Pre-Game Talk: Canucks @ Sharks 7pm Dec 30th. SNET.

[The Stig]

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[IntangiBo]

Crappiest road game city I've ever been to, including Edmonton. If you wondered where dumps took their garbage, it's San Jose.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

On that cheery note, go Canucks.

 

[Taelin]

That dancing dude is amazing.

 

[Saturated Fats]

Important game is important. We all know how we tend to play at the Shark Tank. Just cross your fingers that SJ saves there scoring for the 61st minute again?

 

[Samzilla]

can we just turn back the clock to 2011, please?

 

[The Stig]

Btw, people wondering if those are actually our lines....I dunno. I'm not switching all those pictures around.

 

[EpochLink]

Crappiest road game city I've ever been to, including Edmonton. If you wondered where dumps took their garbage, it's San Jose.

LOL what the heck!?

I've been to San Francisco and Oakland, glamour city and murder capital of America

 

[alternate]

I'd like to see Desjardin shuffle the lines a bit, especially the first one.

Find a way to get at least a point from a game in California and I'm happy.

 

[Orca Smash]

I'd like to see Desjardin shuffle the lines a bit, especially the first one.

Find a way to get at least a point from a game in California and I'm happy.

Sounds like you may get your wish.

Head coach Willie Desjardins knows some are viewing this three-game stretch against the three formidable California teams (the Canucks return home to face the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night) as some kind of test for his team.

He’s not buying it.

“Every time we go somewhere it seems like they are saying this is a test,” Desjardins said Monday. “We approach every game as if we have to find a way to get points in those games and we know these are good teams. Last night was a tough game and we know San Jose played us real tough last time we played them.

“We have to play better than we did last night against San Jose but you know, I could look at our next 10 games and they are all tests. Anyways, we have a real tough stretch and we just have to try and find ways every night we play to come out with points. That is our challenge.”

Desjardins does not like to tip his hand in public, but you get the sense that he is at least contemplating some major-league tinkering with his lines.

Derek Dorsett’s cameo as a second-liner is likely over. Jannik Hansen could move up to play with the struggling Nick Bonino and Chris Higgins against the Sharks.

Desjardins did acknowledge he has considered breaking up his top line of Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Radim Vrbata. That trio has been guilty of playing too much on the perimeter and Desjardins thinks a net-front presence may be needed.

“They haven’t been great,” Desjardins said. “They haven’t been as good as they were at the start of the year, for sure, and that is something we have to look at as well. We need something out of all our lines.

“It’s funny because one day we are all talking about the depth and how everybody is scoring and the next day we are talking about how the lines aren’t going good. It just indicates really how hard the league is. It’s a tough league and I think both answers are right. It’s good we are getting scoring out of everybody, but sometimes we may have to look at tweaking the lines a little bit.”

The team did not do any line rushes during Monday’s practice, but Desjardins said if he was to make a change to his top line he’d probably move Alex Burrows up to play with the Sedins. That would likely result in Vrbata playing with Bonino and either Higgins or Hansen.

“If I decide to do something that is probably where I’ll go,” Desjardins said.

 

[wonton15]

Sounds like you may get your wish.

I would like to see that happen actually

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Bonino Vrbata
Matthias Richardson Vey
Dorsett Horvat Hansen

 

[Orca Smash]

Will be interesting to see if kassian is ready will vey or horvat come out.

 

[Scurr]

Will be interesting to see if kassian is ready will vey or horvat come out.

I don't see how you can take Vey out for Kassian right now… he's playing better than Kass has all season and is one of the few forwards that has had it going recently.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I would like to see that happen actually

Sedin Sedin Burrows
Higgins Bonino Vrbata
Matthias Richardson Vey
Dorsett Horvat Hansen

That's what I'd like to see as well. See if Vrbata can jump-start Bonino, while Burrows gets some net presence for the Twins.

Would love to end the Sharks' perfect record at home for the month. Miller's going to have to be sharp, though, methinks.

 

[DL44]

Crappiest road game city I've ever been to, including Edmonton. If you wondered where dumps took their garbage, it's San Jose.

I lived there for 3.5 yrs... And i never had that impression. San Jose is as clean a city as you'll find.

Now if you travel to the east bay on the other hand... or up to San Mateo.. or to the south... bleaaaah...

But from Palo Alto to SJ downtown, its allll good... rich, clean, safe (cops galore)...

Unless you are referring to the nightlife... then yeah... it's a little dead. But if you do a little research there are a couple canadian bars we used to frequent for hockey games about 10 yrs ago... one of them was Mission Ale... wonder if it's still around.

There were some great pics circulating when Van was playing SJ of the bars hosting canadians being filled with Canuck jerseys. There were A LOT of us canadians going to school in the area and we knew the places to go to watch a game and have a blast...

 

[polarbearcub]

Good. Moving burrows up with the twins is long over due.

 

[IntangiBo]

I lived there for 3.5 yrs... And i never had that impression. San Jose is as clean a city as you'll find.

Now if you travel to the east bay on the other hand... or up to San Mateo.. or to the south... bleaaaah...

But from Palo Alto to SJ downtown, its allll good... rich, clean, safe (cops galore)...

Unless you are referring to the nightlife... then yeah... it's a little dead. But if you do a little research there are a couple canadian bars we used to frequent for hockey games about 10 yrs ago... one of them was Mission Ale... wonder if it's still around.

There were some great pics circulating when Van was playing SJ of the bars hosting canadians being filled with Canuck jerseys. There were A LOT of us canadians going to school in the area and we knew the places to go to watch a game and have a blast...

I was there for 2011 playoffs and 2013. The Old Wagon was certainly a big Canucks hangout. Perhaps it was the winning in '13 that turned up Shark fan bravado, but I've never heard so much tough guy TALK in my life. That includes Granville Street on Mar 17. TBF I guess, a few fans apologized for the masses.

Not a place I'd return to.

 

[DL44]

Will be interesting to see if kassian is ready will vey or horvat come out.

My expectation at the moment is it will be for Horvat.

Nothing wrong with him watching a few. He just has very little going on offensively at this stage... He's playing tentative - as is to be expected considering the role he's in.

But i would love to see him try Something ultra aggressive.. take a chance..
It's like that one time he had that big turnover trying to stick handle coming of the zone vs (i think) Ana early in the season has squashed the offensive risk outta him...

He's playing well defensively tho.. good positionally... even has earned some PK time whenever Richardson is in the box... but....

 

[DL44]

I was there for 2011 playoffs and 2013. The Old Wagon was certainly a big Canucks hangout. Perhaps it was the winning in '13 that turned up Shark fan bravado, but I've never heard so much tough guy TALK in my life. That includes Granville Street on Mar 17. TBF I guess, a few fans apologized for the masses.

Not a place I'd return to.

I could see that...

The Raiders were my favorite team growing up.... till I moved to the Bay Area and had to live around Raider fan... Most aggressive group of yahoo wannabe thugs - like straight outta the movies... but now i digress..

But in terms of Shark fans... i was there from 2000-2003 - while the Sharks were nothing still... so the local hockey fans we coerced with were innately humble still...

(2002 Olympics in San Jose was a highlight tho...)

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

 

[ItsAllPartOfThePlan]

My expectation at the moment is it will be for Horvat.

Nothing wrong with him watching a few. He just has very little going on offensively at this stage... He's playing tentative - as is to be expected considering the role he's in.

But i would love to see him try Something ultra aggressive.. take a chance..
It's like that one time he had that big turnover trying to stick handle coming of the zone vs (i think) Ana early in the season has squashed the offensive risk outta him...

He's playing well defensively tho.. good positionally... even has earned some PK time whenever Richardson is in the box... but....

Who takes the 4th line center position though? Mathias and Richardson have been playing well together. Vey could do it, but I like him better on the wing.

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Conflicting reports...

 

[DL44]

Who takes the 4th line center position though? Mathias and Richardson have been playing well together. Vey could do it, but I like him better on the wing.

I guess it depends on what Willie is doing with his other lines...

Sans Horvat:
He could go standard:
22-33-17
20-13-14
27-15-9
51-7-36

Or Retro:
22-33-14
20-13-17
27-15-9
51-7-36

Shuffle:
22-33-17
36-13-14
27-15-9
51-7-20

Blender:
22-33-14
36-13-17
20-15-9
27-7-51

 

[alternate]

I'd like to see Vey back at center. I feel long term that will be his position. Wouldnt mind seeing him tried with Vrbata...the Killer Vees.

When Kass is back, assuming Bo sits:

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Vrbata-Vey-Kassian
Higgins-Bonino-Hansen
Matthias-Richardson-Dorsett

Whatever the line ups tonight, hoping Miller keeps up his solid play and the rest of the team has their legs.

 

[polarbearcub]

Got a good feeling about this one for some reason.