My 'Nucks played back to back games over the two previous days, and despite starting two different keepers, Vancouver came away with two quality road wins to turn the road trip around and grab first place in the Northwest. It started with Roberto Luongo completely embarrassing Henrik Lundqvist in the "goalie matchup of the year" with a 6-3 result, and it ended with Curtis Sanford getting his first win since December 2007 in a 3-2 squeaker against rival Minnesota. What a end to the week!
All we heard about going into the game in Manhattan was how Roberto (the shutout king) and Lundqvist (the win king) would be throwing down in a tight lipped save-a-thon. I'll admit, I was buying into the hype, if you read the last blog post. However, just 5:33 into the second period, the Canucks chased the Swedish Lundie to the bench, quite literally after he allowed 5 goals on 17 BC shots. Luongo kind of stood up for him, showing goalie pride, saying "You never know in this game. Things happen." Bobby Lu is just a nice guy. I'm not so nice, and I'll say "You do know in this game. Lundqvist and the Rangers are way overrated based on their record." It all started with my boy Kyle "Cult Classic" Wellwood getting his EIGHTH of the year on an assist from Mattie Ohlund, on a huge breakaway. He was joined just over 5 minutes later by Alex Burrows on a huge shorthanded breakaway. It was a bad Rangers pass that led to AB's streak down the ice, and Lundie had no chance against big 1-4. Four out of the first five Canuck goals were scored on New York turnovers. In the second, it was more AB, netting his sixth goal of the year, and he would quickly be joined by Ryan "Shot Block" Johnson getting his first on a behind the net turnover that was fed to him by Taylor Pyatt. After the Johnson goal, it appeared that the 'Nucks scored again, and the replay proved it was over the goal line. The refs gave the Rangers a chance by calling it no goal, and even the MSG announcers were shocked with the decision. It wouldn't matter in the end. Luongo would get touched up by Chris Drury on the power play less than a minute after Johnson's netter, but Pavol Demitra would smash a goal about 2 minutes later on a Vancouver advantage that sent Lundqvist sprinting to the bench. The Rangers net minder didn't think twice; after the rubber touched the twine, he got up and immediately skated to the bench. He would later say that he got the call from his coach, but it was pretty obvious that he was the one making the call. The goalie battle was over. Aaron Voros would end the period with a goal for the Rangers at 8:33 of the middle frame, but the Canucks were feeling good up 5-2 on the Broadway Blues. Despite a Ryan Callahan power play goal 7:45 into the third, it was Daniel Sedin earning the empty netter with 3 seconds on the clock that finally chased the Manhattanites out of the MSG. A big 6-3 win that not only proved Lu is the man between the pipes, and Naslund getting just 1 assist in his 22:44 of ice time proved that the 'Nucks don't need their traitor captain (the 35 year old has 6 goals/9 assists so far this year). Bobby Lu finished with his busiest night of the season, grabbing 39 saves on 42 shots in the game, making save after save to make the game look easy for Vanc-a-tesh. Sorry Daniel.
My boys boarded a commercial jet (not like those Detroit auto-beggers) and flew business class to the home of Al Franken, Minnesota. Due to the back to back fever pace, Curtis "Sandman" Sanford got the call between the pipes to give Roberto the night off after 14 straight starts. Would 7th Canucks around the year bite their nails down to the bone? It had been 11 months since Cu-San won a game, and exactly that long since the 'Nucks pulled off wins in back-to-back nights (excited by the foreshadowing?). Outside a fight that Shane O'Brien clearly won against Detroit, MI native Erik Reitz (who may now be seeking a bailout), the first period was quiet. Chances for both squads ended up with either Backstrom making the stop of Sanford getting the lucky deflection to the outside of the net. In the second period, though, the lid would come off. Mikko Koivu was able to work hard for his fourth of the year at 7:16 to break things open. Do you remember Steve Bernier? Well, Steveie B (aka Karen's favorite Canucks) nailed home his fifth goal in a mess of players in front of the Minnie net at exactly 12 in. The puck was dropped with sticks flying, and Stevie got his wood on the thing to surprise Backs for the BC goal. It was Bernie's fifth of the year. On a power play thanks to the aforementioned Erik Reitz's trip on Ryan Johnson, the Canucks committed an awful turnover that led to a Mikko Koivu breakaway. I was screaming, "Stop it Sanny! Stop it Sanny," but it didn't work. The Finish center beat Curtis for his 18th point of the season, and the Wild were back up. Luckily for the 'Nucks, it was the luck of a player getting back at his old team that would squad things up before the end of the middle brick. Pavol "Po Po" Demitra (is that catching on yet?) got credit for the goal when his attempted pass deflected off of a defender's stick and then off of the back of Backstrom and into the net. It was a power play goal, and although it wasn't pretty, it evened this division clash up. It would take 11:41 of the final period to decide a winner, and it was decided on a one timer off of the stick of Daniel Sedin. Po Po had the puck along the goal line and fed a pass right to the stick of Nintendo DS who just blasted a hard wrister past the Minnesota keeper for what would stand as the game winner. Despite Daniel then going off for hooking with 7 second left, and Minnie pulling Backs to make it a 6 on 4, Sanny and the Canucks stood strong to hang on for the 3-2 win that earned a temporary top of the division mark. Here I do have to point out the absurdity of the three stars as picked by the liberal Minnesota media. The actually had the nerve to put it at 1) Koivu 2) Demitra and 3) some bitch from Ontario named Cal Clutterbuck (not a joke). Are you freaking kidding me? Clutterbuck has three shots over 9:34 of ice time, and nothing else. NOTHING ELSE! What the hell?!? Here now are the clear three stars of the game as voted on by your ol' pal "T" and the LSF media: 1) Daniel Sedin (the game winning goal on 5 shots in 19:49 on the ice), 2) Henrik Sedin (2 assists in 18:22 on the ice; more assists than any other player in the game), and 3) Curtis Sanford (28 saves on 30 shots to earn the first back to back win since December of 2007!). Can anyone argue with those stars over Clutterbuck and company? Is it surprising that the Wild would pick Po Po with the second star as the only 'Nucks up on the board? Ridiculous. One thing that isn't crazy is the amazingness of the Po Po-Sedins line that has been solidly sweet as of late.
