Post-Game Talk: GAME # 14 - Blues def. Canucks: 4-3 (SO) (Kesler, Henrik, Raymond)

[Lonny Bohonos]

It's held both players back IMO. They could be better than they are if they just understood this.

Agreed. Its like they lose focus sometimes and then exacerbate it by focusing on tit-for-tatting and the like.

 

[Bleach Clean]

You could dispute it by claiming that St. Louis simply had better finish when it counted tonight, for one thing.

You could also dispute it by saying that despite outplaying them, the break-downs we had in our own end were far more problematic than the ones that they had.

I didn't think Luongo looked too awful on any of the goals tonight. Well, maybe that first shootout goal.

Luongo himself admitted the first two goals were on him. The 3rd went of Berglund apparently.

I agree with DTS here.

 

[Canucker]

Luongo himself admitted the first two goals were on him. The 3rd went of Berglund apparently.

I agree with DTS here.

The 3rd goal he never should have been in the butterfly at that time, if he were positioned correctly that doesn't have any chance of going in.

 

[me2]

Meh, our form was better than STLs, we got a tie, Luongo might have made one more save, the shooters might not have sucked ATM times (Henrik shoot on open nets)

Played well enough, got a point, moving on.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

You could dispute it by claiming that St. Louis simply had better finish when it counted tonight, for one thing.

You could also dispute it by saying that despite outplaying them, the break-downs we had in our own end were far more problematic than the ones that they had.

I didn't think Luongo looked too awful on any of the goals tonight. Well, maybe that first shootout goal.

Well I don't buy it. I had scoring chances 23-8 in favour of Vancouver. We had much higher quality opportunities and Allen made big saves to keep his team in it.

Didn't like the 1st goal against Luongo. The rebound control was a problem, as was his body posiitoning. He didn't give himself a chance if there was a 2nd chance opportunity.

The shootout was what I expected. Don't know if there's been a worse shootout goalie in hockey over the last 3 years. Maybe Kipper?

Luongo has played very well this seasonn and these games happen. Doesn't mean Allen wasn't better on this night. He absolutely was.

This game for Luongo was like Schneider's game against the Sharks. They weren't particularily bad, Just not their night.

 

[Derp Kassian]

Luongo tonight wasn't nearly as soft as Schneider the other night I'd roll with him.

 

[Canucker]

Luongo tonight wasn't nearly as soft as Schneider the other night I'd roll with him.

Schneider may have let in 2 softer goals but he also made a lot more difficult saves than Lu had to tonight.

 

[Bleach Clean]

The 3rd goal he never should have been in the butterfly at that time, if he were positioned correctly that doesn't have any chance of going in.

I know. He was still down early and left room on the short side. Saying that, the deflection probably makes it the goal I'm least concerned about. The first two seem far worse.

 

[Canucker]

I know. He was still down early and left room on the short side. Saying that, the deflection probably makes it the goal I'm least concerned about. The first two seem far worse.

They are all bad for their own reasons. For me, the 3rd goal was the worst of them all (other than Oshie's SO goal)...simply due to the fact he was on his knees so early.

 

[Wizeman*]

Well I don't buy it. I had scoring chances 23-8 in favour of Vancouver. We had much higher quality opportunities and Allen made big saves to keep his team in it.

This is an interesting point. I record scoring chances when there is a realistic chance of 20% that the puck ends up in the net on a regular basis.

I had it 13 to 4 for the Canucks so no matter how you slice it Allen had a far tougher task than Lui did.

 

[CanadianPirate]

I don't quite understand all the people who say the Canucks didn't deserve a point. They were very good in the first, terrible in the second, dominant in the third and excellent in overtime. They outplayed the blues.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

The only question I have is, why can't AV figure out how to improve this teams 2nd periods? We've been dreadful in 2nd periods for a very long time IIRC...

Surprised more people haven't commented on Garrison. I thought he looked head and shoulders better than most his outings thus far. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Raymond Kesler Hansen
Higgins Schroeder Kassian
Weise Lapierre Volpatti

Is this what we see in Chicago?

 

[CanadianPirate]

The only question I have is, why can't AV figure out how to improve this teams 2nd periods? We've been dreadful in 2nd periods for a very long time IIRC...

Surprised more people haven't commented on Garrison. I thought he looked head and shoulders better than most his outings thus far. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Raymond Kesler Hansen
Higgins Schroeder Kassian
Weise Lapierre Volpatti

Is this what we see in Chicago?

