Post-Game Talk: Ryan Miller beats the Stanley Cup favorites 2-1

[Peen]

Prust was really bad today IMO. Was the player most behind the play physically.

Sbisa was actually... not out of place today.

 

[Ozone]

It's because Miller is playing like a 6m dollar goaltender. He did not play like this last year. When he won games last year, it was due to the overachieving offense early on who were outdoing his below average SV%.

I've always said, for Miller to technically be worth his contract, he needs to have top ten stats.

I'd be satisfied with top 15 stats.

He's been extremely impressive.

And let's keep in mind, this Miller is not the same Miller as last year. Last year he couldn't control rebounds properly, his lateral movement was virtually nonexistent, and he was struggling seeing the puck.

What he's doing is obviously unsustainable to this level, but again, if he can be a top fifteen goaltender, which is what Lack was last season, then I'm satisfied with Miller.

Good post.

My only difference, is I think he played well (although inconsistent) early on last year.

 

[Ozone]

If there was ever a perfect time to peel Virtanen off the bench...

It's tomorrow, against the Kings.

I'm going to pray to the hockey gods now.

 

[WTG]

I have a feeling as soon as Miller comes back down to earth we are going to suck so bad lol

 

[Ozone]

How many other teams have a 4th line they wouldn't stress about seeing vs the other team's top line for mins per game?

Love it.


Played a perfect road game in the first... Second was up and down... Third we bent but didn't break... And owed OT outside of the penalty...

Great road victory... And greatly decreases my anxiety for tomorrow's game... Hopefully not for the team tho...

Bring in Weber and Viratnen for fresh legs tomorrow...

I'm hoping "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't."

This deserves an edit: Hopefully, Weird Willy was conserving top line energy for tomorrow. ?

 

[me2]

I have a feeling as soon as Miller comes back down to earth we are going to suck so bad lol

last year the team carrier miller to his winning percentage. Hopefully he can keep returning the favour.

 

[PG Canuck]

I have a feeling as soon as Miller comes back down to earth we are going to suck so bad lol

Um, yeah. Which is why I'm not so hyped yet. We can't play like we have the last 2 out of 3 games. We can't expect Miller to play like this every game consistently. Holding on for dear life isn't a strategy that works, we are just lucky we played Calgary, and an out of sync Ducks team so far.

 

[Regal]

I have a feeling as soon as Miller comes back down to earth we are going to suck so bad lol

The team is still good enough to beat the bad teams consistently and stay out of the bottom 10.

 

[PG Canuck]

The team is still good enough to beat the bad teams consistently and stay out of the bottom 10.

That is still sucking.

 

[Ozone]

Um, yeah. Which is why I'm not so hyped yet. We can't play like we have the last 2 out of 3 games. We can't expect Miller to play like this every game consistently. Holding on for dear life isn't a strategy that works, we are just lucky we played Calgary, and an out of sync Ducks team so far.

IMO, I don't think either team was out of sync. It was predominantly Miller Time.

Calgary was a bit, in the second half of the first game.


Now...does Miller Time get more time tomorrow night?

I'm guessing yep.

 

[Intangibos]

I see Forsling has made it into your should've, could've, would've category now.
,

Well we essentially traded Bonino and Forsling for Sutter, so I'm not sure why he isn't relevant to the discussion.

I'd also just prefer Vatanen + extra pick + retaining Santo instead of Sbisa and Bonino full stop, without taking Forsling (or Clendening) into account. Even without the extra pick I'd take it since Sbisa has negative value.

I mean if you don't want to live in this reality, I don't blame you, things are looking pretty bleak. Regardless, though, this is how things shaped up.

Anyway, I wasn't terribly pleased with McCann tonight, had a couple of bad turnovers and got pinned in his own zone, but he's young that's expected. I think Baertschi actually had an okay game, Vrbata isn't really going right now and I think he's actually dragging the line down. Whether we put him next to the twins or demote him for playing poorly is up to Willie, but since he actually looks lazy rather than in a slump, I'd probably move him down.

Tanev was nice, Hutton was up and down, Miller excellent. Good God Prust looked slow. There was a break where he was a fair bit ahead of the defenders and 2 or 3 literally caught up and overtook him in the time it took to get from the blueline to the net. He's absolutely done.

