Sunday, March 07, 2004
CANUCKS 4, BLUE JACKETS 0
Though it took a while for the Canucks to get going, they eventually did what they're supposed to do against a team like Columbus -- take control of the game.
Johan Hedberg notched his second shutout in a row, stopping 32 shots, including 15 Columbus shots in the first period, part of which was a Blue Jacket flurry of nine shots before the Canucks got off their first shot (11:55 in) of the night. In six starts on Saturday nights this year, Johan Hedberg is 3-1-2, with the three wins being shutouts.
The Canucks had been fairly uptight to start, but Mattias Ohlund's tally for the first goal lightened the pressure a bit, and the Matt Cooke goal for the 2-0 lead really let off some steam.
As for what the announcers had to say, postgame host Jeff Patterson noted that the Canucks don't have a lot of laughers or pastings for games; they don't get easy wins very often. John Shorthouse responded by saying that the Canucks' last laugher (in Washington) was followed up by stumbling against the New York teams. Patterson noted that the Canucks did a nice job holding back NHL high-scorer Rick Nash. Shorthouse noted that Mattias Ohlund laid a stick on Nash all night and was able to neutralize him. He also noted that 12 of Ohlund's 52 career goals are game-winners, and that he has four goals in the last five games.
The Canucks are 36-20-8-4, one point back of Colorado (who has a game in hand), and they have 19 road wins.
Canuck goals: Mattias Ohlund (12, extending his career high), Matt Cooke (7), Markus Naslund (32, after some nifty Bertuzzi stickwork), Tyler Bouck (1, first as a Canuck; had two with the Coyotes previously)
Sunday night: Calgary at Colorado. A Colorado loss or tie will make Monday night's Colorado at Vancouver tilt a match for a share of the Northwest Division lead. Again. Except I don't think this one will be televised on ESPN2 (or ESPN). That and hopefully Joe Sakic doesn't reel off another hat trick.
Johan Hedberg notched his second shutout in a row, stopping 32 shots, including 15 Columbus shots in the first period, part of which was a Blue Jacket flurry of nine shots before the Canucks got off their first shot (11:55 in) of the night. In six starts on Saturday nights this year, Johan Hedberg is 3-1-2, with the three wins being shutouts.
The Canucks had been fairly uptight to start, but Mattias Ohlund's tally for the first goal lightened the pressure a bit, and the Matt Cooke goal for the 2-0 lead really let off some steam.
As for what the announcers had to say, postgame host Jeff Patterson noted that the Canucks don't have a lot of laughers or pastings for games; they don't get easy wins very often. John Shorthouse responded by saying that the Canucks' last laugher (in Washington) was followed up by stumbling against the New York teams. Patterson noted that the Canucks did a nice job holding back NHL high-scorer Rick Nash. Shorthouse noted that Mattias Ohlund laid a stick on Nash all night and was able to neutralize him. He also noted that 12 of Ohlund's 52 career goals are game-winners, and that he has four goals in the last five games.
The Canucks are 36-20-8-4, one point back of Colorado (who has a game in hand), and they have 19 road wins.
Canuck goals: Mattias Ohlund (12, extending his career high), Matt Cooke (7), Markus Naslund (32, after some nifty Bertuzzi stickwork), Tyler Bouck (1, first as a Canuck; had two with the Coyotes previously)
Sunday night: Calgary at Colorado. A Colorado loss or tie will make Monday night's Colorado at Vancouver tilt a match for a share of the Northwest Division lead. Again. Except I don't think this one will be televised on ESPN2 (or ESPN). That and hopefully Joe Sakic doesn't reel off another hat trick.
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