I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Ducks, February 09, 2011

Canucks 3 - 4 Ducks

It feels like it's been forever since we've watched the Canucks suffer a home regulation loss, and I'm a little uncertain of how to feel about it. At this point in the season, it's not unlike like being gored by a unicorn: sure, it's undesired, but it's so rare that you're kind of impressed. Only the fourth time this season the Canucks have skated away from a home game without a point, it's pretty hard to muster up the usual fan despair. Heck, the Red Wings lost too, so the only thing on which the Canucks missed out was stretching their nine-point Western Conference lead into an eleven-point lead. They were going to lose eventually, and despite the brush with inevitability, they remain in pretty good standing. I watched this game:

• Of course, for reasonable, like-minded people that are finding it difficult to freak out at this loss, we have the terrifying problem of Dan Hamhuis's addition to the list of broken Canucks. Hamhuis is the backbone of the Canucks' defense corps; without him, the Canucks defense is an invertebrate. Hit from behind by Ryan Getzlaf, Hamhuis briefly went unconscious, which is not ideal, because he wasn't getting his wisdom teeth removed. Of course, while he was in the dreamworld, because he's such a community-oriented guy, he helped a young girl rescue her brother from Jareth, King of the Goblins, but that's another story for another time.

• The hit wasn't dirty. For people looking to cast blame: there is none. In a high-speed sport, accidents happen. Ryan Getzlaf was finishing a check, a move for which all coaches would applaud him. Yes, he was briefly off his feet, but it looks to me like it was the contact with Hamhuis--not his innate wickedness--that caused him to catch air. Some say Hamhuis shouldn't have turned away, but let's get serious. Do these same people curse out their kneecap when it jumps at the tap of a doctor's tendon hammer? Bracing oneself for impact is a natural reflex of the body. I'm sure Dan Hamhuis, a professional hockey player, would be the first one to tell you not to turn like that, but in a split second, the body doesn't always cooperate with the mind. Let's just hope he's okay and move on. Getzlaf isn't a dirty player.

• What he is, however, is a remarkable player. His pass on the Ducks' third goal was dangerously close to Wizardous Sedinerie, as he cribbed a page from Henrik's book of spells (otherwise known as the Nyturan Demonta), perfectly executing a swiveling backpass to Bobby Ryan. Ryan impressed also, receiving and burying that pass entirely on the backhand. I've heard rumblings that the Canucks can't handle the Perry-Getzlaf-Ryan line and that this is some sort of fatal flaw, but who can? They're one of the best lines in hockey, and there's no shame when they burn you. Let's try to give credit when due. Getzlaf is a superstar, and in his first game back from injury, he made sure we knew it. That said, when you steal Henrik's book of spells, you free some pretty malevolent spirits, so Getzlaf should expect some Evil Dead-style demonic high jinks.

• Speaking of malevolent spirits, a theory about these sudden injury troubles: for years, Sami Salo has been possessed by an injury demon. It's decades-old; it once lived in Bobby Orr's knees. Anyway, while rehabbing the Achilles injury, Salo finally rid it from his body, but the demon remains in the bowels of Rogers Arena, jumping from defenceman to defenceman, looking for a suitable host. Someone call Max Von Sydow.

• Christian Ehrhoff had an ugly game, on the ice for three of Anaheim's four goals on the evening and, in each case, the guy caught behind the play. He wasn't always the one to blame, but not once was he the last man back, and that's concerning. His rush-jumpy tendencies may fly when burgeoning superstar Alex Edler is the watchman, but when it's Chris Tanev or Aaron Rome, you might want to stay a little closer to home. With the blueline decimated by injuries, now is not the time for Ehrhoffian defensive offensivity. It's the time for sound defensive play.

• Speaking of Chris Tanev, he continues to look wise beyond his years. Is he in sync with the Sedins already? In this game, he pulled off Kevin Bieksa's jump through the middle and a slap-pass from the point to Daniel. Neither resulted in a goal, but still, these are specialized set plays. Not since Neo learned kung-fu have I seen someone learn something so complicated so quickly. I think Tanev might be The One. He doesn't even see the game; he's sees phosphorescent lines of code.

