[PGT] Scamalanche at Canucks

[stawns]

1 minute ago, Coconuts said:

 

Maybe, it's hard to say. Sometimes things just go sideways. But yeah, maybe actually clinching will help ease some sort of mental pressure. 

 

 

It's a good question, how much is on the players and how much is on the coaching staff. 

 

But to my previous point, this is also Tocchet's first full season as a head coach since 20-21 and it's not as if he's ever coached a team with expectations this high before. Hell, his only playoff appearance was with a Coyotes squad that finished 5th in the Pacific. 

 

More than likely it's growing pains for both the head coach and some of the players on the roster who haven't tasted a whole lot of team success. 

 

I agree about growing pains completely.  I'd like to think tocchet wanted them to keep their foot on the gas, but then that means players kind of tuned him out and stopped skating, which isn't a good sign.

[Dr. Crossbar]

11 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

Ain't the end of the world, shit happens. We'll go around in circles on social media discussing hockey and it won't change a thing, thankfully what will amount to actual change is the players calling a spade a spade and committing to improving upon things. 

 

Every NHL fanbase complains about the refs and sometimes thinks they're out to get them. And hell, maybe sometimes they are, but top teams find ways to work through adversity at the end of the day. Every championship team does. 

 

We let a game slip away against a team that's been a powerhouse for at least a few years now, one that won a cup, and got a point out of it. Credit to the Avs, they found a way to win. I've said it for a while, we're a franchise that's either been a bottom feeder or mediocre for a long stretch, jumping from that to being a top team without growing pains was never realistic, we're still experiencing growing pains. But that's something that comes with growth and development. 

 

We'll make the playoffs, in my eyes that'll make the season a success regardless of what happens come playoff times, largely in part because we've struggled to simply make the dance for years. Regardless of how things go it'll be a stepping stone season so long as we continue to make the playoffs regularly going forward. 

 

 

We've been writing and reading this over and over for years, seems easier to say than do. Can't afford to let up, if that means trying to score ten goals a night try and score ten goals a night. 

 

Amen to that. Good perspective beyond the emotion. I mostly steer clear of the reffing issue. It's circular emotion just like social media. There's nothing the team can do about it other than exactly what you say about change and the players getting to a deeper level of honesty, accountability (and humility) and committing to improving and going where they need to go. They can't lean on refs as an excuse for working through it and finding that way to overcome.

 

I agree about the growth and development. We are seeing a massive leap forward. Although I don't believe it's out of nowhere. You could see forward movement with this core in the last couple years especially ... even last season. The saving grace in all of this is the people we're now surrounded by - coaching staff and management - who know how to get us to the next level and what's required. 

 

We're a good team still learning. Greatness emerges through challenges and obstacles like last night. 

 

 

[FlippersUp]

Pretty pathetic push back from the boys. 

 

I'd say the book is out on us. We've been exposed a number of times now. Team is mentally weak. Just get under our skin and we fold like origami. 

[Blue]

14 minutes ago, DarthMelvin said:

 

What are these boards for then...?

 

It would boring AF if we all came here and said "Good game, gettem next time..."

 

You act like we can't have an opinion. 

 

Go back to the white noise page and tell em what youtube video you watched last... lol

I said over analyzing. Every game is different. This particual game was very fatalistic. 

[Pears]

1 minute ago, FlippersUp said:

Pretty pathetic push back from the boys. 

 

I'd say the book is out on us. We've been exposed a number of times now. Team is mentally weak. Just get under our skin and we fold like origami. 

Is that what happened when we completely neutralized LA/Vegas/Winnipeg last week?

[Blue]

Just now, FlippersUp said:

Pretty pathetic push back from the boys. 

 

I'd say the book is out on us. We've been exposed a number of times now. Team is mentally weak. Just get under our skin and we fold like origami. 

This is the exact kind of trash analysis that i am talking about. 

 

 

[Blue]

Just now, Pears said:

Is that what happened when we completely neutralized LA/Vegas/Winnipeg last week?

And Boston. 

[Coconuts]

1 minute ago, stawns said:

 

I agree about growing pains completely.  I'd like to think tocchet wanted them to keep their foot on the gas, but then that means players kind of tuned him out and stopped skating, which isn't a good sign.

 

I'd like to think so too, Tochett hasn't been unwilling to call a spade a spade thus far and I have a hard time seeing him encouraging the players to let up. Doesn't really seem to jive with his approach, given his lack of head coaching success thus far he likely knows better than to sit on his laurels. A game isn't won until it's won. 

 

Growing pains will likely continue to happen, it'll be interesting to see how things go come playoff time. That being said, one also can't put too much emphasis on a single regular season game. 

 

They've got a stretch of lower tier opponents coming up, this game will only really stand out in retrospect if they flub it between now and playing Dallas imo. 

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

This is the exact kind of trash analysis that i am talking about. 

 

 

It's reactionary for sure. Doesn't have any nuance whatsoever. 

[spook007]

2 hours ago, IBatch said:

Had the exact same thought.     Don't like it when JT comes to play, get us on the scoreboard, and it's wasted.     COL can go pound sand with their comeback.   Truly hope we get another shot at them.  

