Friday, February 03, 2006
GAME 54: CANUCKS 3, FLAMES 1
Canucks 3, Flames 1
[posted in full 4 Jun ~3:19a]
The Canucks had bounced back from an 0-3 start to their season-long seven-game road trip by winning the next two games. A win in Calgary against the tough Flames could make the Canucks a .500 team on what started as a brutal road trip, and could even give the Canucks a chance at an over-.500 road trip, nearly unfathomable after the way it started. They'd still have to beat Calgary, though.
1st period
About three and a half minutes into the game, Anson Carter made a cross-ice pass from the left-wing boards to Kevin Bieksa, who got the pass at the right faceoff dot and fired to the net, but Miikka Kiprusoff got across to his glove side quickly enough to stop what could have been Bieksa's first NHL goal. Inside the final minute, Dion Phaneuf passed from the goal line at Alex Auld's left side out to Kristian Huselius at the back of the left circle. Huselius one-timed it to the net, where Auld stopped it, but Jarome Iginla was right there at Auld's stick side to jab the rebound through.
»» 1, CALGARY, powerplay, Jarome Iginla 25 (Kristian Huselius, Dion Phaneuf) 19:51
»» FLAMES 1, CANUCKS 0
Vancouver was outshot 9-5 in the period and was 0-for-1 on the power play while Calgary was 1-for-2.
2nd period
Just inside three minutes elapsed, Alexandre Burrows was unsuccessful on a penalty shot. With three and a half minutes gone in the period, Ryan Kesler chased a dump-in in the Calgary zone and was driven into the boards by Andrew Ference. About eight minutes into the period, Mike LeClerc skated laterally in front of Auld and tried to wait him out, but Auld stayed with it and made the stop, lying prone on the ice as a result. On a power play with just under 4:30 left in the period, the Canucks slowly made their way across the blueline. Daniel Sedin took the puck across and had it poked away, but Calgary's defenders couldn't clear it away. Carter spotted the loose puck and skated down the slot, then wristed it past Kiprusoff.
»» 2, VANCOUVER, powerplay, Anson Carter 20 (Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin) 15:36
»» FLAMES 1, CANUCKS 1
Inside the final minute, Daniel Sedin took the puck into the Calgary zone and stayed back, preparing to go off for a change. He passed to Ryan Kesler mid-slot, who used a screen of Jarkko Ruutu and Robyn Regehr to wrist the puck past Kiprusoff.
»» 3, VANCOUVER, Ryan Kesler 6 (D Sedin, Sami Salo) 19:14
»» CANUCKS 2, FLAMES 1
Vancouver was again outshot, this time by a 10-9 margin in the period (19-14 overall). The Canucks were 1-for-3 on the power play (1-for-4) while Calgary was 0-for-2 (1-for-4).
3rd period
In the first minute, LeClerc got behind the Canuck defense on a bad change and rifled a slapshot from the left hash which was gloved and kept by Auld. Later, Anson Carter rushed across the blueline into the high slot and dished off to Daniel Sedin near the left dot, who passed to Henrik Sedin at the back of the left circle. Henrik one-timed the soft pass over Kiprusoff's right shoulder.
»» 4, VANCOUVER, H Sedin 14 (D Sedin, Carter) 12:22
»» CANUCKS 3, FLAMES 1
Vancouver was outshot 10-8 this time (29-22 total) and was 0-for-2 (1-for-6) on the power play while Calgary was 0-for-1 (1-for-5). Auld stopped 28 shots.
Three stars -- (1) Kesler, (2) D Sedin, (3) Calgary's Matthew Lombardi
skater, goals-assists-points
D Sedin 0-3-3
Carter 1-1-2
H Sedin 1-1-2
Kesler 1-0-1
Salo 0-1-1
The biggest win of the year, and they needed it badly. Not really a statement game, since they didn't come in with room over Calgary and they aren't on a tear, but more like a small reminder that there's something left. Whether it will be enough is anyone's guess.
In the faceoff circle, Brendan Morrison was 7-for-12, Trevor Linden was 5-for-11, Ryan Kesler was 5-for-13, Henrik Sedin was 2-for-9 (ouch!), and Josh Green was 3-for-8. Kesler, Henrik Sedin, and Anson Carter led the team with three shots apiece. Bryan Allen dished out four hits and Tyler Bouck inflicted three. Morrison and Kesler had two takeaways. Mattias Ohlund blocked six shots.
Plus-skating Canucks included Kesler, Henrik Sedin, and Jarkko Ruutu at plus-1 and Allen, Sami Salo, and Daniel Sedin at plus-2. All other Canuck skaters were even.
The Canucks find themselves atop the Northwest Division thanks to their biggest win of the year. It was Ryan Kesler's best game of the season as well as coach Marc Crawford's 400th career win as a head coach. Crawford became the 17th head coach in NHL history to get to 400 wins. It was also a very good night for the consistent D Sedin/H Sedin/Carter line. Vancouver's 31-18-5 record (2-3 shootout, two overtime losses) is good for 67 points, and though Calgary has the same number of points, Vancouver has one more win, putting them in first place (whatever tiebreaker head-to-head is, it's definitely not first). It's the first time Vancouver has been in first place since December 3rd. The Canucks lead by three points over the third-place Colorado Avalanche and lead by four over the fourth-place Edmonton Oilers. Detroit leads the conference with a one-point cushion on Dallas and an eight-point lead on Vancouver (five on Nashville, who is second in the Central Division).
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