Post-Game Talk: Game #5: Vancouver Canucks 3 @ Dallas Stars 6

[John Bender*]

So we're back to scapegoating the goalie all the time? How about this team just isn't that good?

The team is no contender for the Western Conference title, but they did not play a bad game tonight. I know you are licking your lips at using this result as evidence that your sweeping assessment of the team as being a useless group has been proven, but you're wrong.

 

[ItsAllPartOfThePlan]

That Dallas PP is unreal. Moved the puck at will. Their defense nerds to be upgraded if the want to make some noise though

 

[Pip]

I beg the differ. Going down 5-0 after 32 minutes is getting curb stomped. How often do we see it happen where a team gets a huge lead like that and lets up? But if you want to take solace in the Canucks getting a bunch of shots after the game was over then be my guest. A bunch of people were ready to proclame this as a playoff team after we beat up on the Alberta teams. The Tampa game and the Dallas game should bring us back down to earth. If not, we got St. Louis coming up on Thursday.

The good news is, while we may not be in it for the stanley cup we can always win that coveted corsi cup.

Not that shots are the end all be all as we don't have the same quality of finishers as Dallas, but we did well in keeping up with shots throughout the game. It wasn't simply getting shots after the game was decided

 

[iFan]

Bonino and Vey are looking like bad pickups... Look like a useless pickup tbh, we have enough 3rd liners here.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

We also have a finisher that is ready to take the step up to the NHL IMO... Jensen

 

[John Bender*]

The game was closer than the scoreboard indicated, but we were clearly the second best team on the ice.

If we get better goaltending and the Stars don't get some massive bounces, we have a chance to win the game. Period.

 

[Pip]

Bonino and Vey are looking like bad pickups... Look like a useless pickup tbh, we have enough 3rd liners here.

People clamouring for young guys to be in the lineup every year yet comments come out like this about a rookie who in fact looked pretty decent tonight.

 

[John Bender*]

Not that shots are the end all be all as we don't have the same quality of finishers as Dallas, but we did well in keeping up with shots throughout the game. It wasn't simply getting shots after the game was decided

Exactly.

 

[John Bender*]

People clamouring for young guys to be in the lineup every year yet comments come out like this about a rookie who in fact looked pretty decent tonight.

Agreed again. Like Vey tonight. The guy can't win - does not show up to play, he's a bust. Shows up to play? The other team quit trying - he's a bust.



Will be interesting to see Horvat get his 9 games, but I don't know where they slot Jensen in. Maybe you take Hansen out for him?

 

[684]

People clamouring for young guys to be in the lineup every year yet comments come out like this about a rookie who in fact looked pretty decent tonight.

I agree, Vey looked alright tonight. Bonino needs to win more faceoffs but then again, so does the rest of the team. Hopefully Horvat can do something about that.

 

[PM]

I think the shots on goal are a bit misleading. Once it was 5-0 Dallas clearly let up and coasted till the end. They were not playing with nearly as much pressure in the second half of the game as they were in the first. And if you listen to Willie's post-game interview he basically agrees. He sounded pretty pissed and I can't say I blame him.

 

[iFan]

If we get better goaltending and the Stars don't get some massive bounces, we have a chance to win the game. Period.

I caught the 2nd and 3rd... Dallas D sucks but we didn't have much of a chance to win, this team isn't that good, fans overrate the team we have and have so for a few season. I think some have a hard time dealing with the reality we went from one of the elites to one of the bad teams, it's almost unnatural with how fast we dived into this spot so I can understand it.

 

[Pip]

Agreed again.

Occasionally the voices in my head tell me some half decent things

 

[Drop the Sopel]

Would love to see a video collection of scoring chances for and against in the 1st period. Can't remember any point in that game where it seemed like the Stars were clearly the more dangerous team.

Curious what Willie Desjardins has to say about that 1st period.

Because Lindy Ruff did not look happy with his team. Never seen a coach that pissed when his team is blowing the other out...

 

[John Bender*]

Occasionally the voices in my head tell me some half decent things

Just don't change your nick to Berkowitz and all is well.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Last season they took a lot of shots on net from the outside, but couldn't move the puck through the middle of the ice or penetrate the slot area. I questioned the Canucks Cori numbers last season because so few of their shots appeared to be scoring chances.

This season, it's different IMO. The skillevel is higher, allowing for quick puck movement - and most importantly, puck movement through the middle of the ice and into high percentage shooting areas.

Could be wrong, but to my eye, this Canuck team looks much more difficult to defend.

I love you, DtS. You are consistently the most optimistic guy here, and quite often it is refreshing. However, IMO, you misrepresent how you felt about last season's team, where you said many of the same sorts of things.

See this thread from exactly one year ago: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1520825&highlight=

The Canucks are 1 good bounce away from being 6-3-1. That would give them a winning percentage nearing elite status. Keep that in mind with this sample size.

They have also been better thus far than they were in both President's trophy winning seasons.

The backend looks excellent, the goaltending should at least be good and the forward group looks fast and solid defensively. The only issue is will the team score enough goals to once again be one of the best teams in the NHL. That remains to be seen.

Questioned our Corsi? Hardly.

See it the same way.
________________

Tortorella and Vigneault's team shot totals from this year and last-


Canucks under AV- 28.1 shots for/28.9 shots against = -0.8 shot differential
Rangers under Torts- 30.9 shots for/28.2 shots against = +2.7 shot differential

Canucks under Torts- 32.8 shots for/28.8 shots against = +4 shot differential
Rangers under AV- 27.6 shots for/31.4 shots against = -3.9 shot differential

Hard not to be optimistic about the current coaching staff and their system. Doesn't hurt either when you consider the Rangers had the 3rd best even strength goal differential in the NHL last season and currently sit comfortably in 30th.

I will stop as I don't want to pile on, but you can read through the thread. I am really not trying to be a jerk here -- I legitimately enjoy your optimism, but when you say the same sort of stuff every year and then talk about last year as if somehow you weren't saying the same things last year -- you lose some credibility, IMO.

Look, we've looked good this season and I am encouraged by our start. But we cannot deny that we looked very good to start last season and said the same sorts of things about "bad bounces" and that the Sedins looked like they were "back" (Henrik had 20 points thru 17 games, 13 game point streak.)

I am not going to get my hopes too far up for this group.

 

[Pip]

Was not impressed by the PK effort tonight, although Dallas had some great puck movement. Very hard to be that aggressive without getting burned.

 

[The Stig]

1000. Continue here.