Vancouver Canucks: Hapless Maple Leafs Just What the Doctor Ordered

Maybe fans in Vancouver are jaded after the dominant Presidents' Trophy-winning season the Canucks put together last season. The Canucks' current run (8-0-2) has them as the hottest team in the NHL over the last 10 games, but fans are still complaining.

Good teams find a way to win, as the Canucks have been doing, but games have been way closer than they should have been, and fans have noticed.

Most of the victories have been in overtime or in the shootout, and those that do finish in regulation tend to be victories by one-goal margins. 

Timely scoring from the second and third lines and stellar goaltending has carried the play over the last month, with the Sedins having gone MIA since the All-Star game.

It turns out that all the Canucks needed to snap out of their winter malaise was a healthy dose of Ron Wilson's non-existent defensive schemes in the much-hyped Hockey Night in Canada matchup between the Canucks and the Leafs.

The Sedin line, perhaps inspired by the spotlights of Hockey Night in Canada, or maybe just out of spite for Ron MacLean, put on a clinic tonight.

Alex Burrows had a pair of goals and forced MacLean to praise him in the highlights, while both Henrik (four assists) and Daniel (one goal, three assists) put up four-point nights. 

This was the type of pinpoint passing and offensive-zone domination that fans have come to expect from the top line—something that has been missing for most of the Canucks' current run.

Manny Malhotra, Sami Salo and Kevin Bieksa also put up goals, as the Canucks easily controlled the play. The only thing missing from the game was a fight, but despite challenges from Byron Bitz, no Leafs took up the gauntlet.

Of special interest to any fans interested in what the Canucks might do at the trading deadline, both Chris Tanev and Byron Bitz had strong games.

Tanev was called up from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL to take Keith Ballard's spot on defense. Tanev played 18:38 of pretty much mistake-free hockey alongside Aaron Rome and finished a plus-one.

Bitz played 11:10, mainly on the fourth line with Malhotra and Lapierre but occasionally with the Sedins; he had two hits and an assist on Malhotra's goal. He also challenged a few Leafs to fight but couldn't find a partner.

If Tanev and Bitz continue their strong play, then GM Mike Gillis doesn't need to shop quite as hard for another defenseman or physical winger before the February 27th trading deadline.

Will the Canucks be able to carry this momentum from a big win into their next game in Edmonton?

More to the point, will the Sedins skate circles around the Oilers and put up another multi-point game to get back into the scoring race?

Regardless of individual scoring, it is important that the Canucks down the Oilers to get off to a good start on their six-game road trip that will take up the rest of February.