I noticed Garrison as well. He was much more solid defensively and quite good offensively. Smart pinches and helped keep the offense going down low. I would like to see him get the big shot off but this was definitely a step in the right direction.

 

[Jyrki]

The 3rd goal he never should have been in the butterfly at that time, if he were positioned correctly that doesn't have any chance of going in.

Meh, Berglund was screening him so it made sense to go down early.

 

[Bgav]

hope booth is good to go vs chi

 

[deadinthewater]

The only question I have is, why can't AV figure out how to improve this teams 2nd periods? We've been dreadful in 2nd periods for a very long time IIRC...

Surprised more people haven't commented on Garrison. I thought he looked head and shoulders better than most his outings thus far. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Raymond Kesler Hansen
Higgins Schroeder Kassian
Weise Lapierre Volpatti

Is this what we see in Chicago?

The second line needs a shake-up. Kassian has been a defensive blunder (two GA on him now), and I don't know what Weise was doing up there tonight. If Booth is back, I'd say role Higgins/Kesler/Booth and keep the third line intact. Otherwise, we need someone better than Kass/Weise on Kesler's wing (bump up Hansen, Raymond, etc.).

 

[miked1101]

The second line needs a shake-up. Kassian has been a defensive blunder (two GA on him now), and I don't know what Weise was doing up there tonight. If Booth is back, I'd say role Higgins/Kesler/Booth and keep the third line intact. Otherwise, we need someone better than Kass/Weise on Kesler's wing (bump up Hansen, Raymond, etc.).

Weise kind of seems like the odd man out on every line. He's not terrible, but he doesn't seem to fit.

 

[Fat Tony]

The only question I have is, why can't AV figure out how to improve this teams 2nd periods? We've been dreadful in 2nd periods for a very long time IIRC...

Someone noted that the Canucks have shorter shifts than most teams and that puts them at a disadvantage during periods where they have the long change. If that's really the case, AV should adjust his tactics.

 

[LiquidSnake]

I'd play Lu vs Chicago. He's consistently great in that barn when it isnt the playoffs.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Someone noted that the Canucks have shorter shifts than most teams and that puts them at a disadvantage during periods where they have the long change. If that's really the case, AV should adjust his tactics.

Makes sense.

Yeah, they really need to lok at their 2nd period play and find some adjustments. It's gone on too long.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Went to the game. Was not impressed with the Canucks at all.

Showed up for 5 minutes in the first and St.Louis bossed the game for the next 35 minutes. 11 shots after 2 periods and honestly no life or effort.

Tried coming out guns blazing in the third and could not pick a corner to save their life. Sobokta picks the corner after lazy defense and Raymond pots a nice one after their powerplay didn't look like it would score until 2014.

This team desperately needs somone on the backend who can skate with the puck up the ice and enter the offensive zone. Edler can't do it and honestly looks scared of doing it and Bieksa skates like he's in the ice capades.

Got lucky with the point but as soon as that horrendous shootout (i.e. Kesler and Burrows) started everyone knew it was game over.

Glad they are 8-3-3 but this team honestly does not give a **** right now about playing hard for 60 minutes.

They can still be boss when they want to, I just hope they don't think they can turn it on whenever they want to and win like they did two years ago.

A veteran who can snipe a couple goals would be a nice addition but other than that, this team is likely a 2nd round exit at most unless Lu or Schneider save their bacon game in, game out.

 

[WinterEmpire]

Someone noted that the Canucks have shorter shifts than most teams and that puts them at a disadvantage during periods where they have the long change. If that's really the case, AV should adjust his tactics.

Hmm, I can see that being a valid point. It seems more like whenever they get the puck in the second period they are more likely to end up dumping the puck and changing instead of risking getting stuck.

 

[CanadianPirate]

AV has a point about the Canuck's second period. They shouldn't have looked completely lost but we should give some credit to the Blues. They are a very good team who were going to have some push back.

 

[StringerBell]

Here's the Kesler play that's being debated as an embellishment. Credit to Fred Murtz from the St Lou boards for the vid. Looks blatant from the first two angles and looks like a bit of a sell job from the third one. Still think it's a pretty typical play that you see practically every game. Could have been a no call, but would never be called a dive IMO. Still, not something you want to see from Kesler of all people.

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

We need Booth to get the 2nd line performing better.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Higgins-Kesler-Booth
Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen
Volpatti-Lapierre-Kassian

Hamhuis-Bieksa
Edler-Garrison
Ballard-Tanev

Luongo

NOTE: We should give these defensive pairs another chance, and make changes if necessary during the game.