Post-Game Talk: Japadogs 2, Tortas 3 (SO): Randy Newman spins in his grave

[opendoor]

Don't forget 1984.

Yes, 3 of the last 5 years is completely irrelevant.

 

[Scurr]

We'll see. I'd argue it's easier to make up a ton of ground in the dog days of an 82 game season than it is in the stretch drive of a truncated schedule.

I guess I just don't see them going 20-6-3 over games 20-48 this year, and that's what it took to get them from their poor start to top 5 in the conference at the 48 game mark last season.

I don't expect us to get off to as bad a start as we have either. We're getting better goaltending than we usually do in October at least.

.500 over a stretch of 6 games in a season is no big deal.

 

[craigcaulks*]

ON the bright side... the oilers are 3rd in the conference and if the playoffs started today we would play the oil

I hear they just cancelled their #1 draft pick parade this summer.

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Facetious? I'm asking seriously. LA is better than the Canucks, has everyone accepted this?


The regular season PTs and the SCF run seem to be clouding the fact that certain teams have well passed the Canucks in ability. LA is one, judging from the response here. I'd say NYR is another. CHI has always been there. BOS of course etc...


How good is this team really?

Without Ryan Kesler? Probably a 6-8 seed in the West. The Canucks sans Kesler are not an elite team. Just like they're a middle of the road club when the defense gets decimated with injuries.

People just can't comprehend the parity in the league right now.

 

[Canucks LB]

Kassian our best forward again tonight, played ZERO time in the OT. Let me say that again, KASSIAN plays ZERO min in OT.

**** you av so hard

 

[craigcaulks*]

Without Ryan Kesler? Probably a 6-8 seed in the West. The Canucks sans Kesler are not an elite team. Just like they're a middle of the road club when the defense gets decimated with injuries.

People just can't comprehend the parity in the league right now.

Take away any teams's second line and see how it goes.

 

[Canucks LB]

Keith ballard is our best d-man by far this year, We are in trouble boys.

 

[craigcaulks*]

Yes, 3 of the last 5 years is completely irrelevant.

I agree.

 

[Bieksa#3]

Kassian was good but I didn't think he had an amazing game by any stretch.

He turned over the puck a ton tonight with all these blind passes to the middle of the ice which led to turnovers.

Still had a good game but It's not as amazing as I think people are making it out to be.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Little play I liked in the second - Daniel was moving up the nearside wall and Doughty took a run at him. Daniel spun off him and managed to clear the puck. Down at the other end of the ice, Doughty gets the puck. The camera was moving away, but not fast enough to avoid seeing Kassian come skating alongside Doughty on the near wall and giving him a little crunch. Nothing earth shattering, but it was nice to see Kassian take the number.

 

[Canucks LB]

Kassian was good but I didn't think he had an amazing game by any stretch.

He turned over the puck a ton tonight with all these blind passes to the middle of the ice which led to turnovers.

Still had a good game but It's not as amazing as I think people are making it out to be.

He intimidated the kings, they refused to do anything with him on the ice, he scored, he set up at least 3 great chances. And nearly scored a 2nd goal but quick made a nice save.

he was great

 

[Bleach Clean]

I'd like to see;

Sedins/Kassian
Higgins/Kesler/Burrows
Raymond/Schroeder/Booth
Malhotra/Lapierre/Hansen

and our D get comfortable before I concede that all these teams are better.

The Kings dominated possession tonight. BOS usually does when VAN faces them. NYR and CHI usually do well against VAN in that regard as well. Blues are still out there too...



I think there have been more than enough games over the past few years that should tell us where the Canucks are, and by comparison where other teams are. Is LA better? Is BOS clearly better? Because then I think people wouldn't be as incredulous with what's going on right now. If it is accepted that these teams are just flat out better, people would expect to lose to the Kings/Rangers/Hawks/Bruins etc...


Basically, you wouldn't get the strong reactions you are getting here due to that acceptance.

 

[deadinthewater]

I think there have been more than enough games over the past few years that should tell us where the Canucks are, and by comparison where other teams are. Is LA better? Is BOS clearly better? Because then I think people wouldn't be as incredulous with what's going on right now. If it is accepted that these teams are just flat out better, people would expect to lose to the Kings/Rangers/Hawks/Bruins etc...


Basically, you wouldn't get the strong reactions you are getting here due to that acceptance.

I'm pretty sure any fan would be upset with their team leading 2-0 and blowing that lead. That's happened three times now in five games. But the Kings were a lot better than the Canucks... not really sure what to make of this team right now (especially with injuries and only 5 games in).

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Keith ballard is our best d-man by far this year, We are in trouble boys.

It's actually very encouraging. I'm confident the top 4 will come around - but having Ballard and Tanev play this well all season would be huge. Will keep the defense fresh in a condensed schedule, help cover for injuries on the backend and actually make Ballard moveable this summer when he inevitably moves on.