I'm sure they'll bury them, given the opportunity... 

Disappointed that they get 2min only for a head shot. Different if they didn't see it, but normally its 5min and the showers for head shot. 
Regardless, this team has far more potential, than they showed. And a few good players coming back, which would make us harder to play against. 
The boys need to learn playing under pressure, and that is a process... better to crumble now, than during meaningful games. 

[Pears]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

And Boston. 

Yep. Nothing's gonna be perfect and I think certain people aren't taking into consideration we're still learning how to win, and we're just a tier below Colorado right now. 

[Blue]

We need more out of Lindholm. He's been playing a bit better. But for a player like him , he needs to do more. Get some goals like Horvat used to. 

 

Getting a bit more out of him isn't asking too much. 

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, Pears said:

Yep. Nothing's gonna be perfect and I think certain people aren't taking into consideration we're still learning how to win, and we're just a tier below Colorado right now. 

True. The Canucks are one of the better teams in the league now. They've managed to play well enough, through structure, competency and will, to stay in the upper echelons of the NHL standings for months now. They won't win every single one of the 82 games on the schedule, as no team ever has. They are a team that has chemistry and a clear identity, something that was completely lacking not even a season or two ago. 

 

The progress is undeniable, and still happening. Good time to be a fan of this team.

[Coconuts]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Crossbar said:

 

Amen to that. Good perspective beyond the emotion. I mostly steer clear of the reffing issue. It's circular emotion just like social media. There's nothing the team can do about it other than exactly what you say about change and the players getting to a deeper level of honesty, accountability (and humility) and committing to improving and going where they need to go. They can't lean on refs as an excuse for working through it and finding that way to overcome.

 

I agree about the growth and development. We are seeing a massive leap forward. Although I don't believe it's out of nowhere. You could see forward movement with this core in the last couple years especially ... even last season. The saving grace in all of this is the people we're now surrounded by - coaching staff and management - who know how to get us to the next level and what's required. 

 

We're a good team still learning. Greatness emerges through challenges and obstacles like last night. 

 

 

 

Yeaaaah, I see getting wound up over the refs as being futile. They're a wildcard element every team around the league has to deal with to varying degrees. I've read enough takes from other fans around the league to know it's not just Canucks fans who feel they often get the short end of the stick. And like you said, there's nothing the team can really do about it short of trying to be more disciplined and working to effectively play their game. 

 

We started to see more of it after the Green firing, I know last season didn't go how they'd have liked but I do think Bruce was the breath of fresh air they needed when he was hired. Organizational resets take time, he was part of that transition period and he was an importance piece of it imo. It looked like the players were actually having fun again under Bruce, which isn't nothing. 

 

Making the playoffs that initial time is the first step to becoming  a playoff regular, but doing it regularly going forward is the second step. Gotta be in the mix regularly to have a good chance at actually breaking through, we'll see if they can do that. 

[KoreanHockeyFan]

Colorado and Vegas didn't become championship teams overhight.

 

It took them multiple years of resounding regular season success followed by post-season choke jobs. Don't be surprised if the Canucks are at the very beginning of those growing pains. Just be happy we're trending positively and well on our way.

 

Some people's expectations here are insane. We were basement dwellers just last year. 

[Dr. Crossbar]

30 minutes ago, Blue said:

Over analyzing this game is just incredibly stupid. But that's what Canucks nation does.

 

We had a 2 then 3 goal lead extremely early on a good team. The rest was just the minutia of typical hockey game. Momentum shifts from the leader to the chaser. Toss in a couple penalties and some bad reffing and this is what happens. We got the point. 

 

So who cares. We could have easily been the chaser and the winner if the roles were reversed. No need to moan and cry about it.

 

 

 

Another good, grounded take beyond the emotion. All hope wasn't lost. Nor was it reason to have emotion take priority over the positive. We got a point with our backup.  Positive came out the game. That's what I'm choosing to focus on.

[PhillipBlunt]

2 minutes ago, Blue said:

We need more out of Lindholm. He's been playing a bit better. But for a player like him , he needs to do more. Get some goals like Horvat used to. 

 

Getting a bit more out of him isn't asking too much. 

Not at all. He was physically engaged yesterday, so that's a good sign. Would like to see what damage he, Garland and Joshua can do as a line. 

[Pears]

Just now, PhillipBlunt said:

True. The Canucks are one of the better teams in the league now. They've managed to play well enough, through structure, competency and will, to stay in the upper echelons of the NHL standings for months now. They won't win every single one of the 82 games on the schedule, as no team ever has. They are a team that has chemistry and a clear identity, something that was completely lacking not even a season or two ago. 

 

The progress is undeniable, and still happening. Good time to be a fan of this team.

Exactly why I'm not gonna overreacta whole lot. Yeah blowing a 3-0 lead to a team on a b2b isn't a great look, even if said team has done that all year long, but this season has been so much more than even I could have expected. 

[PhillipBlunt]

I wonder how the team would react to a player acting like some of the posters here do after a loss. 

[FlippersUp]

2 minutes ago, Pears said:

Is that what happened when we completely neutralized LA/Vegas/Winnipeg last week?

