Pre-Game Talk: Round 1 Series Thread: Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames

[Pip]

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.

The Sedin line or the Bonino line (with Higgins obviously).

 

[Angry Little Elf]

Calgary reminds me of last year's Avs. Overachieving and advanced stats aren't exactly in their favour.

 

[dwarf]

I am a big Miller supporter, but after tonight's game it is obvious he is not ready to battle in the playoffs.

Lack should start, and lets hope the Canucks don't leave him to his own devices for the first 20 minutes of the game.

 

[Frank Garrett]

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.

Amen to this.

 

[Intangibos]

Argh, I wish I had a job. Tickets are like 110$ on stubhub and I haven't been to a game since like 2001 or something, if not earlier.

 

[Alexistheman]

dream scenario:
canucks beat flames
canucks beat jets
canucks beat blues
canucks beat sens

If we're going all the way i want to beat the Ducks and watch Kes sit on the ice crying.

 

[Get North]

Hughson, Simpson and Oake doing the series.

 

[PG Canuck]

Anyone concerned the team will have a slow atart at home? Ian McIntyre is concerned.

If this team has any sort of a pulse, they'll be just as excited as any other fan for this playoff game. One year from the playoffs has sure opened our eyes to how much everyone loves being here. This team has people to prove wrong still, from what happened last year.

 

[PG Canuck]

Hughson, Simpson and Oake doing the series.

Perfect.

 

[timw33]

Fuuuugg I'll be down in New Orleans for Game 4/5/6

 

[Diogenes92]

Hughson, Simpson and Oake doing the series.

Meh. Not a big fan of Hughson. But as long as the Canucks are in the playoffs he will be doing their games so I'll have to deal with it.

 

[Vancouver_2010]

Meh. Not a big fan of Hughson. But as long as the Canucks are in the playoffs he will be doing their games so I'll have to deal with it.

he is a big canuck homer, how can you not like him?

 

[y2kcanucks]

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.

I would. I know Hudler has experience, but I believe Monahan is the guy you need to shut down to shut down their offense. Use the Sedins experience against him.

 

[VanCanucks53]

Tickets are so much cheaper and way easier to get in Vancouver compared to Calgary where they are next to impossible to get

The one year I'm not there. This sucks.

 

[carolinacanuck]

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?

don't forget the carolinas

i'll be staying up til well past midnight, possibly longer if the games go into OT. i'll also be the only one down here rockin' the canucks car flag.

 

[vanuck]

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.

Will be watching for these things too. Particularly the bolded.

Also wouldn't mind either one of Bonino or Henrik matching up against Monahan. Avoid putting Sbisa against them as much as possible...

 

[vanuck]

Great stats. The game we lost 1-0, we utterly dominated every facet of that game and hit 4-5 posts. Should have been 5-6 goal win.

Yeah, the ability to control play at 5 on 5 has definitely been in the Canucks' favour this season against CGY. It's probably their biggest edge and where we'll see the most impact.

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.

They've blessed them with the 3rd highest SH% in the league at 5v5 this year. It won't continue forever - yes, unsustainable! - but it'll be interesting to see how much that luck keeps up for however long their playoff run goes.

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.

Feel the same. Hopefully our edge in territorial play is enough to mitigate any instances where we're being outcoached but it's hard to say what we'll see...

 

[carolinacanuck]

Tickets are so much cheaper and way easier to get in Vancouver compared to Calgary where they are next to impossible to get

The one year I'm not there. This sucks.

oh oh, maybe the canucks should pull a nashville or tampa bay and not allow any seats to be sold to out-of-towners. and no calgary jersey's in certain sections

whaddya think the fan split percentage will be in vancouver?

90-10 in favor of canucks? maybe 85-15?

 

[polarbearcub]

oh oh, maybe the canucks should pull a nashville or tampa bay and not allow any seats to be sold to out-of-towners. and no calgary jersey's in certain sections

whaddya think the fan split percentage will be in vancouver?

90-10 in favor of canucks? maybe 85-15?

Yeah I'm actually worried about how many calgary fans that will be in the arena since it's so easy to get tickets.

 

[Love]

Yeah I'm actually worried about how many calgary fans that will be in the arena since it's so easy to get tickets.

Really? I tried to get tickets and I could only find them wayyy at the very top behind the net.

 

[Samzilla]

is it wednesday yet?

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Really? I tried to get tickets and I could only find them wayyy at the very top behind the net.

That spot has some great view.

 

[Canucks LB]

Sven sent down, must mean that richardson AND kassian are healthy

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Sven sent down, must mean that richardson AND kassian are healthy

2 goal game. Ok Sven you did great and all and would likely light up your former team but you have to go back to the Comets even though you deserve to be here. Ah well. Hopefully that means what you said is true.

I just hope that Kassian is healthy. Because if there still both injured and they decide to start Matthias and McMillan over Baertschi I'm going to be pissed.

 

[Jyrki21]

I doubt Bärtschi would have even seen the ice if he stayed up, so I'd rather he be in Utica. Would love if Richardson/Kassian are ready, but I fully expect WD to bench Kassian even if healthy.