Pretty Eyes Won't Get You Far In Life: Canucks 4 Coyotes 0

It's been a while since I woke up and was still all fired up about the Canucks game the night before. For the first time since Petri Skriko in 1986, the Canucks had a player go back to back hat tricks. Alex Burrows has really proven now he is by far the best fit with the Sedins (sure, he doesn't have the kickass dreads of Anson Carter, or Taylor Pyatt's dreamy eyes, or Trent Klatt's uh... hmm, I'll get back to you on that one), and they were huge last night. 9 points from the line who were basically shut down by the Coyotes last time around. The Desert Dogs really seemed like the 'Yotes of old in the 1st, as the Canucks came out strong, and walked out with a 1-0 lead. The second period was a little concerning. The Canucks have had an annoying habit of sleepwalking through 2nd periods this year, and though we hadn't seen it lately, they basically allowed Phoenix to run roughshod through their zone. Thank dog for Roberto Luongo, who was stellar, stopping all 16 shots in the 2nd. You know it had to kill Phoenix a little to give up a late one, as Mikeal "Swears like a drunken sailor" Samuelsson jammed one in after some nice hustle behind the net from Ryan Kesler to make it 2-0. Cue the Alex Burrows show. The 2nd goal was vintage Sedins: hard pressure on the forecheck from Daniel to cause the turnover, quick pass to Henrik and right over to Burrows who buries it past Bryzgalov and it's now 3-0. A carbon copy of his hat trick goal 2 nights earlier makes it 4 and that's basically your game.

Random thoughts on last night:
- Taylor Pyatt made an impression last night, unfortunately for Aaron Rome, it was on his forehead. I don't know what was more surprising: Pyatt hitting someone, or that Rome bleeds like a champion. If he's not concussed I will be amazed. Say hello to Brad Lukowich, everyone.

- What was scarier: Salo getting clipped by Willie's stick, or Kesler blocking a slapshot with his cup?

- I never really noticed it when he was playing here, but Ed Jovanovski has really turned into a grouchy old man. Was he always that much of a windbag?

- Canucks went 2-0 in the fight card last night, Darcy Hordichuk with a huge bomb on Paul Bissonnette, and Tanner Glass with a quick decision over former Kelowna Rocket Vern Fiddler. It looked like Fiddler called in the linesmen early in the scrap, so not sure if he was just outmatched by the deceptively tough Glass or he injured himself.

- A number of milestones last night: Luongo's 50th career shutout, Samuelsson's 100th career goal, and the 300th game from Bernier and Wellwood.

- Another day of rest before the huge matchup against Calgary Saturday night. This one was already big, but even if the Flames win tonight (they're using their game in hand) a Canucks win will give them 1st in the division by virtue of more wins. With the Flames playing their 4th game in 5 nights, the Canucks must seize the opportunity and pound what should be a tired Flames team into the dust.

- Henrik Sedin now leads the NHL scoring race by 3 points. Some of the prognosticators out there have a number of Eastern players pegged as the MVP favorite so far, but TSN, Sports Illustrated and a few others are getting hip to the Hank 4 Hart meme. I think it's up to all Canucks fans and bloggers to push this. Hell if we could make Rory Fitzpatrick a household name for a while, we can surely do it for someone deserving of the spotlight.

- Best comment from the postgame came from Coach Alain Vigneault: "We tried to tire them out in our own end in the second period, it worked real well." We have some funny guys on this team.

Will have some thoughts on other league goings on over at http://bloodontheiceblog.blogspot.com later today, as we talk about sign language with Daniel Carcillo, Ron Wilson's struggles with Bi-polar disorder, the Oilers breaking the concrete at Rexall to make a new rock bottom and more...