That's what happened after Lowry lay'd the boots to PDG we were running around chasing our tails. Boston did it to us too. Exposed our immaturity. Shit we lost a wagon race with Minni. 

 

We can't keep gettng suckered in. We have the skill to win it all but not the emotional maturity.  

[PhillipBlunt]

1 minute ago, Pears said:

Exactly why I'm not gonna overreacta whole lot. Yeah blowing a 3-0 lead to a team on a b2b isn't a great look, even if said team has done that all year long, but this season has been so much more than even I could have expected. 

A couple of years back, the Canucks would have been ventilated by the Avs, and probably physically pushed around. Those days are done and behind the team. The game was lost in overtime from a helmet goal. A fucking helmet goal!

[Ghostsof1915]

2 hours ago, Devron said:

I never liked Kesler much to be honest, he was a great player for us though. And of course this is our team so I would expect the “character win” statements you mentioned. Avs are not my team so I have to right to bitch about that gross embellishment. I mean it wasn’t a little thing, it was blatant 

To sum up. He was a jerk. But he was OUR jerk.

[FlippersUp]

1 minute ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

To sum up. He was a jerk. But he was OUR jerk.

I loved about the Canucks Lappierre, Burr, Ruutu, Cooke as a Canuck. Pestilence has always been a canuck calling card.  

[kilgore]

1 hour ago, canucks curse said:

Small thing but at this level man do I hate it - Blueggsey wins FO in OT to Juulsen and he just fires it down the ice right away... of course they are killing a penalty but the last thing you want then is for COL to have the puck... imo if they start some better players in OT who can try to keep the puck a bit then who knows, but the mentality of just handing the puck to COL immediately was silly... circle back in your own end and for CO to come get you then shoot it down the ice or maybe CO makes a mistake and you spring blueggsey... whatever hindsight but not smart by Juulsen 

 

 

That bugged me as well.  There were 3 less players on the ice surface.  Whether they had one more player or not.  There was enough room to hog the puck a little first.  And maybe even go for a shorty.   Don't just dump the puck like its mid game 5 on 4.

 

 

But the two players I was not pleased with were Suter and Lindholm.  Suter is just not talented enough to hang with Petey.  He had more than one chance with that line die on his stick.  I think a lot of Petey's funk can be traced to playing with Suter. That's just not working.

 

And Lindholm.  I am biting my tongue not to say he's been a disaster.  At least for the what we paid and for what we expected from him. Such a weak player on the boards. Its like the game has sped up and he's slowed down. He was most responsible for not checking the stick of Rantanen's 3-1 goal. 

 

Its one thing to say, as Allvin did, that they are okay with Lindholm just ending up being a rental.  But its another if that rental does squat for you.   I never did understand the high price for a player who showed that he was only effective when being carried by more talented players. An older European player, reaching 30, who showed signs of decline the year before. Been there done that.

 

The price we paid was for was a line-driving elite center for the top 6.  I think that flirtation with Petey on the wing was their original plan. But Lindholm is clearly a step behind what they thought they had. Its been long enough to get acclimatized.  I hope I'm wrong and he finds his mojo.  But right now, I'm not so sure that keeping our first round pick, Brzustewicz, and working more with Kuzmenko as another scoring threat for us would have made us any worse.

[Dr. Crossbar]

18 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

Yeaaaah, I see getting wound up over the refs as being futile. They're a wildcard element every team around the league has to deal with to varying degrees. I've read enough takes from other fans around the league to know it's not just Canucks fans who feel they often get the short end of the stick. And like you said, there's nothing the team can really do about it short of trying to be more disciplined and working to effectively play their game. 

 

We started to see more of it after the Green firing, I know last season didn't go how they'd have liked but I do think Bruce was the breath of fresh air they needed when he was hired. Organizational resets take time, he was part of that transition period and he was an importance piece of it imo. It looked like the players were actually having fun again under Bruce, which isn't nothing. 

 

Making the playoffs that initial time is the first step to becoming  a playoff regular, but doing it regularly going forward is the second step. Gotta be in the mix regularly to have a good chance at actually breaking through, we'll see if they can do that. 

 

Good point about the other fanbases. It's interesting when you pop into other forums. The issues and language patterns are oftentimes identical. Especially regarding the refs and officiating. We most definitely are not the only ones who feel this way. The thing for me runs a bit deeper when it comes to the emotions we see on here. I find real life bleeds into what we see because many people feel they get the short end of the stick on a daily basis and these tough losses influenced by the officiating only amplifies what's already simmering inside. But that is a whole different, deeper issue altogether.

 

Also agree about Bruce. The Green era became far too negative and Bruce was a breath of fresh air. This fanbase actually needed someone to have fun with and care about ... and that was Bruce. That was important in all of this. It was one of the most memorable, feel good periods for the team. It was certainly important in making everyone, including players, feel good again.

 

We're just beginning our window into the playoffs. I know conventional thought is that we need a few playoff runs before we make the big show but I'm curious if that has changed and if that window of taking a few runs has gotten even shorter in this cap era and parity.

 

 

 

Edited March 14 by Dr. Crossbar