• Alarming thought which is no longer as alarming as it once was: Kevin Bieksa is now the rock of our defense corps. #JuiceWillSaveUs

• Jannik Hansen's high-pitched monotone gets me every time. During an intermission interview with Kristin Reid, he coughed, and his pitch didn't change a bit. That is commitment.
  

• Lost in the loss was the fact that last night was a three-point night for Daniel Sedin. He had a goal and two assists, and his line looked great all night. He narrowly missed tying the game in the final seconds, too, if not for the puck making a Barry Sanders-level juke. Yes, Sedin was excellent. For folks complaining that the Ducks' top line was too much for the Canucks, need I remind you that this street goes both ways? The Sedins were on for exactly as many goals as Getzlaf's line. By the by, on Daniels's power play goal, Henrik might not have gotten an assist, but did you notice his sneaky trip on Todd Marchant? It wasn't a slewfoot; Henrik simply shades in behind him and plants his skate, and Marchant, skating backwards, trips over it. As a result, Daniel has a buttload (a Byfuglienian buttload, at that) of room.

• Alex Burrows now has 6 goals in his last 7 games, and I loved the way he scored this one. Henrik and Burr do this all the time, and it works surprisingly often. Henrik gets set up behind the net and he just waits there for something to open up. Eventually, one of the checkers gets impatient and lunges at Henrik, and Alex Burrows cuts to the crease, and Henrik gets him the puck. The way Corey Perry played is is the wrong way to play it. The correct defensive play is to wait for Henrik to fall asleep.
  

• Did you know the Canucks had 38 shots and attempted 73? It felt like they had about 20. I don't recall McElhinney making many incredible saves, either.

• Mason Raymond's act is wearing thin. I know he's been picking up points lately, but that seems more a result of his linemates than his individual play. Somebody remind him that skating quickly around the outside is for Clara Hughes. Is he aware that a team's defensive strategy against any offensive threat is to keep him doing exactly what he does willingly?

• Ryan Kesler had a good game, scoring a crucial goal late in the game, and winning 15-of-21 draws, but he had too many rushes end for him when he gave the puck to Raymond and wound up not getting it back. Kesler and Raymond had chemistry last season, but this year, they've gone in completely different directions. Often, Kesler's best stuff comes when he doesn't pass to Raymond, or when he's on with the Sedins. This doesn't bode well for Raymond. It makes him an expendable, tradeable asset. If he doesn't prove himself untouchable in a hurry, he's in danger of being sent to a worse team. He'd better pick it up in a hurry, or he'll find himself playing for a seller.

• Speaking of acts wearing thin, nobody breaks up a promising rush faster than Raffi Torres. Far too often, he's a baffling, downright bungling presence. Watching him skate on a line with Jannik Hansen is like watching inspectors Holmes and Clouseau try to solve a mystery together. One does all the right things, the other breaks vases and falls down staircases.

• And finally, I have never, ever in my life, seen two men chew gum with more ferocity than Mike Gillis and Alain Vigneault as they waited for Dan Hamhuis to get up.
  

The 10 Best Items in the Dice & Ice Auction Catalogue

The Canucks Dice & Ice Benefit is a fabulous annual charity event that raises money for the Canucks For Kids Fund in support of Canuck Place Children's Hospice and BC Children's Hospital. We've never been, and until we have enough money to pay rent and still have some money left in our bank accounts, it's likely we won't be in attendance.

However, because PITB is a worldwide movement now, we have spies everywhere. We have managed to get ahold of the night's silent auction catalog. Thank you to our secret benefactor, who may or may not be Batman.

Suffice it to say, there's some sweet stuff in there, including a bevy of autographed jerseys by your favourite Canucks. No autographed Jannik Hansen jersey, though. To sign your name, you need hands, amirite? Ha ha, zing.

Anyway, as commoners, we understand the plight of those like us, who want to know about the neat stuff up for auction, but aren't on that particular mailing list. So, for the plebeian, we've compiled a short list of the coolest stuff the Canucks have put up for bid. Here are the ten best items in the Dice & Ice Auction Catalog:

Private Practice with Daniel & Henrik Sedin
A once in a lifetime opportunity to have Canucks Alternate Captain Daniel Sedin and Captain Henrik Sedin coach your BC minor hockey league team for a practice. This prize is open to minor hockey players 16 years old and younger and includes the opportunity to watch a private Canucks practice at
Rogers Arena followed by your one hour session on-ice with Daniel and Henrik Sedin running drills for your youth team.

Kindly Donated By: Daniel & Henrik Sedin
Value: Priceless

Okay kids, let's work on our saucer passes. You start here, at your own goal line. Your teammate will skate the length of the ice. Hit him with the pass just as he reaches the blue line. Whoops, you fell down. Whoops, so did he. Let's move on. Okay kids, let's work on our positioning. Put your back to the defender. Now, he's going to crosscheck you in the back as hard as he possibly can. Here's a tip: really choke up on the stick so he can get the full effect of your crosscheck. Now, whatever you do, don't lose the puck.

Be A Part of the Team Photo
Take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity to be in the Canucks Team Photo at the end of the 2010.11 season. This opportunity is available for one person and includes one 8x10 copy of the team photo and a replica jersey to wear in the photograph.

Kindly Donated By: Vancouver Canucks
Value: Priceless

"Who's the creepy guy in the corner?" "That's Raffi Torres." "Who's the goofy-looking one?" "Still Torres." "No, next to him." "Oh. I have no idea."

One Hour Co-Host Spot on 100.5 The Peak
Let your voice be heard with a one hour co-host opportunity on 100.5 The Peak! The Peak is one of Vancouver’s newest radio stations and features adult alternative music intensive radio station that has a huge emphasis on new and emerging artists with a secondary focus on alternative music from the 80’s & 90’s. It’s the only place you’ll hear the hottest rock, acoustic, folk, and much more, all on one station – setting a new standard for great music in Vancouver.

Kindly Donated By: 100.5 The Peak
Value: Priceless

What is this crap? This sounds like it was recorded in a garage! I'm sick of your artsy-fartsy college kid music! I paid big money for this co-hosting gig, and I say we play The Everly Brothers!

Autographed Script from “Two and a Half Men’’
Own an autographed script from the Golden Globe nominated television show Two and a Half Men. “The Mooch at the Boo’’ script is signed by Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones.

Kindly Donated By: Macklam/Feldman
Value: Priceless

Now you can join the ever-growing list of people to have Charlie Sheen's DNA somewhere in your home.

Roberto Luongo Game Used & Autographed Stick
This game used Reebok goalie stick has been autographed by Roberto Luongo.

Kindly Donated By: Vancouver Canucks
Value: Priceless

Not sure why Luongo still had this stick, considering he was named the game's first star that night. And why does the signature say, "To Brad Ziemer, get bent?"

Kesler Family Men’s RK17 Clothing Basket
This basket features the best men’s clothing from Ryan Kesler’s new clothing line, RK17. Some of the highlights include a men’s jacket, underwear and boxer briefs, baseball hat, long and short sleeve T’s, polo shirt, bowling shirt, hoodie, the Canucks 2010.11 Official Team Year Book, an autographed 8x10 action shot of Ryan Kesler, and much more!

Kindly Donated By: Ryan and Andrea Kesler
Value: $750

10 to 1 that 8x10 action shot looks a lot like this action shot. Oh look, he signed his nipples.

Samuelsson Family Coffee Basket
The Samuelssons want you to stay caffeinated with this sleek Nespresso CITIZ coffee maker with important accessory, the Nespresso Aeroccino (both in silver). Created to please both coffee drinkers and lovers of modern design, the CITIZ coffee maker represents the union of functionality and ‘’retromodern’’ design and caters to all coffee preferences. The accompanying Aeroccino is a new, automatic and amazingly simple way of creating light, creamy milk froth. Just pour in some cold, fresh milk and press the button for exceptional quality milk froth.

Kindly Donated By: Mikael and Sandra Samuelsson
Value: $375

Sometimes Mikael Samuelsson seems on edge, don't you agree? We may finally have our explanation. Look at this gift basket. This ain't some sissy coffee package. This is the package of a full-blown addict. Ten minutes after you win this, Samuelsson's going to run up to you, shouting obscenities, scratching his neck, and tearfully demanding it back.

Hamhuis Family Fitness Basket
This basket contains a variety of fitness goodies from Twist Conditioning, including a gift certificate for three one-on-one 60 minutes training sessions, a Smart Training DVD, Twist Conditioning Smart Toner exercise bands (med and heavy resistance), a Twist Conditioning sling shot, a Suspension Training Pro-pack (containing TRX suspension trainer model p2, a compact mesh carry bag, a 65 min intro to suspension training DVD, and a durable quick start and workout guide), an exercise ball, and a Dan Hamhuis autographed Canucks jersey.

Kindly Donated By: Dan and Sarah Hamhuis
Value: Priceless

Here's the shocker of the evening: Dan "Community Man" Hamhuis gives you the gift of self-improvement. He originally wanted to give you everything you'd need to rappel into an oppressed mountainside village in the Himalayas and free all the slave kids, but the Canucks said no. By the way, that jersey is a size small. If you really work at it, eventually it'll fit you, and you'll be so proud of yourself when it does.

Glass Family Board Game Night Basket
Get the family away from the TV and have some fun with this collection of board games and snacks! This basket of fun contains Canada Monopoly, Life, Jenga, Catch Phrase, Scrabble, Mouse Trap, Set, Uno, Playing Cards, Scrabble, Cards, Bottle of Wine, Sparkling Cider, Organic Popcorn, Butter Marshmallow Squares and Carmel Almond Pecans.

Kindly Donated By: Tanner Glass and Emily Tracy
Total Value: $300

Emily, I'm sick and tired of people thinking I'm just some guy who plays Scrabble. I wish there was a way to let the world know I play more board games than that.

Ehrhoff Family Night Out With Christian Basket
Enjoy a Saturday night out for two with Canucks star defenceman Christian Ehrhoff! On February 26, you will be picked up at your home in Vancouver/Burnaby/North Shore by a McLean’s Restaurant chauffeur. After dinner at McLean’s ($150 gift certificate), you’ll be driven to Rogers Arena to watch the Canucks take on the Bruins from your lower bowl seats. After the game, you’ll be driven back to McLean’s to enjoy post-game dessert and drinks with Christian Ehrhoff! When your visit with Christian is over, you’ll be driven home and will take two autographed Christian Ehrhoff t-shirts with you as your souvenir for the evening.

Kindly Donated By: Christian and Farina Ehrhoff
Total Value: Priceless

Dessert is on you, by the way. After games, Christian likes to eat kaiserschmarrn with applesauce. He'll be very upset if he doesn't get his kaiserschmarrn with applesauce. No kaiserschmarrn with applesauce, no Christian. Whatever you do, do not forget the applesauce. And go easy on the salt. He's a flail snail.


But seriously, we hope the event is a raging success and that the Canucks raise a ton of money for those kids.

PITB & The Canucks California Road Trip, Vol. I

Have you seen the Canucks' schedule in March? They're away quite a bit. They play 15 times in 31 days, with 9 of those contests in other people's buildings, as part of two lengthy road trips. The first will be five games, and the second will be four.

That first road trip is the annual California road trip, a rite of passage for Canucks fans. It's a jaunt that takes them through all three of California's hockey cities--Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Jose--as well as the nearest out-of-state hockey town, Phoenix (if you can call it a hockey town when the team plays somewhere else and no one cares). If you're a Vancouver resident, you know that California is about a day's drive away, but when you factor in the sunshine and the cheap hockey tickets, it often seems closer than Chilliwack. You can take a week off work, see the Canucks play a handful of games for the price of one good ticket in Rogers Arena, and you can go to California. It's a triple win.

This year, Pass it to Bulis is making the journey. Four games. Four people. 8 crazy nights. It's like hockey Hannukah. Skeeter and I will be loading up the car with our luggage and our wives, and chasing our favourite hockey team around the Southwest United States in a Nissan Versa. We'll be listening to Sufjan Stevens, eating at In n' Out Burger, meeting up with Qris (our mysterious third contributor) in Anaheim, and blogging every minuscule detail, like when we get a piece of toast that looks like Batman while eating breakfast at a Perkins.

Also, we accidentally bought an extra ticket for the San Jose game. Do you want it? Simply tweet this:

RT & follow @passittobulis for chance to win ticket to #Canucks game in San Jose, March 10! #worstcontestever http://bit.ly/gkw5lI

Note: this contest is now closed. Congratulations to @indelibleline on winning the Worst Contest Ever!

It's our worst contest ever! The winner will be randomly selected from all entrants, but I like your chances. Seriously, how many Canucks fans are there in San Jose that also read this blog. It's just you. That said, a drive to San Jose is a paltry 16 hours, but how many Canucks fans want to drive 16 hours for one ticket? Did I mention this was our worst contest ever? If you're a Vancouver resident and you come all that way just to sit with us, we promise to share our popcorn, but that's all. That's how bad this contest is. That said, maybe you're a weird San Jose fan who like to consort with the enemy. We promise not to leer at you.



We have to imagine there will be more than a few Canucks fans--maybe even a few Bulies--who are already planning to make the trip. Are you going? Let us know in the comments.

Quick Hits (From Behind)

Quick Hits (From Behind) is an irregular feature on Pass it To Bulis, wherein two hockey fans chip in their thoughts on current hockey news and get assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Hi there! Do you like links? Because PITB's got a handful of good reads to help you with your chronic e-somnambulism. But come back here when you're done. We need you.

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• The Eh Factor - I Have a Confession Regarding Matt Cooke

Nowadays, he's a gutless puke, but there was a time when Matt Cooke was a fan favourite player in Vancouver. Give Charron credit for bravely being the first former Cooke acolyte to admit the dirty truth:

I used to be a huge Matt Cooke fan when he was with the Canucks, but that was before he morphed into the Matt Cooke he is today. There was a time when he was a pest, but he didn't hit dirty, he just annoyed. There was a time when, in the wake of the Todd Bertuzzi suspension, Matt Cooke was moved to his spot on the Canucks' top line with Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund and scored three goals and was a +9 during a six game winning streak which won the Canucks the division title

[...] Matt Cooke was once what Alex Burrows is right now: a marginal top line player who was a fan favourite. Burrows isn't dirty, just annoying if you're wearing a different jersey, and this is what Matt Cooke used to be, and, while I hate the 'pest' role, a lot of players do it very effectively without putting anyone but themselves in danger.

Oh my, Matt, how things have changed.

Charron is spot on about Cooke once being what Burrows is now, and fans love those sorts of players: underdogs who find chemistry with the stars and find an invaluable niche filling gaps. I've gone on record that Alex Burrows is my favourite player (or was, before a certain fourth-line winger agreed to Scrabble me), and Matt Cooke once was for a lot of the same reasons. I'm not so into him now.

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• Head to the Net - This is Why You Should Appreciate Sami Salo

We like to poke fun at Sami Salo's injury history (it's sort of remarkable). But HTTN points out the guts and resolve it takes to rehabilitate that many debilitating injuries. He deserves a ton of credit for working his way back, especially at his age. HTTN:

At the age of 36, [Salo] has suffered no fewer than 40 injuries during his hockey playing career. The latest of which is a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in the off-season, which to this point still offers no guarantee of a complete recovery.

Salo is not like me – just another person who’s into an active, healthy lifestyle. We’re talking about a professional athlete, someone who has dedicated his entire life to playing hockey, and whose sport has only given back grief.

Everytime Salo has been injured, it has been gut-check time. Will he have it in him to perform the rehab necessary to repair this injury? After the muscles, tendons, and bones are healed, will he be willing to get his body back into the same shape it was in before? We’re not talking about good shape, or excellent shape, we’re talking elite athlete shape.

We often forget the humanity of the athletes for whom we cheer. Salo had to be even more frustrated than the fans were with this latest freak accident, but rather than show him support or root for his return, we grumbled about his cap hit and wished the injury-prone blight away. And, of course, al he did instead was work his ass off to get back when he could have safely retired without anybody batting an eye. Great work by HTTN.

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• Elliotte Friedman - Time For Kessel to Step Up, Plus 30 thoughts

Friedman's 30 thoughts are always a must-read, and this week's installment is no exception. But I'm particularly interested in thought #4, which sounds suspiciously like a speculation made by PITB at the beginning of the season. Friedman:

No one was happier about Henrik Sedin's Hart Trophy victory than brother Daniel. I would wager, however, that part of the motivation for Daniel's spectacular season is Henrik owning that hardware. They are fiercely competitive with each other (in a good way) and Daniel undoubtedly doesn't like Henrik having one up on him.

