Post-Game Talk: GM 1: Sharks def. Canucks 3-1 - Lead series 1-0

[DomY]

Too much tinkering. Go with what works.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Roy Kesler
Raymond Lapierre Hansen
Weise Ebbett* Kassian

*Ebbett taking the odd shift, but will mostly be Kesler, Lapierre or Sedin double shifting here.

The Raymond-Roy-Hansen line truly dominated the Pavelski line. Thornton line was neutralized by the Kesler line. Couture line just happened to get loose for one. I think with the above combinations, the Lapierre line can succeed against Pavelski, and we can pot a few at the expense of Thornton, Burns and Galiardi.

 

[Vankiller Whale]

Too much tinkering. Go with what works.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Roy Kesler
Raymond Lapierre Hansen
Weise Ebbett* Kassian

*Ebbett taking the odd shift, but will mostly be Kesler, Lapierre or Sedin double shifting here.

The Raymond-Roy-Hansen line truly dominated the Pavelski line. Thornton line was neutralized by the Kesler line. Couture line just happened to get loose for one. I think with the above combinations, the Lapierre line can succeed against Pavelski, and we can pot a few at the expense of Thornton, Burns and Galiardi.

This, and when Schroeder is healthy he bumps Lapierre down and Ebbett out of the lineup.

 

[Orca Smash]

The province writers keep going on about kesler looking like he was laboring and couldnt push off the right skate, and had no speed, did anyone else notice this? I did not.

 

[stickside]

The province writers keep going on about kesler looking like he was laboring and couldnt push off the right skate, and had no speed, did anyone else notice this? I did not.

i didn't notice it either. and if it was a lower body injury affecting his skating, why was he seen with an ice pack on his neck at the bench?

my guess is he had some sort of stomache bug/flu-like symptoms. that might explain his lack of get-up-and-go?

 

[crazyforhockey]

Apparently he was fighting the flu

Dan on tsn was quoting Farlan sp?

 

[Tiranis]

His mechanics were fine. Plus he played a ridiculous amount on the PK and constantly blocked shots. If he was actually injured then they would at least limit his PK time. Looked like a fever/flu to me. Should be fine for Friday.

 

[Orca Smash]

i didn't notice it either. and if it was a lower body injury affecting his skating, why was he seen with an ice pack on his neck at the bench?

my guess is he had some sort of stomache bug/flu-like symptoms. that might explain his lack of get-up-and-go?

Yea thats what I think and what I seen reported to, but kuzma, Gallagher, keep writing these articles they dont think he was sick because he was laboring, couldnt push off his right skate.... I see macintyre just created an article on kesler somehow claiming he thought his hip was bothering him, but that he was also just sick....

The sick thing makes way more sense, I just dont get why they keep insisting he was laboring so badly and unable to push off his right skate. Nobody seems to have seen this except them.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Too much tinkering. Go with what works.

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Roy Kesler
Raymond Lapierre Hansen
Weise Ebbett* Kassian

*Ebbett taking the odd shift, but will mostly be Kesler, Lapierre or Sedin double shifting here.

The Raymond-Roy-Hansen line truly dominated the Pavelski line. Thornton line was neutralized by the Kesler line. Couture line just happened to get loose for one. I think with the above combinations, the Lapierre line can succeed against Pavelski, and we can pot a few at the expense of Thornton, Burns and Galiardi.

This. I'm not thrilled about Laps on the third line but we might as well risk it to get some offense going. If AV is insistent on three centres deep, then at least go:

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian
Higgins - Roy - Raymond
Burrows - Kesler - Hansen

That way we're at least guaranteed something will gel instead of the failure we have now. I'd prefer to loading up the second line though. If there is one thing MayRay can do, it's play decent defense. So I am less concerned with him paired up with Hansen and Lapierre.

 

[stickside]

Yea thats what I think and what I seen reported to, but kuzma, Gallagher, keep writing these articles they dont think he was sick because he was laboring, couldnt push off his right skate.... I see macintyre just created an article on kesler somehow claiming he thought his hip was bothering him, but that he was also just sick....

The sick thing makes way more sense, I just dont get why they keep insisting he was laboring so badly and unable to push off his right skate. Nobody seems to have seen this except them.

Macintyre, Gallagher, Kuzma are purely speculating. By sitting in the press box, they think they have more insight into player injuries than average fans do. I can see them all sitting on press row commenting to each other on Kesler's play, and reviewing Kesler stats, and before you know it they're sending out tweets because they somehow think they saw something in Kesler's play that wasn't adding up.

It's just hilarious that many fans on these boards surmised Kesler has flu-like symptoms based on his actions on the bench...doubled over, icebag on neck, talking about saving energy as the reason why he skipped the morning skate.

imo, that doesn't sound like a lower body injury at all. i think kesler coming out of the room with a wrap on his arm was more of a smoke screen to the press too.

but hey, it's the playoffs and we all know AV is closely guarded with injuries (see C. Schneider).

maybe we're all wrong, maybe he just ate too much raw meat before the game.

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

It better be the flu. It would explain Kesler missing the optional skate, the Sedins playing like crap, everyone bobbling the puck, and Schnieder not playing at all. Just hope they shake it off quickly, and that it hits the Sharks soon.

 

[PhilMick]

Have you guys heard about this Brent Burns guy? From what I gather, he used to play defense, but has moved up to play wing. Fascinating stuff. I'll tell you again in five minutes.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Have you guys heard about this Brent Burns guy? From what I gather, he used to play defense, but has moved up to play wing. Fascinating stuff. I'll tell you again in five minutes.

Next we'll here about Reinhart again!

 

[Proto]

Don't really care what anyone says -- seeing Weise out there with Kesler with the third was just everything I can't stand about AV. Weise had an okay 4th line game (some nice hits, a dumb penalty, but solid), but really?

Also love that the lineup always changes around for Game 1 of the playoffs every year.

 

[y2kcanucks]

It better be the flu. It would explain Kesler missing the optional skate, the Sedins playing like crap, everyone bobbling the puck, and Schnieder not playing at all. Just hope they shake it off quickly, and that it hits the Sharks soon.

So Kesler having a stomach flu somehow explains the Sedins playing like crap?

What is it, has this team had the flu for the past two years? I really wish people would stop making excuses for this teams repeated failure. It is what it is. We lost because our offense isn't good enough. Lets hope our GM gets his head out of his ass this year and actually addresses it. I'm still fuming over him saying that he thinks our offense is fine at last years State of the Franchise.

 

[Proto]

Canucks also underplayed Hamhuis and Garrison and overplayed their third pairing. AV's doing that ego thing where he's gameplanning for round 3 already (manage icetime!) instead of trying to win games. You can rest if you win the series in 5 or 6, guys.

 

[EpochLink]

Lines were a mess, gameplan was all fail.

Fix it for game 2

 

[ItsAllPartOfThePlan]

So Kesler having a stomach flu somehow explains the Sedins playing like crap?

What is it, has this team had the flu for the past two years? I really wish people would stop making excuses for this teams repeated failure. It is what it is. We lost because our offense isn't good enough. Lets hope our GM gets his head out of his ass this year and actually addresses it. I'm still fuming over him saying that he thinks our offense is fine at last years State of the Franchise.

He obviously does think it is fine or he would not have got Roy or gone hard after Clowe.

But I do agree with you, the team (except for Luongo) sucked that as a whole that game.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Game 2, quite simply is now a must-win game. Unless you think we can waltz into SJ and take two against one of the best home teams in the NHL, we need to win game 2. Going down 0-2 wouldn't give me any confidence that game 5 would be played.

 

[Jack Tripper]

just finished watching the game...that third period really ****** me off

team had no right to act so deflated after the 2-1 goal and especially the 3-1 goal...it was as though the team, like the fans, has seen that picture so many times before that they know how it's going to end and feel like they might as well pack it in and try again next game

as far as the rest of the game, the only positive i'm clinging to is that you know core players have more to give and hopefully they can overcome the inept personnel and strategic decisions of the coaching staff through intensity and effort

but yeah, what a downer...seen this play out so many times with this group in the past that i can't just go with the 'it's only 1 game' cliche, especially when you look at the collective futility of the last 5 home playoff games and the poor possession numbers in the 2nd half of this season

 

[ItsAllPartOfThePlan]

It better be the flu. It would explain Kesler missing the optional skate, the Sedins playing like crap, everyone bobbling the puck, and Schnieder not playing at all. Just hope they shake it off quickly, and that it hits the Sharks soon.

It is funny how the "flu" comes up everytime the team shows up flat in the playoffs. In 2011, we had the "flu" as Chicago clawed it's way back from the 3-0 deficit. Against Anaheim, we had that same flu. Last year, i'm sure it was probably brought up as well. maybe FLU is an acronym.

 

[PhilMick]

I made this:

 

[MrShift4]

Recommendation to the Canucks: Play more than just 10-15 minutes in a game!!


It is no coincidence that the GWG was scored when Bowness started playing with D pairings. Idjit!

 

[Carl Carlson]

I don't have a good feeling about this series. We just look uninspired. We have the on ice talent to win this but I question if the desire is truly there. If the same performance happens in Game 2 the series is pretty much done IMO.

 

[PhilMick]

I don't have a good feeling about this series. We just look uninspired. We have the on ice talent to win this but I question if the desire is truly there. If the same performance happens in Game 2 the series is pretty much done IMO.

Truth. I went to bed after the second because I'd seen that **** before and I knew how it would end.

 

[stickside]

I think these boards and the local newspapers are a pretty good reason why some players don't read the papers during playoffs.

Highs are too high and the lows are too low.