You Knew This Day Would Come for the Vancouver Canucks

It’s like knowing that you have to go get that tooth extracted or a root canal and finally the day arrives. I’ve talked about it in the past, this “Road Trip Extraordinaire” that takes place before and after the Olympics, and now here is part one.

February 2010
Date	Visitor	Home	Time (PT)	TV Network/Results
Tue, 2 Feb 2010	Canucks	Canadiens	4:30 PM	RDS(HD), PPV(HD)
Thu, 4 Feb 2010	Canucks	Senators	4:30 PM	SNET-P, CSN-NW
Sat, 6 Feb 2010	Canucks	Bruins	10:00 AM	CSN-NW, SNET-P
Tue, 9 Feb 2010	Canucks	Lightning	4:30 PM	PPV(HD)
Thu, 11 Feb 2010	Canucks	Panthers	4:30 PM	SNET-P, CSN-NW
Fri, 12 Feb 2010	Canucks	Blue Jackets	4:00 PM	PPV(HD)
Sun, 14 Feb 2010	Canucks	Wild	12:00 PM	CSN-NW, CITY TV
Sat, 30 Jan 2010	Canucks	Maple Leafs	4:00 PM	CBC(HD), NHLN-US(HD)

No easy task, this eight game marathon, but at least the 'Nucks do not have any back to back games, at least what this schedule shows. Obviously the team wants to get as many points as possible but looking at the schedule realistically, four or five of eight would be a feather in their hat or should I say eight to ten points.

What the 'Nucks will be trying to do is to remain where they are in the Western Conference standings and survive the injury bug that seems to travel with all NHL teams on these types of long road trips.

So who are the teams that I think the Nucks will get some points from? This aught to get a rise out of the eastern teams. Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Lightning, Panthers and Blue Jackets. The Canucks have never done well with the early in the day time games, like the ones with the Bruins and Wild, so I’m looking at those as losses.

The Senators seem to be on a roll at this time (eight wins in a row), having a couple of key players return to their lineup, in Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, so that’s the other game I think the Nucks could come out on the short end.

The “Too Hot to Touch” line of Sedin, Sedin, and Burrows will be in tough on the road, as the home team will get the last change and you can be sure that the opposition coaches will either have their best checking line up against them or they may go strength on strength (best line against best line).

The depth on defense that I wrote about at training camp, will be severely tested if Willie Mitchell (concussion symptoms) and Sami Salo (groin) are out for the whole eight game road trip. Brad Lukowich and Nolan Baumgartner have done a yeoman’s job at keeping their game simple, and in the short period they are performing, but the team is much stronger with the injured Dmen in the lineup.

The homestand that I wrote about (And Now for the Vancouver Canucks' Second Half) exceeded my expectations going seven of nine with one shoot out loss. The month of January was spectacular, with the 'Nucks accumulating 21 out of a possible 26 points.

You will notice at the time of this writing that I have already included the two points from the Toronto game which will be played tomorrow. Sorry Maple Leaf Nation, "it is what it is!"

So all looks promising, going into this long road trip with a seven game winning streak (counting the Leafs) and this all important period will most certainly define the Canucks season.

If they can stay afloat in the ultra competitive Western Conference, then they have a chance of doing it all over again after the Olympics.

Until then, let’s all enjoy the ride!