Canucks 7 Blue Jackets 3

Hands up if you called the score in this one? Yeah, no one could have predicted this one, even as bad as the Blue Jackets have been lately I don't think anyone would have foreseen this. Especially they way they found themselves up 2-0 early in the first. Instead of seizing the opportunity, the Jackets looked bewildered, and a mere 29 seconds after Kristian Huselius made it 2-0, Rick Rypien fired a wobbling puck past Steve Mason, and I swear you could hear the entire team let out a huge "OMG here we go again"-type exhalation. 24 seconds later, the Sedins set up Alex Burrows for his 1st of 3 on the night, and as odd as it sounds as that tied the game, the rout was on. A little over 8 minutes later Burrows struck again, on a carbon copy of the 1st goal, and the Canucks went to the dressing room up by 1 after they had trailed by 2. Henrik Sedin made it 4-2 with his 20th of the season (that line combined for 9 points), but that goal was quickly answered by Kris Russell of Columbus. While Russell had a decent game for the Jackets (about the only player you could say played well for Columbus), that goal was all Aaron Rome, standing in front of the net as though he were waiting for a cab, Russell's shot careening in off his shinpads. Meh. To the pressbox with you, Rome! Ahem. Though it was the 5 on 5 play that killed the Jackets (as it has all season) The Canucks did get a PP goal. Some good work in the corner by Daniel Sedin forced a turnover to Sami Salo who wired one off the post and in. 5-3 and that it got weird. The Jackets appeared to clear the puck out of the zone, but it bounced off a linesman and over to Ryan Kesler, who quickly fed Mikeal Samuelsson. The salty-mouthed Swede fired it past Mason and at 6-3, Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock had seen enough, pulling last years Calder trophy winner and replacing him with Mathieu Garon. Garon let in one in the 3rd, a shorthanded marker from Burrows, on a nice pass from Ryan Kesler for the hat trick. Canucks were 1-3 on the PP while they successfully killed off all 5 Columbus PP's. Rick Nash, even with 2 assists was a non-factor in the game, effectively neutralized for the rest of the evening by the Canucks defense, who really settled down after the quick 2 goals in the first. Nash was a -2 for the night, which tells out about his game. Fedor Tyutin was a -3, while Salo and Burrows were both +3. The win moved the Canucks into a tie for 6th in West, getting the nod over LA and Nashville because they have more wins. They now sit one point back of Colorado, and 2 behind the new division leaders Calgary, who defeated the Predators 3-1 last night. Christian Ehrhoff is now a league leading +22, and Henrik is 1st in the scoring race, tied with Joe Thornton at 55 points, but with more goals. A day off for the Canucks before a shot at redemption against the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday, with a battle against the Flames looming Saturday.

Canucks 3 Flyers 0

Just one night after an incredibly well-played road effort in New Jersey, the Canucks and Roberto Luongo went into the Comcast Center in Philly, and with Steve Yzerman in the stands, shutout the Flyers 3-0. A very well-rounded defensive effort by the Canucks (in spite of the shot total) as it seemed like the only Flyer who could really get a decent scoring chance was Aaron Asham, who was stoned by Bobby Lu SIX times. You almost feel sorry for the guy. Almost. Goals came from Willie Mitchell on a nice backhand shot off a rebound after Tanner Glass drove to the net (and got away with a little contact on Brian Boucher, which I think he tried too hard to sell), Alex Burrows (off his rear-end) and Christian Ehrhoff. The game wasn't without the traditional Flyers/Canucks ugliness however, most notably legendary D-bag Chris Pronger with a vicious 2 handed chop to the wrist of Ryan Kesler, and a spear by Daniel Briere on Mikeal Samuelsson that the league will likely be looking at given Briere just returned from a suspension for a stick foul, and is a repeat offender. Check out the video below (the spear wasn't detected on the Canucks PPV feed):




Pathetic. Could there be any greater proof that they need to eliminate the instigator penalty? Guys like Briere wouldn't dare try stuff like this if they knew they would be held accountable for their actions on the ice. Not surprised in the least however, as he has proven himself to be a True Flyer, buying in to their long tradition of thuggery and cheapshots (often referred to by those that would defend this garbage as 'old time hockey').

A day off before the ridiculous afternoon game on Saturday (really? 3 games in 4 days and the last one goes at 1:30pm local time? Why Mike Gillis was happy with this schedule is beyond me). That's 10:30 am for those of us here at home. So a lil hockey and a late breakfast, not a bad way to start your weekend, right? Expect Andrew Raycroft to get the start against the surprisingly bad Hurricanes. Sure they have injuries, but no one could have predicted the team would be floundering at the bottom of the NHL's barrel.