[PGT] Utah (Arizona) @ Vancouver

[Coconuts]

5 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

People arguing that goaltending isn’t the difference is wild.

 

I thought Minnesota was

[Bob Long]

40 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Injuries killed Vegas's season, then they won the cup.   That is a legit excuse IMO.   The reffing nope.   That equals out over the year for everyone.   Should see some of the crap other teams have endured too this season.   

 

Edit: Excuse isn't the right wording.  Reason.   Legit reason why Vegas missed the playoffs. 

 

Floridas injury situation also gave Vegas a relatively easy cup finals.

[Dr. Crossbar]

16 hours ago, Captkirk888 said:

They are not in a slide. I think the difference this time IS goaltending. The team as a whole was not playing well then. NOW it seams the team is playing well but sub par goaltending is not getting them over the hump. That is why I think he could be the difference NOW. 

 

It's a huge difference. Many of those differences are in-game, which alter momentum, provide sparks, bolster confidence, extra gears emerge, etc.

[OldFaithfulcap]

1 hour ago, IBatch said:

No shit.

 

As far as seasons go, it's already up there with one of the greatest regular seasons in club history.   Won't be a twat so will ignore the kid stuff, as an adult, I can't re-call many that we're much better.   Maybe expectations have surpassed reality.   Not sure on that.    Every good season including the peak Sedin years, had its ebbs and flows.   

 

This team has a hit a bunch of players records and team records. It vastly exceeded my expectations. I get the criticisms, some things they do drive me nuts. I get the experience takes too and i understand why no-one views us a threat.

 

The west is wide open, we don't have a losing record against any current top 10 east team - why can't we win it all this year?

 

	VS
Team	Dallas	Van	Jets	Avs	Oilers	Preds	Kings	Vegas	Blues
Dallas		0-2	2-1	0-2-1	2-0-1	2-2	2-0	0-1-2	1-1-1*
Van	2-0		1-1*	0-2-1	3-0*	2-0	1-3	2-2	1-1-1
Jets	1-2	1-1*		2-0*	1-1-1	2-2	2-1	0-3	3-0
Avs	3-0	3-0	0-2*		1-1*	1-2	2-1	1-1*	3-1
Oilers	1-2	0-3*	1-1-1	1-0-1*		2-1	3-1	2-1	1-1-1
Preds	2-2	0-2	2-2	2-1	1-2		2-1	2-1	3-0
Kings	0-2	3-0-1	1-2	1-2	1-2-1	1-2		1-1-1	1-1-1
Vegas	3-0	2-2	3-0	1-1*	1-1-1	1-1-1	2-1		2-0-1
Blues	1-1-1*	2-1	0-3	1-3	2-0-1	0-3	2-1	1-1-1

 

*Still a game to play

 

Edited April 12 by OldFaithfulcap

[Hairy Kneel]

1 hour ago, Jaimito said:

who is surprised?

 

 

They're playing 3D chess while were playing checkers.

[stawns]

52 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

People arguing that goaltending isn’t the difference is wild.

 

I haven't seen a single person say that.

[AnthonyG]

16 hours ago, VegasCanuck said:

I think the Coyotes team were seeing now, is a playoff team. I've said before that with the draft picks they have been compiling, they are going to be a powerhouse in a couple of years, wherever they wind up playing. 

 

My concern extends to the fact that we've only beaten one Playoff team (Vegas) in the last month.

 

Really hope they can regain their focus quickly, they have too many guys not playing at the right level at the moment. Saturday will be a real benchmark game for us.

Okay so if I go and look back the last 3-4 weeks we lost to LAK 3-2, DAL 3-1, VGK 6-3, LAK 6-3 and we beat VGK 4-3 

 

Breakdown vs LAK 

VAN vs LAK 3-2L 

All situations

62.37% CORSI

SCF 28

SCA 13

HDCF 14

HDCA 6

xGF 3.04

xGA 1.76

 

5v5

59.42% CORSI

SCF 20

SCA 9

HDCF 10

HDCA 4

xGF 2.06

xGA 1.02

 

VAN vs LAK 6-3L

All situations

59.15% CORSI

SCF 37

SCA 17

HDCF 20

HDCA 8

xGF 4.66

xGA 2.23

 

These wins for LAK are not sustainable against us whatsoever. I do not see a best of 7 where LAK wins 4 games with numbers like that, consistently every time we play them. They benefitted from some weak goals and capitalized on very very few chances. 

