Sorry about the lack of posting yesterday. I was at home, instead of at work, dealing with what we parents call "loose BMs," rather than being at work dealing with people who simply have a screw loose.
With every Canuck game comes more proof that we're completely cursed. I'm sure you're all getting sick of hearing it, but it keeps happening, and it's so crazy that I have to keep talking about it. Of course, I'm still going on about injuries to our blue line. Coming into the week, the Canucks were without Alex Edler, Keith Ballard, and Dan Hamhuis. In Monday's game against the Blues, Andrew Alberts broke his wrist. In Tuesday's game against the Wild, Kevin Bieksa limped off after taking a slapper to the boot. He came back out and played a little at the end, but the Vannies have called up another Moose defender "just in case," and Bieksa is scheduled for x-rays later today. Again, that's Edler, Ballard, Hamhuis, Alberts, and Bieksa. That leaves Aaron Rome, Chrstian Ehrhoff, a slowly returning Sami Salo, and a handful of AHL players on defense.
And yet, we keep winning. And winning big. The Canucks went head to head with the second best team in the division, and skated off the ice with a 4-1 win (and now, they're no longer the second best team in the division). Cory Schneider got the call between the pipes, as Minnesota is still causing Roberto Luongo night terrors, and despite the battered defense, Schnieds got the job done. He stopped 28 of 29 shots in the game, which helped the Canucks to be freed up on offense, and piloted the Orca to the win, even though we managed just 1 shot on goal in the final 20 minutes. The offense was there, as always. Manny Malhotra returned to the scoring sheet, deflecting a Salo slapper on the power play just 5:15 in. Jannik Hansen scored again, with a wicked backhander, and Mikael Samuelsson somehow continued his amazing run with a late second period netter. Ryan Kesler, looking to blow our expectations to pieces even further, scored a "shorty" in the third to seal the deal. It was the only shot we took all period, and it was into an empty net. The Canucks were outshot 14-29, and won 4-1. It defies logic.
I know I keep saying this, but this can't keep up. We are, quite possibly, seeing one of the greatest seasons in Canucks history unfold in front of our very eyes. And they are doing it with one of the most banged up blue lines in the entire NHL. We've got more rookies getting their cup of coffee this season than in any season in recent memory, and yet we keep winning. If our guys can get all healed up in time for the playoffs, watch out. I've already declared that I really think the Canucks are going to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals this season, and now I'm ready to hop on board with "'Nucks Misconduct" in saying that, if this keeps up, Alain Vigneault is a lock for the Jack Adams Trophy.
Vigneault, if he won, would become just the seventh coach in NHL history to win the award more than once (one of the others is former Canucks coach Pat Quinn). He was given the award after the 2006-2007 season, when the Canucks finished 49-26-7 with 105 points to beat our the Minnesota Wild (104 points) for the Northwest Division title. Roberto Luongo had a 2.28 GAA that season, and the Vannies lost to the Ducks in the second round of the playoffs, 4 games to 1 (I was at one of those losing games, in Anaheim). Other LSF fans may remember that season for the Buffalo Sabres making it to the Eastern Conference Finals (only to lose 1-4 to Ottawa), and for the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs failing to make the playoffs at all.
Comparatively, this season the Canucks are on pace for a 52-17-13 finish, which would be good enough for 117 points. The most points that the Canucks have scored in a single season in franchise history was that '06/'07 season, and this season projects to blow that one out of the water. That depends, of course, on the Orca's ability to maintain this high level of play despite losing a player to injury every night. Which is exactly why, if they do keep it up, Vigneault would be the runaway best coach of the year.
Tonight we get SOB and the Preds, as we look to widen our 2 point lead over the Flyers in the chase for the President.
-- Sent from my Palm Prē
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