Realistic road expectations.

My main man Sergei Shirokov may have been crazy stoked to score his first NHL goal last night, but most Canuck fans were left feeling somewhat empty after a 4-3 OT loss in Denver. The Avs came back again and again, despite the 'Nucks going up 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2, Colorado was able to suck it up and pull off their first win against the Canucks in five tries this season. Henrik Sedin was called for interfering with John-Michael Liles in overtime, and the Avalanche answered the call, and ended the game on a rebound goal from David Jones. Losing in OT by a PPG hurts because it seems so undisciplined, but we still escaped with a point, and that's what matters most.

After ripping off mad wins and holding an unbelievable point streak, the Canucks finished their five game roadie 2-2-1. Orca fans have started to panic, but now we're headed home to play eight of our next ten at the Roger. At home this season, we are 15-3-3, and something of an unstoppable force. That would leave us with a 14-7-4 record on the road this season. With the way that people have been freaking out with our most recent 5 game run, I'm starting to think that we fans may have unrealistic road expectations.

Usually it is understood that if you can sneak away with a little over a .500 record on the road, and then take care of business at home, you'll be a good NHL team. So, a 21-20-ish road record wouldn't be awful, as long as you put up a 30-11-ish home record. That would leave you around 51-31, which would be a 100+ point season, and would guarantee you a solid playoff bound year. So, is going 2-2-1 over the last 5 games that bad? No. In fact, instead of a 21-20-ish road record, our Canucks are on pace to finish around 23-11-7. That would be a completely fantastic road record for this squad, especially when you combine it with a possible 29-6-6 home mark.

So before you get all messed up in your mind over this 2-2-1 road trip, remember this:

Henrik Sedin just tallied his NHL leading 47th assist.

Roberto Luongo is 10-0-3 in his last 13 starts with a 2.09 GAA.

The Canucks are still tops in the NHL, tied with the Flyers for the #1 spot with 65 points.

And as we get ready to start our new homestand against the San Jose Sharks, remember this:

We have outscored San Jose 10-4 in two wins this season.

Anti Niemi is 2-4 in his last 6.

The Sharks just claimed former mini-Canuck center Kyle Wellwood off of waivers, and you know going up against Dub Dub will get the Vannie players all jacked up. 

So stay rational, stay positive, and let's go slay the Sharks.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē