 |  | There isn’t enough Febreze in the lower mainland to cover the smell of tonight’s game at Rogers Arena tonight as the Vancouver Canucks lose a goal filled game with both team’s goalies AWOL to start the game. Everybody loves to see their team in a high scoring game, but when both teams score at will, it sort of numbs the senses a bit. | |
Vancouver - Dec. 2, 2011 - There isn’t enough Febreze in the lower mainland to cover the smell of tonight’s game at Rogers Arena tonight as the Canucks lose a goal filled game with both team’s goalies AWOL to start the game. Everybody loves to see their team in a high scoring game, but when both teams score at will, it sort of numbs the senses a bit and takes the thrill of the game away, and tonight’s first two periods were a prime example.
The recently unbeatable Cory Schneider got off to a bad start tonight as he let in 2 goals on the Predators first two shots of the game, and ended up getting yanked after the first period with the score 3-1 for the visitors. It wasn’t pretty!
But Pekka Rinne was no brick wall himself as he didn’t fair any better in the second period giving up 4 goals in a span of 7 minutes which ended his night. When the Canucks started the second period with Luongo in net, they came out like a team possessed on revenge for having their starting goalie replaced at the hands of a struggling team who was 1-7-1 to start the game. The Canucks came out mad and hell bent for retribution as they stormed back to take a commanding lead by scoring 4 unanswered goals starting with Daniel Sedin’s power play goal at 3:10. By the time the second period was half done, the Canucks held a two goal lead on the reeling Predators on goals by Volpatti, Burrows and Hansen. After seeing 5 goals go by, Pekka Rinne was done and enter Anders Lindback, the Predators backup. With the Canucks starting goalie in net, and the Predators backup between the pipes, and holding a two goal lead the Canucks were in control of the game and their fate, right? Guess again, as Luongo coughs up 2 goals in 1:21 to see the game tied at the end of two. Yeesh, 10 goals scored in forty minutes and neither team looked like they wanted to win tonight very badly!
With the Canucks seemingly having used up all their skill and goals in the first 40 minutes, they possibly could have won this game by at least a two goal margin had they been able to hit the net! Usually dead-eye snipers like the Sedins were missing the net with their shots by a country mile! It was frustrating to watch. With both teams filling the net with pucks early on, it was hard to tell what happened in the third period, because both teams had a hard time finding the twine. The Predators Mike Fisher finally put an end to the lunacy, and the Canucks hopes of extending their win streak by ending it at 18:44 of the third period.
So Cory’s win streak ends after the first period after giving up 3 goals on 7 shots. No great hell, and he no doubt will NOT want to be reminded of tonight’s outing, but at least he didn’t take the loss. When Luongo started the second period in relief of Schneider, he was sporting brand spanking new gear. Maybe it was an attempt to start his season anew because his pads were as clean and white as the driven snow, but in the end he ended up taking the loss.
This was an ugly, ugly game that had lots of goals at each end of the ice with very few defencemen present for 40 minutes. On the plus side (if there is a plus side) to this game, the Canucks didn’t get blown out by a large margin! After this tough loss, the Canucks now look to the bright future of facing the Calgary Flames on Sunday, who by the way lost tonight in a shootout to the equally pathetic Columbus Blue Jackets! Kicking the Flames around on Sunday could just be the tonic that will soothe the Canucks sour belly after tonight’s stinker!
On a side note, after Mason Raymond was reported to be getting his first start since last year’s season ending injury, he was sidelined because of a technicality. Seems the league is pretty strict about receiving the team’s lineups via FAX before a certain (5 P.M EST to be exact) time to notify them of the lineup. Seems the Canucks “forgot” to FAX in the lineup change to the league head office, which meant Mason had to sit out one more game. All I have to say is Mason will definitely be in Sunday’s lineup against the Flames. Sucks to be the Flames on Sunday!
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