Most of the third kept thinking - OLD AND SLOW vs YOUNG AND FAST. Not totally true but beginning of the third Canucks were helpless. Team can get nothing off the rush.
Canuck's poor thirds may, in part , be explained by other teams adjusting to how Canucks come out of their zone. Hurricanes moved the defense up to the middle of our zone to cut off passes through the middle and forced the Canucks into trying to force it out along the boards.
Good
Hoglander - one player that had the quickness to force mistakes out of Carolina. Needs to produce more out of his efforts but probably best of forwards
Not Good
Schenn - way too slow. Again reduced to trying to just get puck out. Rarely got beyond the center line in this game.
Horvat - after a couple of good effort again gone AWOL. Accomplished very little other than the assist. In the general run of the play looked agonizingly slow.
OEL - ditto Horvat. Looking very mediocre.
Garland - maybe worst game of the season. Looked lost at times and hasn't really been the same since his benching.
Mikheyev - put in a position to do something but didn't. Needs to bear down on his chances. Has never got in sync with any of his line-mates throughout the season. Both he and Kuzmeko still trying to find their way.
Others
Miller - have to give him credit for scoring but still lugging in his skating and not adequate in his play making.
Rathbone - just shy of having the quickness to pull away from his check and get open ice. Is showing a little more quickness in his puck movement and not taking the extra step with the puck and getting into trouble. Biggest need remains the development of bigger area of coverage in his end and especially around his net. Him and Burroughs were get pushed back in their zone by the Hurricane speed and then having to battle around the front of the net and Rathbone was the main problem here. Yet, think this game was a positive step for Rathbone and he needs to be left in the lineup so he can work on his deficiencies
Brisebois - ok overall. Played it simple and mainly kept out of trouble.
Pearson - looked better playing a bump and grind game on the 4th line. Probably where he should be.
Canucks are about as far from being a contender as a team can be, given the contract situation, the prospect situation and the quality of the present roster, Ugliest of times for any franchise. Any lingering willingness of people to down play the absolute abysmal running of the team during the Benning years is beyond pathetic. Hopefully these people have the marbles to realize how wrong they were.
Canuck's poor thirds may, in part , be explained by other teams adjusting to how Canucks come out of their zone. Hurricanes moved the defense up to the middle of our zone to cut off passes through the middle and forced the Canucks into trying to force it out along the boards.
Good
Hoglander - one player that had the quickness to force mistakes out of Carolina. Needs to produce more out of his efforts but probably best of forwards
Not Good
Schenn - way too slow. Again reduced to trying to just get puck out. Rarely got beyond the center line in this game.
Horvat - after a couple of good effort again gone AWOL. Accomplished very little other than the assist. In the general run of the play looked agonizingly slow.
OEL - ditto Horvat. Looking very mediocre.
Garland - maybe worst game of the season. Looked lost at times and hasn't really been the same since his benching.
Mikheyev - put in a position to do something but didn't. Needs to bear down on his chances. Has never got in sync with any of his line-mates throughout the season. Both he and Kuzmeko still trying to find their way.
Others
Miller - have to give him credit for scoring but still lugging in his skating and not adequate in his play making.
Rathbone - just shy of having the quickness to pull away from his check and get open ice. Is showing a little more quickness in his puck movement and not taking the extra step with the puck and getting into trouble. Biggest need remains the development of bigger area of coverage in his end and especially around his net. Him and Burroughs were get pushed back in their zone by the Hurricane speed and then having to battle around the front of the net and Rathbone was the main problem here. Yet, think this game was a positive step for Rathbone and he needs to be left in the lineup so he can work on his deficiencies
Brisebois - ok overall. Played it simple and mainly kept out of trouble.
Pearson - looked better playing a bump and grind game on the 4th line. Probably where he should be.
Canucks are about as far from being a contender as a team can be, given the contract situation, the prospect situation and the quality of the present roster, Ugliest of times for any franchise. Any lingering willingness of people to down play the absolute abysmal running of the team during the Benning years is beyond pathetic. Hopefully these people have the marbles to realize how wrong they were.