As I said, the win has my 12-6-2 Vancouver Canucks leading the division with 26 points. 'Couv are now three points clear of Minnie/Calgary, six clear of Edmonton (as they crash to reality), and ten huge past Colorado. The Canucks are now 6-0-2 over their last 8 games, and even more important are on a run against division foes with a 5-0-1 record in the next six games. The impressive thing about our recent success is that it has been without Kevin Bieksa, who is answering Brandon's question about his propensity for the injury big with one to three more weeks off with a fractured left foot bone. I always like to compare Canucks stat leaders with the Western stat leaders to give perspective. Goals: Daniel & Wells with 8 (Setoguchi/Iginla still lead with 11). Assists: H-Bomb with 15 (Anaheim's Corey Perry with 17). +/- rating: Willie Mitchell is an amazing +14 this year (Willie lead's Chicago's Aaron Johnson's +12). Wow. Go Willie.
Saturday morning will feature a battle on Pennsylvania between the Canucks and "Anthony's" Penguins. The 'Guins are 12-4-3 and just 3 points shy of division leading New York (but we say how tough those first place Rangers were), and have the devil himself, Miroslav Satan leading with 9 goals. Amazing, Russian Evgeni Malkin leads the team in points (31) thanks to his amazing 24 assists on the year. Did anyone notice how I could point out the best players on the Penguins squad without mentioning Sidney Crosby? Crosby doesn't even had more goals than Kyle Wellwood, so let's stop giving him head, NHL Network. It should be a fun matchup, however, as Roberto Luongo v. Marc-Andre Fleury is quite an underrate keeper matchup.
On my way out of this huge post, I want to touch on NCAA basketball, which is finally into swing. After a nine point opening season win over Cal State Los Angeles, UCSB stumbled against Utah State 59-61 to drop to 1-1 on the year. The Aggs scored with three second remaining to stop an oncoming rush by the Gauchos. James Powell drained a "tree" with 32.7 seconds left to pull the game to a 59-59 mark, but Utah State was able to take back the game. "The Alaskan Giant" Chris Devine and Pomona's James Powell led the squad with 14 points a piece in the loss. The Gauchos return three starters overall from last year's UCSB-record 23 win team (and Big West regular season co-champs), however Devine and Powell are the only one's of those three playing for the rest of this year after Justin Joyner had season ending wrist surgery (he's got one year left though, so don't cry for him). The 'Chos will need everything they can get tonight as they take on the #1 team in the country, the North Carolina Tarheels at the Thunderdome. You know there is going to be a grip of my drunk alumns up at this one to jeer Hansbrough, and try and cheer this Gaucho squad to what would be the most impressive win in NCAA history (any sport). My DirecTV tells me the game is on 614 (ESPN-U) tonight at 7, but I don't get that channel, so I'll only get to watch the highlights.
My other favorite college hardwood squad, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, are 1-0 on the year after a 94-58 drubbing against South Carolina Upstate. The 1-0 Irish enjoyed 30 points from returning Schererville, IN native Luke Harangody and 18 from Senior Luke Zeller. Staten Island, NY boy Kyle McAlarney also contributed 10 in the win. Next up for the Irish is a battle against my cousin Daniel's alma matter (and most difficult college for Karen to pronounce) Loyola Marymount tonight in Los Angeles. ND, finally getting respect with the #8 ranking in this great nation, are keeping their eyes looking toward February 21 when they face off against extreme rivals in the Providence Friars.
Okay, I'm tired. Enjoy your Friday.
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