The phrase you are looking for, Elliotte, is out for blood, and the praise you are looking for is rightly ours. Fork it over, pal.

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• Tim Campbell - Moose lineup a moving target

If you think the injuries, cap issues, and the looming trade deadline are throwing the Canucks' roster into a bit of a tizzy, consider the poor Manitoba Moose, who have to deal with all the same issues as well as another hockey team taking their players. Imagine having to worry about the roster of two hockey teams at once. Sometimes we forget that every prospect who gets a brief sniff of the NHL is actually a vital part of the Moose's core. Campbell also details how Alex Edler and Sami Salo's injuries have effected the Moose, and how Chris Tanev's return would be welcome. I'm particularly interested in Lorne Henning's indication that Tanev has too much potential to stay with the team just to sit:

If Andrew Alberts is ready to go after his latest injury setback, and there were indications that could have been in last night's late game, then the Canucks will have eight defencemen with Salo's return.

And that leaves open the possibility of Tanev's return to the Moose.

"Andrew Alberts is coming back, too, so we're going to have a lot of defencemen," Canucks assistant GM Lorne Henning said Monday. "Chris has played very well but if everybody's back, chances are we'll want him to keep playing. He's played phenomenal."

Unfortunately for Moose fans, he jinxed everything and the Keith Ballard injury knocked the Canucks back down a guy. It also complicated things for both organizations' plans for Tanev. The Canucks and the Moose want him to play somewhere, but if Salo returns to starting roster on Saturday, Tanev will effectively be the Canucks' seventh healthy defenseman. What do they do with him at this point? Ballard and Edler are a long way off. Provided nobody else gets hurt, how long do the Canucks let Tanev sit in the press box without game action? If I were Rome and Alberts, I'd watch it, because every shaky outing is an excuse to get Tanev back in the lineup. Should keep both guys on their toes.

Slewfoot on Keith Ballard Showcases One of the Many Ways a Player Can Needlessly Injure Another Player

If you haven't seen it yet, here's a clip of the Keith Ballard injury, via Kukla's Korner. Last night, during the game, I wondered aloud to my wife if Milan Michalek was guilty of a slewfoot here. Kukla's Korner asks the same question. Ben Kuzma also asked. Mike Gillis straight up said it was. Let me tell you: if it looks like a slewfoot and quacks like a duck, well, it's probably a slewfoot, but then why the Hell is it quacking?

Anyway, this is probably a slewfoot, one of the many oft-overlooked ways one player can give another player a completely needless, totally avoidable, longterm injury. Word is Ballard will miss 2-4 weeks with an MCL sprain, and if the MRI reveals a tear, well, longer. Frankly, Hips is lucky his knee didn't pop clean off--the fate that befell my poseable MC Hammer action figure when I was nine.

And if it is a slewfoot, where's the outrage? I don't like the way this is being brushed off. Slewfoots are exceedingly dangerous, just like the headshots that dominate the daily discussions of NHL issues. They happen surprisingly often, and yet nobody really talks about cracking down on them.

Today would have been a great day to discuss yet one more way hockey players aren't showing each other enough respect on the ice, one more dirty play on which the league needs to crack down. But instead, when I turned on the radio, I was dropped into yet another rant about headshots. Let's get serious, radio guys. You had a major slewfoot in your market and you go right back to the well of overplayed topics? Granted, Cam Cole's article on headshots and the Code is brilliant and worth discussing, but if the above video tells me anything, it's that headshots aren't the only way to shorten a guy's career, and the others deserve some discussion as well.

The Vancouver Wellwoods Present "Training is Cheating" & Other Road Hockey News

PITB's favorite road hockey team, the Vancouver Wellwoods, have just released this fantastic video to help promote their team. It is a wonderful illustration of their team motto, "Training is Cheating." Make sure to head to their team page and "Like" the Wellwoods. As we have said before, they are PITB's team and, therefore, they are your team. If you don't like them and what they stand for, then I'm not sure we can be friends.

