Nuck Bonino
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- May 10, 2011
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Pre-Game Talk: Round 1 Series Thread: Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames
- Thread starter Baby Pettersson
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RandV
It's a wolf v2.0
Vancouver had a brief period as media darlings, when coming out of our funk at the turn of the millennium. Then Dan Cloutier lets in a goal from center ice in a series we had no business being in anyways and we got labeled as playoff chokers. Like the sorry kid on the playground doing one dumb thing and earns an embarrassing nickname, it never went away.
polarbearcub
Registered User
Personally, not really.
We've enough youth in our line-up to inject that DESPERATELY needed youthful energy, and I think our veteran core will have a chip on their collective shoulders this year to show up and kick ass from game 1.
I haven't been this excited since 2011.
Shareefruck
Registered User
I would still go with Higgins over Baertschi in the playoffs until more players get injured.
Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Higgins - Bonino - Vrbata
Kenins - Horvat - Hansen
Dorsett - Matthias - Kassian
Baertschi in if Kassian isn't ready.
I'd deploy the Horvat line against the Flames top line-- It's a little bit risky, as recently they have been prone to defensive mistakes, but I have the feeling they can turn it up and neutralize them, they have the speed to keep up with them, have physicality/strength that they might have trouble with going the other way, and Kenins might just land a big one on Gaudreau. It also frees up the top two lines to have crazy mismatches. And Horvat's our best faceoff guy. I'm also more comfortable giving them this type of pressure rather than pressure to score.
It's a challenge that really gives them incentive to play the way we know they're capable of playing.
Sedin - Sedin - Burrows
Higgins - Bonino - Vrbata
Kenins - Horvat - Hansen
Dorsett - Matthias - Kassian
Baertschi in if Kassian isn't ready.
I'd deploy the Horvat line against the Flames top line-- It's a little bit risky, as recently they have been prone to defensive mistakes, but I have the feeling they can turn it up and neutralize them, they have the speed to keep up with them, have physicality/strength that they might have trouble with going the other way, and Kenins might just land a big one on Gaudreau. It also frees up the top two lines to have crazy mismatches. And Horvat's our best faceoff guy. I'm also more comfortable giving them this type of pressure rather than pressure to score.
It's a challenge that really gives them incentive to play the way we know they're capable of playing.
Bad News Benning
Fallin for Dahlin?
So happy with the 7pm starts. none of this 5 pm ******** for the "eastern audience" in a game between two western teams.
The Horvatian One
228 LBS of Pain
- Aug 22, 2010
- 2,372
- 1
There are a lot more out here from Vancouver than you think. So no it's not really '********'. We have lives too...
But hey, thanks of thinking of us. As if Canucks fans are only in Vancouver...
crazychimp
Registered User
Sick! I might drive down to Calgary for Game 6 after my finals (if it happens!!)
Samzilla
Prust & Dorsett are
- Apr 2, 2011
- 15,297
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I really think we can win this series, but there are still things that need to be worked on:
-sloppy line changes that lead to odd man rushes/breakaways
-sloppy line changes that result in too many men penalties
-line matching (like when playing anaheim at home, why was vey out multiple times against getzlaf?!?)
-with the sedins kept fresh by rolling 4 lines all season long, maybe shorten the bench a bit now and lean on our best players more in the playoffs
-i'm not saying cut 4th line minutes down to 4 or 5, but y'know, don't play dorsett more than daniel sedin
@shareefruck: agree that I'd like to see horvat against gaudreau-monahan-hudler some of the time, but mostly i'd like the sedins out there. the monahan line isn't a great possession line, and the sedins are. if we can keep the puck 200 ft from our own net more often than not when the monahan line is on the ice, that'd be huge.
-sloppy line changes that lead to odd man rushes/breakaways
-sloppy line changes that result in too many men penalties
-line matching (like when playing anaheim at home, why was vey out multiple times against getzlaf?!?)
