a few shots. Bieksa took a funny hit from Hal Gill, and skated to the bench rather slowly. It didn't look that hard, but it was one where his knees might've knocked together. Regardless, he went to the dressing room and didn't return in the 2nd. Vancouver led the shots in the period 9-5, but nothing came off those chances and the 2nd period ended in a scoreless tie.

More of the same in the third, but Vancouver's chances slowly built up. Kassian and the Sedins played together for a few shifts, and showed some great chemistry again. With just under 11 minutes left in the third, an unlikely hero gave the Canucks the lead. That's right, you guessed it, Dale Weise. Lappiere rounded the net after recovering a shot from Hamhuis, and threw it at Pekka Rinne. Weise pounced on the rebound and broke the scoreless tie. The last 10 was almost constant pressure from Nashville, who threw everything they had at Luongo. Burrows took a slashing penalty with just over 2 minutes left to go, but a stellar Vancouver PK, combined with a incredible performance from Luongo, kept the puck out of the net. Game over, 1-0 Vancouver.

Vancouver actually ended up leading the shots department at the end of the game 24-34, compared to 13-3 for Nashville after the first. They didn't come out guns blazing, but they didn't need to. After the first, it was just smart defensive hockey that led to a victory. But please don't forget Luongo's incredible performance in the 1st, it was probably the only reason they won.


Tidbits:

 - Luongo: Doesn't get rusty on the bench, was sharp from the puck drop
 - Bieksa: Didn't return to the game. Only update is that it's a "lower body injury."
 - Kesler: 18:13 TOI, no shots, no points, 45% in the faceoff circle. The whole game was a defensive battle, so I didn't expect him to be great, but I was a little disappointed in his performance. Seemed a little slow, liker his head wasn't in the game.
 - Booth: 12:30 TOI, couple of shots, couple of hits. Been playing with a solid forecheck and good speed.
 - PK: 2/2, did a great job of making sure the puck stayed out of the zone. Killed one off in the final 2 minutes and saved the game.
 - PP: 0/2. Is really reliant on Kesler, so when he doesn't play well the powerplay suffers. 1st one of the night could barely gain the zone. 2nd was slightly improved but still ugly.

Next game is Sunday against Detroit at 2.