The defense is taking a lot of heat but look no further than the play of the forwards as to why they're struggling so bad. Without Kesler we're leaning on guys that are getting outmatched, can't sustain offensive zone pressure and are chasing the play all too often on lost faceoffs.

The defense will look much better when Kesler returns. But if Kesler isn't healthy come playoff time, this team goes nowhere.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Nice night for Schroeder in the faceoff circle - 7-for-11. Only he and Malhotra finished above 50%.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Without Ryan Kesler? Probably a 6-8 seed in the West. The Canucks sans Kesler are not an elite team. Just like they're a middle of the road club when the defense gets decimated with injuries.

People just can't comprehend the parity in the league right now.

With Kesler, is LA still clearly better? They have 7 huge forwards, they win nearly every board battle, they should still be considered the better team outright no?


Aside: Playing not to lose: Good point made by a caller.

 

[Bgav]

Take it from me I lived it! Brodeur won the Calder the year before, and I actually thought he was the second coming of Sean Burke early in that lockout shortened 95 season.

I think you guys have a good chance this year. I'm rooting for you in the west!

 

[Bieksa#3]

Any updates on Schroeder? Was his groin acting up, precautionary measure to no aggravate it further or just a straight up benching/sheltering of a rookie?

He in no way deserved a benching

 

[Canucks LB]

It's actually very encouraging. I'm confident the top 4 will come around - but having Ballard and Tanev play this well all season would be huge. Will keep the defense fresh in a condensed schedule, help cover for injuries on the backend and actually make Ballard moveable this summer when he inevitably moves on.

The defense is taking a lot of heat but look no further than the play of the forwards as to why they're struggling so bad. Without Kesler we're leaning on guys that are getting outmatched, can't sustain offensive zone pressure and are chasing the play all too often on lost faceoffs.

The defense will look much better when Kesler returns. But if Kesler isn't healthy come playoff time, this team goes nowhere.

If he plays like this all year, what happens then. Trade him?, buy out garrison (doubt it).

Right now our best players need to be our best players, because right now its our depth players mostly who have been solid.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I'm pretty sure any fan would be upset with their team leading 2-0 and blowing that lead. That's happened three times now in five games. But the Kings were a lot better than the Canucks... not really sure what to make of this team right now (especially with injuries and only 5 games in).

But why? If LA is known to be the better team, and they are clearly outplaying VAN in the current game, why would fans be as upset blowing that same lead?


It takes me back to the days when the Sakic+Forsberg combo would annihilate the Canucks and it wouldn't matter if the Canucks were up or down at points during the game. The better team just found a way to win. This would be like that. If people accepted LA is a better team, you wouldn't get this type of reaction.

 

[Scurr]

He wasn't out there for the last half of the 3rd and OT (was specifically watching for him to see how AV would use him against LA too).

I saw Manny take one shift for him in the third. I wouldn't consider not getting out there during the 5 minutes of 4 on 4 being sat.

 

[deadinthewater]

But why? If LA is known to be the better team, and they are clearly outplaying VAN in the current game, why would fans be as upset blowing that same lead?


It takes me back to the days when the Sakic+Forsberg combo would annihilate the Canucks and it wouldn't matter if the Canucks were up or down at points during the game. The better team just found a way to win. This would be like that. If people accepted LA is a better team, you wouldn't get this type of reaction.

What kind of attitude is that to have? Doesn't matter which team is better. You still have to go out there and give an effort and try to win the game. Canucks weren't good enough.

 

[CanadianPirate]

I think people are forgetting how much of a crap shoot the playoffs are. There are about four teams at the top of the western conference who could beat each other during a seven game series depending on circumstances. The canucks, blackhawks, kings, and blues have (in the past) all shown to be defensively strong and offensively capable. Yes the kings looked unbeatable last year but they also had next to no injuries and an incredible amount of luck with injuries to their opponents. I'm not saying that in a disparaging way, this is something you need to win. The kings look better than the canucks right now but when the canucks get hot and healthy they could very well take the kings.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

How people think we sat back is beyond me.

LA was the better team tonight. Territorially dominated from puck drop. We did not sit back, we were out matched at every turn.

The two goals were nice hard work team goals, but the Canucks can't compete wit that size and strength, especially withou Kesler and Booth.

Oh well...

We had five shots on goal in over twenty-five minutes; none on two powerplays. That looks like a team that was trying not to lose instead of playing to win.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Without Ryan Kesler? Probably a 6-8 seed in the West. The Canucks sans Kesler are not an elite team. Just like they're a middle of the road club when the defense gets decimated with injuries.

People just can't comprehend the parity in the league right now.

We're not playing like a bubble team even. Kesler is good but when you have two all-star forwards and a stacked defense. His absence should not have such a profound affect on our roster.