Tuesday, January 31, 2006
GAME 53: CANUCKS 7, COYOTES 4
Canucks 7, Coyotes 4
[posted in full 3 Jun ~5:36p]
The NHL was two weeks from the Olympic break, and the Canucks were 8-6 in January coming into this game. Of course, they also hoped to stay close with the division-leading Calgary Flames. Still, this team wasn't living up to expectations or even its success earlier in the season.
1st period
Anson Carter came from center and turned on the jets down the left wing and went to the net, where his shot was stopped by Curtis Joseph. Henrik Sedin shot the rebound off the post, then Daniel Sedin cashed in.
»» 1, VANCOUVER, Daniel Sedin 13 (Henrik Sedin, Anson Carter) 12:29
»» CANUCKS 1, COYOTES 0
Josh Green put a hard shot on the net from just past the hash marks on the left side, and the shot beat Joseph over the right shoulder. Joseph should have had that one.
»» 2, VANCOUVER, Josh Green 3 (Trevor Linden, Ryan Kesler) 13:06
»» CANUCKS 2, COYOTES 0
Shane Doan leveled a hit in the corner on Alexandre Burrows during a battle for the puck. He came out with it near the blueline and shot to the net, where Alex Auld stopped it, but Dave Scatchard came up with the rebound and put it through.
»» 3, PHOENIX, Dave Scatchard 10 (Mike LeClerc, Shane Doan) 19:21
»» CANUCKS 2, COYOTES 1
Just after the goal, Auld was tested on a deflection in front on a Paul Mara shot from the left point. The Canucks outshot the Coyotes 13-12 in the period. They were 0-for-2 on the power play while Phoenix was 0-for-1.
2nd period
A dogpile sequence saw Steve McCarthy and Tyson Nash get into it, and they went off for roughing, but Sami Salo went off for a trip as well. Later, an ill-advised Todd Bertuzzi penalty took the Canucks off a power play, surely not the first time he's done that. Off a draw in the Phoenix zone, Henrik Sedin took the faceoff and put it toward brother Daniel going to the net, and the puck went in. Originally ruled a Henrik-to-Daniel goal, it was later changed to an unassisted goal for Henrik, with the puck going off Coyote skater Denis Gauthier in front.
»» 4, VANCOUVER, H Sedin 13 (unassisted) 5:57
»» CANUCKS 3, COYOTES 1
Tyler Bouck, in his first game back after recovering from a torn groin, got loose on a breakaway and deked to the forehand to beat Joseph. His momentum carried him into the net, where he ate a crossbar sandwich before knocking the goal off its pegs.
»» 5, VANCOUVER, Tyler Bouck 1 (Linden, Kevin Bieksa) 8:02
»» CANUCKS 4, COYOTES 1
Bertuzzi was nailed once again for holding the stick, and Mattias Ohlund chipped the puck over the glass just six seconds later, giving the Coyotes 1:54 worth of two-man advantage time. They took advantage, taking control off a draw as Shane Doan passed toward the slot, but it deflected off the stick of Bryan Allen and past Alex Auld to bring Phoenix within two.
»» 6, PHOENIX, powerplay, Doan 17 (LeClerc, Mike Johnson) 14:24
»» CANUCKS 4, COYOTES 2
Not long after, Mike LeClerc hit the post cleaning up after a rebound. Salo had a clearing attempt hit a Phoenix skate. Auld stopped a shot with his left pad, but Mike Comrie, who had won the faceoff, pounded it through.
»» 7, PHOENIX, Mike Comrie 18 (Boyd Devereaux, Dennis Seidenberg) 16:23
»» CANUCKS 4, COYOTES 3
Ohlund moved in from the left point and let one fly, beating Joseph top corner glove side through a possible Daniel Sedin screen.
»» 8, VANCOUVER, powerplay, Mattias Ohlund 8 (Nolan Baumgartner, H Sedin) 18:29
»» CANUCKS 5, COYOTES 3
The Canucks were badly outshot 23-6 in the period (35-19 overall). They were 1-for-4 on the power play (1-for-6) while Phoenix was 1-for-6 (1-for-7).
3rd period
Joseph was pulled and Brian Boucher was put into the Phoenix net to start the period. Naslund took a pass to the stick side of Boucher and looked like he just walked it right on through him.
»» 9, VANCOUVER, Markus Naslund 24 (Jarkko Ruutu, Kesler) 4:52
»» CANUCKS 6, COYOTES 3
Mike Ricci took a centering pass from Boyd Devereaux and put it through Auld, top corner stick side.
»» 10, PHOENIX, powerplay, Mike Ricci 6 (Devereaux, Sean O'Donnell) 9:42
»» CANUCKS 6, COYOTES 4
Bertuzzi put the game away, putting the puck into an empty net from the right-wing boards with the goalie pulled.
»» 11, VANCOUVER, emptynet, Todd Bertuzzi 18 (D Sedin, H Sedin) 18:33
»» CANUCKS 7, COYOTES 4
Vancouver was outshot 11-7 in the period (46-26 total) and was 0-for-1 on the power play (1-for-7). Phoenix was 1-for-2 on the power play in the period (2-for-9). Alex Auld stopped a mind-numbing 42 shots.
Three stars -- (1) Auld, (2) H Sedin, (3) Phoenix's Mike LeClerc
skater, goals-assists-points
H Sedin 1-3-4
D Sedin 1-1-2
Kesler 0-2-2
Linden 0-2-2
Bertuzzi 1-0-1
Bouck 1-0-1
Green 1-0-1
Naslund 1-0-1
Ohlund 1-0-1
Baumgartner 0-1-1
Bieksa 0-1-1
Carter 0-1-1
Ruutu 0-1-1
The Canucks once again failed to play sixty good minutes of hockey, but their scoring prowess made up for it. Phoenix scored the two quick goals toward the latter end of the second period, but the Mattias Ohlund goal with 1:31 left helped bail them out a bit.
In the faceoff circle, Brendan Morrison was 11-for-18, Trevor Linden was 6-for-8, Ryan Kesler was 11-for-23, Henrik Sedin was 7-for-18, Josh Green was 3-for-9, and Todd Bertuzzi was 1-for-4. Bertuzzi led the team in shots with five, and Markus Naslund had four. Bryan Allen and Kevin Bieksa dished out a pair of hits apiece. Sami Salo and Green managed a pair of takeaways each. Nolan Baumgartner blocked three shots.
Plus-skating Canucks included Ohlund, Baumgartner, Allen, Salo, Linden, Tyler Bouck, Jarkko Ruutu, and Anson Carter at plus-1, Green and Bertuzzi at plus-2, and Daniel Sedin, Bieksa, and Henrik Sedin at plus-3. Morrison and Burrows were the only minus-skating Canucks, each at minus-1. All others (Naslund, Kesler, Steve McCarthy) were even.
The win puts Vancouver at 30-18-5 (2-3 shootout, two overtime losses), good for 65 points and second place in the Northwest Division. They are one point behind the division-leading Calgary Flames, who have a game in hand. The Colorado Avalanche lurk two points behind, and the Edmonton Oilers are three back. Vancouver is eight back of the West-leading Detroit Red Wings and seven back of the Dallas Stars, who are second in the conference.
/ Click for main page
