Post-Game Talk: Game 9: Canucks lose to the Penguins 4-3 in the SO - Blame it on the early start

[John Bender*]

Want to hear a funny stat regarding Kesler? Hank has more hits than him. No joke. Hank is out-hitting Kesler this season 9 hits to 6.

What about last year? Year before that? Year before that? yes, lets cherry pick an 8 game segment and make sweeping conclusions about the player.

 

[me2]

Absolutely. We were a really dive-y team in 2010. Since 2011, the team has made a big commitment to not doing that stuff, and we're one of the most honest teams in the league in that regard now.

But we're still treated like it's 2010. And the Sedins are considered divers - despite generally being guys that always fight to stay on their feet - because of 2 dives out of frustration about the lack of calls in the 2011 Finals.

Meanwhile, teams like SJ/LA have been flopping all over the place for years, get zero media attention for it, zero reputation for it, and still get nearly every call.

It's nauseating.

Kesler, Henrik, Daniel, Higgins combined 12.

Thornton, Couture, Hertl, Marleau combined 0. Not one.

 

[Orca Smash]

so is our fanbase still upset that we took that awful pens team at home to a shootout where malkin that scrub won the game?

 

[ohnoeszz]

Same.

I believe in Booth's ability to take every play into the boards. I believe in his ability to be late on passes and then throw them inaccurately. I believe in his ability as a 4th liner, where reaching the offensive zone corner with no where to go is a huge plus.

 

[vanuck]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but I liked Torts' emphasis on clogging up the neutral zone to neutralize the Pens' many elaborate breakout schemes. Their most common breakout is to have Crosby or Malkin to wheel back in their own zone to generate speed and use their skill to carry the puck with speed into the offensive zone. Malkin and Crosby seemed frustrated on the breakout. They got their chances on odd-man rushes and defensive breakdowns on our part, but couldn't do much when we sat back like that.

This is refreshing because the Canucks don't always play this conservatively. Torts is giving opposing teams a lot of different looks. Today's strategy was obviously a result of Torts' familiarity with the Pens' system, but still encouraging nonetheless that Torts' is trying to make the Canucks less predictable than they have been in previous years. This is his biggest contribution in my opinion, though it is still clearly a work in progress.

Very good point. Surprised no one else has mentioned this.

 

[vanuck]

Guys, you were by far the best team we´ve faced so far this year. We were territorially outplayed and that doesn´t happen a lot.

Our team is quite depleted with injuries, but we are still dangerous with the way Crosby is playing right now. You can be satisfied with your team, it was a great game and could´ve gone either way. I am glad that you got at least that one point, because it was well deserved.

I was impressed by Richardson. What a bottom-6er he is. Really great game by him. Good luck for the rest of the season!

Crosby is a helluva player. Good luck guys, and please, kill those Bruins for us. I was cheering for you guys to beat them in the ECF.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Next Pre-Game Thread is up.

Closed.