In what I think could be a good feature for a Vancouver based sports blog is my thoughts on the week that was with our beloved Canucks. I'll try and get them in every Sunday night, or whenever else I feel like it. Away we go.
--- Gotta start with Alex Burrows. Dude kicks off the week with two straight hat-tricks, and while doing so boosts feeder extraordinaire Henrik Sedin into first place in NHL scoring, passing his way past Joe Thornton. Burrows' goals, however, are completely different that the ones Taylor Pyatt and Anson Carter were notching when they had their own respective time alongside the twins. Those two just buried Daniel's rebounds. Burrows is actually finishing passing plays and scoring goals on shots that Steve Bernier wouldn't even think of taking, even though Bernier was originally thought to be taylor-made to occupy that spot with the Swedes when Mike Gillis brought him in.
--- Those wins early in the week were obviously nice, but they didn't even come close to what we saw on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night against the Flames. Yes, they lost. Yes, Roberto Luongo got exposed in the shootout (even though an argument could be made that he hasn't had much practice in shootouts this season). And yes, the Canucks were badly outshot and outworked for the better part of the game. But hey, Luongo played like a Team Canada starter, and that's what they need from him to be successful. That's especially needed when Christian Ehrhoff and Alex Edler have to play 32 minutes a piece between the two of them. I don't mean to play what-ifs, but I can't help but think the presence of Sami Salo, if nothing else on the powerplay, could have changed this game.
--- I know this will be seen as blasphemy among Canucks circles, but Brandon Prust is sure taking offense to the league-wide notion of Rick Rypien being the undisputed middle-weight champion of the NHL. He went blow for blow with Rypien both times they tilted Saturday night. I'm gonna predict that these guys go at it a few more times before the season ends, or at least until someone picks up a unanimous decision. Of course, Rypien being who he is, and doing what he's been doing, begs the question of why Darcy Hordichuk is needed anymore. Especially when either Michael Grabner and/or Pavol Demitra make their respective returns. A positive from this? Hordichuk has a name for himself that can hold some weight in any trade talks, something that a Tanner Glass or a Jannik Hansen hasn't established. He could be a good throw in for anything at the trade deadline.
--- Let's give the laser pointer dude some love. All the guy wanted to do was to help the Canucks. He was probably wasted, and it didn't do anything anyways, so let's get off his back about it. It would have been pretty damn cool if it would have distracted Kiprusoff, too. I've never seen a goal get called off due to fan interference. Could the refs or the NHL do anything about it? Hopefully the guys has season tickets.
--- Wrapping it up, the Canucks can pull out a hell of a lot more positives than negatives from this week. Burrows and the Sedins are hitting the climax of their chemistry, and they pulled out a loser point in a game that they were outworked. They shut down Jarome Iginla in the process, which is no easy task, and they got Luongo to play like he might want some respect, being that many are speculating Marc-Andre Fleury to assume the number two spot on the Canadian roster in the Olympics. (I think the playoffs would have been embarassing if Luongo had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on his team). Other than that, if the Canucks can stay healthy during the upcoming homestand and tread water in the brutal roadtrip, they should be in good position to take the northwest division again.
All for now.
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