 

[alternate]

The Sedins look faster to me. Especially Daniel.

 

[Ozone]

As someone who loves a well-timed fight (not that it gives weird 'momentum', as much as it gives tangible 'confidence' to players who need a boost of security), Prust is not impressing.

 

[Intangibos]

The Sedins look faster to me. Especially Daniel.

Yeah, they do have a bit more jump, but it's early in the season. These guys work as hard as anybody in the offseason though. Hockey is literally their life and they give every season 100%. Hopefully they don't run out of gas any time soon. They also look excellent 3 on 3. Some people worried about their speed 3 on 3 but I was confident in their puck skills for it not to be an issue. I guess it helps that they seem to have gotten a bit quicker.

Also on the subject of Miller, he was excellent in the shootout, sort of. That goal against looks almost like he wasn't set, but his two saves were fantastic. Looked really smooth sliding across the crease and the poke check was quick. Although I don't have high hopes for him keeping his level of play up, he has certainly been our best player thus far this season.

 

[vanarchy]

Sbisa had a solid game.

Yeah, I said it.

 

[Red]

Gotta give it to Miller, he's already stolen some 3 pts for us IMO.

 

[Intangibos]

Sbisa had a solid game.

Yeah, I said it.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. He got walked a few times, once was so hilariously bad I had to pause the game and watch it again. He was just skating backwards and the Anaheim player skated in a straight line right by him and was gone before Sbisa could turn.

Everyone makes a bad play from time to time, though. Sbisa hasn't looked as trash as he did for literally all of last season and the playoffs, but still doesn't look like a 3.6m player. I'm hoping he can get up to Andrew Alberts' level at this point.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

You think there is only roughly 6 teams better than us? I....I do not think that, and the Oilers don't really have anything to do with that.

Let's see
Chicago
Anaheim
Minnesota
St. Louis
Nashville
and maybe LA(not sure about this)
Those are teams that are clearly better than us IMO
Calgary and San Jose are pretty even against us IMO
As for Dallas and Colorado? Screw them they can't play defense.

 

[vanuck]

Got heavily outplayed tonight. Will have to do much better if they're to line up against the good teams.

When you win but you didn't deserve to.

Lmao that's the perfect face for that feeling.

 

[Ace of Hades]

Sbisa had a solid game.

Yeah, I said it.

He was fairly average. A step above mediocrity, I guess.

 

[brokenhole]

Why is Dorsett still on the PP? your supposed to try and make a play and score and Dorsett does neither of those things. Sit a young kid like McCann who can do both for a face puncher. Un.......believable.

 

[tantalum]

What a dynamic game! The blueline was rushing the puck with great effectiveness! The forwards were back checking hard and creating chance after chance after chance at the other end. Line were clicking. Everyone pulling their weight!

Oh sorry that was my rec game last night.

Only caught the third on radio during my drive back but the radio crew did not sound overly impressed with the effort despite the win. Baertschi limited time in the third. McCann benched some in the second but then given good time in the third. That's all I know.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Acknowledged, although I hate myself for saying it.

Besides a few pizzas, he actually played not bad.

Now, Bartkowski....had a few 'pizzas' tonight. Not impressed, at all, with his d zone work tonight.

Yeah, so far Bartkowski is making Sbisa look like a Norris trophy candidate.

 

[Jack Tripper]

enjoyed watching the game and no matter what happens results-wise this season it's clear that the canucks are going to be a hard working team which is nice to see

miller and tanev are playing like absolute studs at the moment and any team that receives .940-like goaltending and shutdown dominance from their top d-man is going to have a chance to win every night

bit worried about offence as sutter isn't adding anything to the sedins and horvat is stuck with a demotivated vrbata and baertschi

despite cracknell's goal, still don't see much beyond hustle in the 4th line...pretty much hemmed in their own zone most of the night (absolutely ugly corsi numbers) and weren't helped at all by desjardins again refusing to line match and letting the getzlaf line go up against vancouver's worst forwards

 

[Huggy]

Theres so much egg on so many faces