The National Street Hockey Championship is taking place this Friday and Saturday in Victoria, BC. The Wellwoods will be playing on Friday, February 11th, at 8:40 AM, 11:20 AM, and 2:40 PM. The Saturday schedule has not been released yet. If you're in Victoria this weekend, be sure to head out to the Inner Harbour by the Fairmont Empress Hotel to cheer the Wellwoods on to victory.

In other road hockey news, Pass it to Bulis will be participating in a Canucks Blogger Road Hockey Tournament Extravaganza this Saturday on Granville Street in Vancouver. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and Five Hole for Food are setting up street hockey rinks on the corner of Granville and Robson open for anyone to play, with the blogger tournament between Canucks Hockey Blog, Canucks Corner, Head to the Net, and yours truly taking place in the late afternoon. PITB will be playing at 3:00 and 5:00 PM, so stop by to watch and/or play. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society will be on site to collect donations, so bring a donation along with your hockey stick.

If that doesn't get you pumped up, maybe a press release about the event will:

Remember the excitement of the pedestrian corridors along Granville & Robson during the 2010 Olympic Games? We do! The Downtown Vancouver BIA and the City of Vancouver are hosting a one-year anniversary celebration on Saturday, February 12 from noon – 9pm to relive the fun that was ‘centre ice’ during the Games.

February 12th marks the one year anniversary of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. The DVBIA has planned numerous of activities and entertainment for the public to enjoy. Some of the activations will include organized street hockey, buskers, flash mobs, a tweet up, CTV broadcasting the news on site, broadcast highlights of the Games and people just hanging out. As a part of the festivities happening on that day, street hockey will be one of the main attractions for the thousands of spectators.

There will also be some integration with Lunar Fest which is happening on the same day as they will parade down Robson and Granville street ending with a fire dance in our hockey rink in the 700 block of Granville Street. The Mint will be open for the day with special Olympic features, and there will be VIP involvement throughout the course of the day including Olympians from last year's games.

Richard Loat
DVBIA Event Organizer

So, in summary: if you're in Victoria, go cheer on the Wellwoods. If you're on the mainland, come watch PITB prove terrible at the very sport they cover. And if you're in another country, we apologize, because Canada is where it's at.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Senators, February 07, 2011

Canucks 4 - 2 Senators

You'd have thought, from the tone of the media coverage leading up to this game, that Ottawa was coming in with a bag over their collective heads, while the Canucks had been spotted a guillotine, a French audience, and a death warrant personally signed by Maximilien Robespierre. From the outset, this one looked like a routine execution, the league's best team up against, arguably, the league's worst team. Of course, that's not how it went. Rather than crush the Senators like the Crushinator might have crushed them, the Canucks jumped out to an early lead, indicating a crushing, then nearly lost it with some sloppy play in the second. As a result, this one was a lot closer than anybody had expected, myself included. My official prediction was a Canuck victory by the score of 50 million billion to 1. I wound up being off by one goal. I watched this game:

• The big story was the play of the Canucks' second line of Raymond, Kesler, and Samuelsson, which appears to be coming to life like the denizens of Stephen King's Pet Sematery. They led the way last night, with 3 goals and 8 points between them. Kesler played the way he usually played, capable of giving straight men pause, and Raymond and Samuelsson finally looked like suitable linemates, using their respective speed and shootiness to great effect. The game-winning goal (above) was an excellent display of their reignited chemistry. Kesler fought the puck through the neutral zone before Raymond gained some room in the offensive zone with his speed. MayRay then fed it back to Kesler, who found Samuelsson in front. It was very cute, like Animaniac sister Dot.
  

• Also worth mentioning is that Kesler made that pass with Jannik Hansen's stick, given to him after his own lumber snapped in the neutral zone. I wondered what Hansen was thinking while Kesler was using it to dazzle. I suspect the following: 1) Why doesn't it do that when I'm holding it? and 2) Maybe now they'll finally let me join their study group.

• Not featured in this clip of the Kesler goal is the post he hit seconds prior. His shot really is something else. Not literally, of course--it remains a shot. Kesler has become a remarkable player. I'm downright salivating at the thought of what he could fetch us in a trade. I'm thinking a top-line, two-way, power forward center and a late draft pick.

