Here we are again. Canucks vs Coyotes. Andrew Raycroft vs Ilya Bryzgalov in the goaltending matchup. The Sedins and Samuelsson will take the opening faceoff for the Canucks along with Edler and Rome. Hanzal, Prucha and Vrbata will be matched against them with Jovo and Michalek on defence.
Some pre-game notes: Canucks have been out-scored 25-6 in the first periods occf this 13-game road trip but have out-scored their opponents 21-8 in the third periods...
For those watchin on TSN, it's silent night as they have lost their audio feed...
Best save of the game so far by Raycroft, who robbed ex-Leaf Lee Stempniak with his paddle...
Canucks give up first goal again as their first period miseries continue. It's now 26-6 for the opposition in the first periods of this road trip. Raycroft robbed Stempniak earlier but was beaten this time on a 2-on-1 with Ehrhoff caught pinching and Alberts the lone man back...
Cooke did not get suspended because the NHL is run by people living in the dark ages...
The Canucks penalty killing has been atrocious so I am expecting Phoenix to score on this power play with Hank Sedin in the box for offensive zone penalty...
Now Canucks on pplay but no one screening in front...
Canucks 0-for-2 on the power play. This period will likely end up 2-0, the Canucks favourite negative score on this road trip...
Phoenix has given up 38 first-period goals all season, the Canucks 26 in their last 14 games...
Hank from Samuelsson off an excellent forecheck. Now 1-1...
First period over and the Canucks aren't trailing. Okay, they aren't leading either but 1-1 is outstandings considering recent outings...
Shots even 13-13. Canucks better on faceoffs 13-8. Hits? This is weird. Canucks credited with just one hit in the period -- by Sami Salo. Phoenix had 6 hits...
NHL totally turtled on the Cooke affair. They had a chance to send this cheap-shot artist a major message and did nothing. They are leaving themselves wide open for a vigilante situation (like Bertuzzi-Moore) when the Penguins visit the Bruins next Thursday. What do you think the Bruins are thinking? The league didn't take care of this guy so we'll have to do it ourselves....
Looks like I am talking to myself as no one else is contributing. Anyone out there? Cambo, Evan, Mike, Ken?????
Samuelsson is on fire. He scores on first shift of second period...
Jovo coughed up the puck behind his net under pressure and Samuelsson slammed it home...
Hey, Mike -- that's how Burrows got his shot with the twins. Now he and Kesler have to rekindle their magic. So far nothing from those two...
Kesler will be asking for a lot and if he doesn't get it, some other team can give it to him in the form of an offer sheet with the Canucks having the right to match. Remember the Flyers tendered Kesler an offer sheet four years ago...
The Canucks will find a way to get Kesler signed but, remember, he's the one last year who said players should take less to keep a good team together. Let's see what happens there...
Cambo, where have you been? Coyotes just tied it. Pyatt. 2-2.
Andrew Alberts looked brutal on that one. He's a minus-2...
Canucks played with the lead for nine minutes. Guess they weren't used to it. Canuck coaches will have to rethink Alberts playing with Ehrhoff. They were on for both goals against, both on big mistakes by one or the other. O'Brien played with Ehrhoff for months. Don't understand the change.....
Sutton was a second
Sutton fetched a second-rounder, I believe, while Alberts was a third-rounder. Canucks didn't have a second-round pick in 2010 as they sent it to Buffalo for the wonderful Steve Bernier...
Canucks have only two shots this period and since they scored at 0:36, that means just one shot since and there is only 5:55 remaining....
Vancouver Sun
elliott pap
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