Vancouver Canucks: View From Behind the Bench

Roberto Luongo is now zero for five on breakaways/shootouts against Calgary, Nashville, and now Minnesota. This disturbing trend of allowing first shots in puts the team in a hole, which in this league is not easy to climb out of.  

They didn’t deserve to win last night. You give the other team a two goal lead before the game is even five minutes old, you pay the price. Two shots, two goals in the first and two shots, two goals in the third.

I rest my case, Your Honour!

That’s a three game losing streak where the team has played poorly in all three. This minor trend is nothing to sneeze about as the 'Nucks are in a most important time of the schedule. It's stockpile time or go home.

This wasn’t a bottom feeder either, as Minnesota is one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference. You can bet that the Wild, who are two points out of a playoff spot, will be one of the teams that the Canucks will have to keep below them.

Here was an opportunity for the 'Nucks with this proverbial four point game, wasted.

The 'Nucks road record continues to drag them down (10th in the West). The one thing that all the top teams have is at least a .500 or above winning percentage on the road. The only reason this team is where they are in the standings is due to the huge number of home games they have had to date. So let’s get real here.

This away record will have to get to .500 or above before the end of the month, or it’ll be an early golf season.

Great strategic move by Coach Vee last night when he moved “The Ripper” (Rick Rypien) up with Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond and Mikael Samuelsson down to the third line with Kyle Wellwood and Tanner Glass. Number one, it adds some grit to the Kesler line with Rypien doing the tough, down low work and allows the more offensive players to do their thing.

With Steve Bernier out nursing a sore groin, Samuelsson is heads and tails superior to Jannick Hansen on the skill/scoring side, with Hansen being moved down to the fourth line where he rightfully belongs.

I have to change my thought on who will be either placed on waivers or shipped down to the farm club, once Pavol Demitra returns (just days away). Hansen will be reassigned (if there is room) to Manitoba, with Wellwood staying as insurance in case Demitra’s shoulder doesn’t hold up.

I doubt very seriously if Hansen will be claimed (seven points in 22 games), which says just about all I need to say about him.

The power play came to the rescue with two goals against the Wild but the penalty kill has yet to break the top 10 and currently sits at 15th. Hey, at least they moved up from 17th!

Alex Edler continues to cough up the puck like a cat with a fur ball, forcing Louie to bail him out, which isn’t happening. Let’s see now, two against Calgary with one resulting in a shorthand goal. Nashville and Minnie, two more giveaways on the power play.

If Shane O’Brien had to endure a seven game banishment, then Edler definitely needs a time out in the press box. You think Mathieu Schneider was a defensive liability?

Take a close look at Edler’s play. This has been going on all year long, and maybe another view would do Alex a world of good. What this team really needs is a big, tough D-man that will move guys out from in front of the net.

The Canucks drive me crazy with their poor puck protection and support. They consistently are the team with the most give aways during their games. They didn’t have ONE takeaway against Minnie.

What a mismatch last night with the Minnesota giants Derek Boogaard and John Scott wailing away on Canucks Darcy Hordichuk and Alex Bolduc. What Hordichuk should have done was put “The Ripper” on his shoulders and then it would have been a contest.

Hey Mr. Gillis, you going to wait till Bobby Lou is injured before you get him some protection?

Watch this again to refresh your memory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_5j8YBRk94

I’m outa here!