Canucks 3 - Wild 2 - Game Notes

The Game Log...

First Period

• The 4th line sure looks more capable of generating a forecheck. Is it more to do with having Raymond or not having Brown?
• Despite 5 minor penalties in New York, Shane O'Brien is playing with a lot of confidence.
• Two slashes on puck carriers and a missed high stick on Nycholat... is there some league directive not to call penalties on Jacques Lemaire?
• Easy to be a tough guy with a shield over your face. How does O'Brien get the only extra penalty for slashing the stick? No call on the cross check to the kidneys from behind with an official looking right at it. Wellwood was abused in NY nice to see guys sticking up for him tonight.
• That Sanford whiff was scary, could have been a turning point in Sanford's Canuck career. If that goes in and they lose the Canucks would probably be considering other options.
• Bernier gets away with a grab on the stick.
• Daniel made an absolutely terrible pass to a Wild player on the power play.
• Demitra playing the point on the power play was almost beat by Koivu. Again not a fan of forwards on the point. Why isn't Nycholat out there?
• Decent period by the Canucks, terrible period to watch.

Second Period

• As good as their shift was in the first period the 4th line had one that was equally bad to start the second. Raymond's gotta pick up his stick.
• Kesler slashed while flying through neutral zone... not called. It's frustrating enough watching a Lemaire coached team play, but it's doubly so when they get away with any kind of interference in the neutral zone.
• Weak goal by Sanford. Not acceptable.
• Boy, Raymond is really fighting it right now.
• Canucks were lucky not to get another too many men on the ice penalty as Burrows got caught up with a Wild forward.
• I have a feeling the Canucks are going to have to score on the power play if they hope to come back and win this one.
• Nice work by Bernier, finally caught a break.
• Mitchell is doing a great job of both getting pucks on net and jumping up in the play when it's there.
• Great pad save by Backstrom on Demitra.
• Sanford barely out of the blue paint on Koivu breakaway goal. Edler was right on Koivu, Sanford has to come out more. Bad bounce on the Canucks end, but it was also a poor centering attempt.
• Canucks get a lucky bounce in return. Sometimes karma is on your side.

Third Period

• I like the way Vigneault is swapping Raymond and Pyatt back and forth on the 2nd and 4th lines... its giving Lemaire something to think about (speed vs size dynamic).
• Great power play shift by the Sedins, one of the best of the season. Too bad the second unit couldn't follow it up.
• Man the Wild are excellent at supporting the puck. Seems like every pass they have to make is under 8 feet.
• Linesmen are having a rough night... botched icing call and two obvious missed offside calls (at least it's one for each team).
• Great shift by the Sedin line leading to the goal... can they hang on?
• Willie Mitchell is having a great game.
• Two minutes left and Ohlund fails to get the puck out... he's been struggling in this department... doesn't cost them.
• Have to wonder what Lemaire was waiting for, the Wild had control of the puck for a good 20+ seconds and Backstrom didn't come out. Missed opportunity.
• Woot! Great win, biggest of the season.

Post Game Thoughts

Still to come...