-with the sedins kept fresh by rolling 4 lines all season long, maybe shorten the bench a bit now and lean on our best players more in the playoffs
-i'm not saying cut 4th line minutes down to 4 or 5, but y'know, don't play dorsett more than daniel sedin
@shareefruck: agree that I'd like to see horvat against gaudreau-monahan-hudler some of the time, but mostly i'd like the sedins out there. the monahan line isn't a great possession line, and the sedins are. if we can keep the puck 200 ft from our own net more often than not when the monahan line is on the ice, that'd be huge.
i wonder how willie will demploy his line matching especially on the road. plus at home hopefully no sbieska against the monahan line.
Coaching is about the only thing Calgary has an advantage in. Hartley could school Willie in some cases, but I think the Canucks have the talent to overcome that. Bigger issue would be in a 7 gamer against a team like Chicago.
Nuck Bonino
Registered User
- May 10, 2011
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I feel like this series is going to be like that 2008-2009 series against the Kings. Expecting the Flames to have horseshoes up their ass on the PP but expecting the Sedins to beast it and lead us to victory in 6.
polarbearcub
Registered User
WTG
December 5th
Sedins are going to have a field day. Trust me.
If the whistles get tucked away this series it's going to be a quick one.
If the whistles get tucked away this series it's going to be a quick one.
Hartley does have a cup, but i dont know if coaching is that much different, they seem to both be player coaches and motivators, guys like sutter or av are more x's and o's coaches.
My biggest concern is the flames x factor or whatever we want to call it that they have where despite stats, the roster, ect... they win and prove people wrong. Someone said the other day the hockey gods have blessed them this year.
Shareefruck
Registered User
They're both good options-- I'm a little worried that playing the Sedins against them would neutralize each other and the other two lines wouldn't have as big of an advantage. I just really like the idea of the Horvat line giving them fits while keeping up with them and hemming them in their own zone while also freeing up our two most offensively gifted lines to feast on their bottom 9.
I definitely think matching the Bonino-Vrbata line up against them would be a huge mistake. With Bonino's lack of speed potentially burning them and that line playing a bit like a far weaker version of the Gaudreau line, it would just be a complete waste of their offensive ability.
Bad News Benning
Fallin for Dahlin?
meh I just get the impression that most Canadian viewers outside of bc would only be watching in the hopes we lose. I'd rather not sacrifice our game times for all the haters out there. I know the real canuck fans outside of BC will be staying up to watch no matter how late the game is. I know we have canuck fans across Canada but I appreciate being to come home and make dinner before the game starts. Do you know how hard it is to come up with excuses to leave work early when they follow hockey and know exactly what's going on?
polarbearcub
Registered User
Lol the last part Is so true. In 2011 I got last minute tickets given to me for game 1 of the finals, I was so jacked I just told my boss " I'm leaving early for the game "
Billy Kvcmu
Registered User
Jack Tripper
Vey Falls Down
team missed the playoffs last season and has lost 10 of their last 11 playoff games
if that doesn't motivate the canucks to come out strong in game 1 against the flames then nothing else will
So do we play the Sedins against the Monahan line? Gonna be hard for the kids to score when they don't have the puck.
Bad News Benning
Fallin for Dahlin?
yeah the rookie head coach stuff is silly. He's been coaching a billion years and done everything at the junior and AHL level. He won AHL coach of the year and an AHL championship. Two guys with similar resumes lately would be Boucher and Cooper. Boucher had 103 points in his 1st season and made it to the conference finals. Cooper had 101 points in his 1st full season and lost in the 1st round ( mainly because Bishop was injured). We could lose in the 1st round or we could make it to the conference finals if Lack stands on his hand...who knows. He definitely has the respect of the players and they all want to play for him. If we lose in the playoffs it's because our roster just isn't good enough. I don't know if you could squeeze anything more out of this roster than Willie has this season.
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