[Chioster]

That is where we want him. We need a D that can make those tape to tape passes from cross ice without it being taken away and we need someone who can carry it through the neutral zone without doing something weird with the puck such that it gets taken away. I believe we are trying to groom Edler and Bieksa into doing that but it has failed so far. When Edler and Bieksa have the puck and there is a forechecker going in, they get scared and just do weird plays such as just dumping it back into the corner and playing another board scrum.

[trankimuyen]

We get pressured really really really really really badly by the forecheck man, it gets so frustrating every time.

[Chioster]

It is because we crack under pressure and the opposition know. They reveal tapes and know our tendencies and attack it causing us to make mistakes. AV's game plan is just too easy to learn.

[jonogunn]

remember when edler was a solid d-man who looked like he's been playing for many years?

remember when we used to kick ass 4-on-4 and when we dominated overtimes? those were fun times.

[trankimuyen]

AV's doghouse is getting croooooooooooooooooooowded.

I remember when 4 on 4 was our mini cooper man, and when we had the #1 PK in the league?

[Chioster]

Well AV has to go, he just can't rally after the group especially considering this

-Naslund left because he told Nonis at the time, it was either him or AV. Nonis chose AV
-Linden retired because he was limited to icetime and basically had no role on the team anymore. He was scratched many times last year.
-Mitchell supposedly had a feud with AV a few years ago because supposedly AV told Mitchell to SIT THE EFF DOWN during a tough lost when Mitchell was trying to rally the guys up
-Demitra just stated he does not like the line juggling and feels he is not developing any chemistry with the team at all
-O'Brien just stated that shuffling through D mens each game is causing a lot of chemistry issues

and there are many more.

[trankimuyen]

O'Brien also said that he doesn't want to have to fight everytime he hits the ice or something like that, I'm not sure, and it was something about him being scratched.
I remember the Mitchell/AV feud! And for a long time they were saying that they were keeping Trevor rested up for the playoffs but at that point, we needed to work a little more on GETTING to the post-season.
Last season, I always said that I wanted AV gone, I mean, of course I liked him when we were winning but ever since last season's disappointment I really did not want him to stay.

Were AV & Gillis good friends beforehand? We can't have a coach that doesn't have the respect of his players.

[Chioster]

AV is part of the old guard, something gillis felt needed change. The current Old Guards remaining are, Delmore, Ohlund, Salo, Sedins, and maybe even Mitchell. AV had a week long chat with Gillis when Gillis signed and apparently, Gillis liked what he saw from AV and decided to extend the option on AV's contract.

[Addy]

^Just watched that interview. He didn't like being seen/limited as a fighter and not a great forward or whatever.

Dunno about Gillis' and AV's relationship. Might've buttered/crawled his way up back to head coach.

I like AV, before. Now, I WANT HIM OUTTA THE PROVINCE! Don't mind if he's in the country, just get outta my/our Beautiful British Columbia! But who would we get to replace him?

[trankimuyen]

CROWWWWWWWWW BABY!

[Chioster]

Crowford might be good but Crowford only works well when there are a lot of runner and gunners for him to work with. Though Crow did work with a team similar to the Canucks in 1996 with the Aves and Roy in net.

My list would include
Quinn, Lewis, Crow, Tortorella, Nolan and Hartsburg

If we fired AV in the off season then I would be banking on Quienville.

[Addy]

Carolina vs. Vancouver 3-4 Final

THE DROUGHT IS OVER!!!!! OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ!!!

We started off the game with a shakey first shift but then did a whole lot better with the next one. Luongo made very good saves and made a save against Sundin! What the deuce?! And the first goal was Bieksallent on a PP. He made it through the screen and I think above Ward's glove or left pad. It moved in slow-mo when it actually happened. Then Kesler makes the second goal for the game and Canucks!! I guess having Daddy in the audience is making an impression on him.
The hurricanes make their two goals by Corvo and Pitkanen. Both were within 25 seconds of each other! Pitkanen's shot was pretty powerful though. It had enough force to squidge through Luongo's pads and past the goal-line.
But we make it back in the lead by who? MATS SUNDIN!! Wow~. Never thought I would say that in that way. But at the start of the third, Staal makes a goal on the PP. Darn 42 seconds.
HOLY!!! Then during Ohlund's penalty, Burrows makes a break-away shorthanded goal~!! Totally made my day! Burrows' 3rd short-handed goal and this one came from a pass from Kesler at the Canucks blue-line.

I don't like seeing our checking line all jumbled up! I saw Wellwood with them and all I could think was, "WHAT?! A softie on the hard line? What's up with that?" What I gotta say to AV, stop jumbling them!!! Some don't develope proper chemistry with each other and others have great chemistry and you break them up! What is going on his head? The checking line was pretty darn good and you just had to go an ruin it. But I guess the new Sundin-Kesler line is good for tonight. Maybe not every night but it'll do for now...

