Is the Vancouver Canucks the team to beat for this year Stanley Cup run?

 

Michail Boncea (HV)

 

The game between the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings had everything that anyone expected and more. It was especially interesting to hear the Vancouver Canucks Fans acknowledge Gordie Howe who was in the attendance with a standing ovation.

 

The question that most fans and media people are asking themselves by now is if Vancouver is not the team to beat for this year Stanley Cup, then are they one of the favorites? Since Christmas the team is 26-5-5 and tonight again it demonstrated that it can beat excellent NHL teams by beating Detroit 4 to 1.

 

The game was a big victory no doubt about it for Vancouver but there were some weak spots that need to be addressed in the near future if they want to make a Stanley Cup run. First the power play has to start scoring if they want to have any good chance to make it anywhere in the playoffs. The power play went 0 for 9 and didn’t even shot once on three chances. Second Marcus Naslund has to play with more passion and has to start contributing more points. Canucks coach Alain Vigneault sent Naslund a message during the game by benching him for two power plays in the second period. Third the defence has to remain healthy and loosing Sami Salo in the second period to a groin injury is not helping.

 

What has turned things around for Vancouver since Christmas specially is that they believe in their team and that they can win as a team. As well they play a totally balanced style game with the Sedin brothers leading the offence and Roberto Luongo being solid in the net. Matt Cooke summed it up very well on what the Canucks players think “I don’t know what the consensus is outside of Vancouver but it only benefits us if people don’t believe in us”.

 

Detroit Red Wings Pavel Datsyuk scored the first goal in first period at 6:05 assists going to Matthieu Schneider and Robert Lang. Vancouver Canucks Brian Smolinsky scored the second goal of the game in the first period at 11:41, the assist going to Daniel Sedin. Vancouver Canucks Lukas Krajicek scored the third goal of the game in the second period at 10:58, the assists going to Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. Vancouver Canucks Brendan Morrison scored the fourth goal of the game in the second period at 17:10, the assists going to Matt Cooke and Rory Fitzpatrick. Vancouver Canucks Trevor Linden scored the final goal of the game in the third period at 18:34, the assists going to Matt Cooke and Lukas Krajicek.

 

 

Photo: Josh Langfeld (15) from Detroit Red Wings © Michail Boncea (HV)