• On the heels of being named one of the NHL's three stars for the week, Mikael Samuelsson potted another two goals. His empty-netter to seal the win was a reassertion that yes, he will shoot from anywhere (joke credit: @MFitz24). Thanks for reminding us, buddy, but next time, gain the red line. Samuelsson is like that member of the sniper team that picks off the bank robber right at the moment the cop on the inside is beginning to get through to the guy, and the audience is beginning to sympathize with him. Then bam! He's dead. Not in Mikael's bank!
  

• If you're not sure whether or not you're the squeamish sort, have a look at Keith Ballard's knee. Are you vomiting? You're squeamish. I've eaten licorice that wouldn't bend like that. Anyway, Ballard left the game with an undisclosed injury (early bet: knee) early in the first. The good news: this hardly disrupted Alain Vigneault's perma-gameplan of giving all Ballard's minutes to Aaron Rome.

• Rome then exacerbated the Canucks' lack of playable defencemen when he took 1140 seconds in penalties for fighting with Chris Neil, and I have to give a ton of credit to Neil on this one. When the Senators went down by two, Neil tried to start something with Rome, and Rome smartly declined. But here's the thing: the Canucks have been playing with the lead so much this season, they almost always decline, and Neil was the first one to force the issue. The first chance he got, he took a run at Henrik Sedin. For those complaining it was in any way dirty (I'm looking at you, Garry "I only own paisley ties" Valk), it looked nearly identical to every Raffi Torres hit. It was fine. And, it necessitated a response, which was the point. Then, Neil smartly looked off Daniel Sedin, who was first on the scene for some reason (and took a Burrows-esque stab at Neil's genitals) before pummeling Aaron Rome. That is how you get what you want. The fact that it put the Canucks down to 4 defenseman for much of the entire second period (during which Ottawa scored twice) was a bonus. You may hate Chris Neil, but his was an absolutely perfect piece of agitation.

• It's a small beef, but let's talk about Aaron Rome's delay of game penalty: really? Rome was lying on his belly when he swept the puck away. Can he really be blamed for the fact that it took off like a hornuss? I say no. If the Bible's creation story has taught us anything, it's that, once on its belly, a creature goes from treacherous to harmless pretty quickly. How can the referees not read this situation? In the third period, Roberto Luongo briefly lost his stick. Had it met the puck in the corner, would he have received a delay of game penalty too? The order to call this penalty by the letter of the law has only made the referees look like fools. In a parallel universe, they're the guys ticketing motorists for turning right at a red light.

• Andrew Alberts probably wasn't expecting to play 17:10 (that's Aaron Rome icetime) last night, but he was pretty great in his first game back in the lineup. Alberts used his body to great effect (like Willa Ford), finishing with a game-high seven hits, two blocked shots, and a plus-2.

• When Alex Burrows is playing with confidence, he becomes more than a Sedin linemate--he's his own weapon. On his goal, he looks off Daniel Sedin to take the puck to the net himself. The power move completely surprises Chris Phillips, who cuts behind the goal, thinking he's going to shrewdly take the puck away. Instead, Burrows finds himself alone in front, and shows a great bit of patience to put it past Elliott. There was an article in the Province only yesterday about Burrows working with Glenn Carnegie to take that extra second with the puck after missing four open chances versus Chicago. The extra work appears to have paid off instantly.

• How about that 3-on-0 rush the Senators got? Granted, it doesn't happen if the puck doesn't jump over Daniel Sedin's stick, but the rest of the team picked a poor time to have a tea party at the bench. I was surprised Luongo was even in the net.

• Dan "Community Man" Hamhuis was the big-minute guy, logging over 30 minutes in the absence of Ballard and Rome. He's such a good guy he didn't mind the extra work. He had plenty of energy left over, too. During the intermission, he freed Tibet.

• I always wonder about the player that serves the bench minors. Is he aware he's in there because he's the least important? Coach says I'm the best at breakaways, that's why I'm in here.
  

• And finally, you had to feel bad for the snake-bitten Senators, who hit three posts in about a two-minute span when a goal would have tied the game. Not since the cast of Canada's Worst Driver has a group hit so many consecutive posts.