Good note: Canucks look a lot better this game. I dunno if it was the goal or something but it was so much better than what we've been seeing the last few days. And the phyicallity was great (only after the first intermission). Even if some of it was dirty, it was good. At around the last minute of the second, I saw body flying EVERYWHERE! One was definitely Johnson and I think the other might be Salo.

[trankimuyen]

WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY! BURROWS!!!!! I was only expecting us to kill that stupid penalty and suddenly Kesler springs Burr on the breakaway?! Things can only go uphill from here guys. We won, and Sundin scored, see where this is going?! And the Ohlie hit on Williams was beautiful, haha! Burrows' goal was SOOOO nice! OH MAN! The second goal, Lou shoulda had that though, but man I'm so ecstatic! I knew tonight was our night!

[minjapinja]

I knew tonight was our night!

Yep, only tonight. The losing streak starts again Saturday, AHAHA!! I bet the Canucks aren't going to make the playoffs this year, it will be so epic! ^____________________________^

[Chioster]

The canucks technically do not have a checking line anymore. We had one last year when we always put Cooke-Kesler-Burrows out against the top line but this year, we don't seem to be matching lines that much. Matching mine has its pros and cons but the cons are, our own top line gets limited ice time. That is what killed us last year when the Kesler line was getting 20+ mins a game while the Sedins were getting 15-16mins. So technically, you cannot say the Burrows-Wellwood-Bernier line is a checking line since they weren't there to check, they were there to score. Our only real checking line if you can call that was the 4th line.

Though I must say, with each passing game, Wellwoods defensive play has increased big time. He is backchecking hard putting pressure on the on rushing forwards creating turnovers. He is making those smart plays that will create turn overs. He did some fine board work today with Bernier which resulted in many chances especially the one near the end of the game where Wellwood fed it to Burrows for a quick 1 timer in close.

Overall, finally the slump is over.

[DOVAHKIIN]

Correction my west coast friends, the losing streak is over.

You'll see see 1 win and 9 losses in the past ten games, it's just a matter if Canucks can play over .500 for the rest of the season.

That being said, gimme some draft picks and take all that the Leafs have left.

Second rate recaps kill me.

[trankimuyen]

Just to add on, everything seemed so great in the first period. Especially how we didn't look as pressured by the forecheckers and made some good passes instead of panicking and making some funny play.

It still greatly kills me how our PK is soooooo terrible, if our PK was like what we were doing on the first Carolina powerplay, we'd be freaking dominating. But why so many PP goals from such bad PP units? Seriously.

And honestly, I wish the Sens would get a win, =/ And I was HELLA glad to see the Habs beat the Pens, because right when I flipped to the highlights for the game, I saw a tidbit of Crosby whining about something. Pft.

And minjapinja, we'll see, we'll see. I'm way too happy to argue.

[jonogunn]

arg i fell asleep during the game! >< missed the game winner.

when carolina tied it i thought "ooooh maaan here we go aagaaaaiiiiin"

kesler looks like a beast out there. imagine if he played that way EVERY GAME. how is that NOT inspiring for the other teammates?? He fore checks like crazy!

I was sad to hear the burrows kesler connection broke but happier to see the new scoring line contributed.

[trankimuyen]

the split shouldn't be too long, kind of like when av split the sedins up.

frick and frack prevail, haha.

[Chioster]

The split is to get the other lines going. Especially considering Kesler and Burrows are 2 of our most consistent players. I liked the Demitra-Sundin-Kesler line. They generated chances because they each had a specific role on that line. Kesler was the forechecker who went in and created room for Demitra who was the perimeter and skilled guy on the line. Sundin was to create space by using his size. All of that created the 2 goals scored by that line yesterday.

The Burrows-Wellwood-Burrows line played well too with the same type of tactics used. Bernier was the size out there to create space and he has some sick forechecking skills. He was one guy last year considered "Lazy" on the SJ lineup which resulted in being benched and doghoused by Ron Wilson many times but he has turned it around and is one of our hardest workers this year. Wellwood was the skill and Burrows was the heavy grit and forechecker with Bernier.

Pyatt has finally came along again and has become a presence. He is creating space for the Sedins on the cycle and has even contributed to the cycle. He seem to have improved his cycle game too.

Hansen, boy what a guy we have. At times, he seem like the weakest link on the team, especially when he was sent down to the moose for 2 games but last night. He was easily one of our top forwards. He blocked 4-5 shots on the PP and they were rockets too from Corvo.