 

Dallas was one game where we were out chanced and lacked possession overall

 

vs DAL 3-1L

All situations

45.52% CORSI

SCF 28

SCA 40

HDCF 12

HDCA 22

xGF 2.93

xGA 5.94

 

Looks pretty ugly at first glance.

 

5v5

CORSI 45.26% 

SCF 23

SCA 28

HDCF 10

HDCA 13

xGF 2.13

xGA 3.06

 

The game tightens up a bit more 5v5, our special teams were really having a hard time vs DAL and ultimately every game it struggled for an extended period of time.   DAL scored 2PPGs and then added an empty netter. We lost solely on special teams and were only slightly out edged 5v5.

 

 

vs VGK 6-3L

All situations

54.39% CORSI

SCF 27

SCA 29

HDCF 11

HDCA 9

xGF 2.09

xGA 2.86

 

 

5v5

54.76% CORSI

SCF 22

SCA 22

HDCF 8

HDCA 5

xGF 1.33

xGA 1.56

 

Vancouver has been great 5v5, the PP has been disappointing and the PK was not holding up. We can play with anyone 5v5, we just need some adjustments on the PP, we need to press the issue to get more shots and traffic and the PK is missing its best player, Thatcher Demko. 

 

 

[DeNiro]

29 minutes ago, stawns said:

 

I haven't seen a single person say that.

Okay

[DeNiro]

42 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

They're playing 3D chess while were playing checkers.

Imagine they lose 2 out of their next 3 (Wild/Avs) and the Blues win out their final 3. 
 

Last day of the season and they get eliminated from playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks! Could you imagine. 

 

Stones like “Guys what happened to the plan?!?”

 

 

Edited April 12 by DeNiro

[AnotherCanucksFan]

11 hours ago, IBatch said:

Interesting take.   So...the best team in the league since Feb 4,  has won a shocking 9.38% more games then we have ? (pretty sure it's actually Dallas or NYR but too lazy to check, the way some folks keep going on about the Oilers though ... their winning streak was in January...in the rearview mirror now, the same way our winningest part of the year is too).  Or if you just look at the numbers, 4 more games out of 30...And our murderously mediocre 15 wins in the last 30 games ... the way some fans have been jerking off to the Oilers comeback, makes one wonder/question allegiance's (not you). 
 

For those that have been watching the games,  we lost quite a few games where goaltending was the difference.   Last year without Demko we stunk.   This year without Demko, we are still a playoff team.   41 out of 60 points isn't crap.    And that's our worst stretch.   As for the Oilers, they've cooled down as well.   

I recognize that this is the best the Canucks have played in 10 years. It's probably why it's more of inquiry on what happened after the All Star break that shook the Canucks and hasn't seemed to have gone away. 

• 5 Canucks going to All Star game and more players starting to look more closely at our team
• Demko injury ( although slide started right after All Star break and before the Demko injury )
• Joshua injury and resulting blending of lines
• Lindholm coming in cold *and* getting injured resulting in continued blending of lines
• Tocchet looking too far in the future instead of focussing the team on game by game mentality. Even recently when he was interviewed, after saying the players maybe starting thinking towards the playoffs instead of the next game, made reference to "this is how it is in the playoffs" etc. instead of speaking solely of the current game only
• PP going stale resulting in confidence going down
• PK getting cautious and confidence going down

Edited April 12 by AnotherCanucksFan

[AnotherCanucksFan]

1 hour ago, DeNiro said:

Imagine they lose 2 out of their next 3 (Wild/Avs) and the Blues win out their final 3. 
 

Last day of the season and they get eliminated from playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks! Could you imagine. 

 

Stones like “Guys what happened to the plan?!?”

 

 

Kind of dream scenario!

[Jaimito]

 

 

[Gawdzukes]

5 minutes ago, AnotherCanucksFan said:

I recognize that this is the best the Canucks have played in 10 years. It's probably why it's more of inquiry on what happened after the All Star break that shook the Canucks and hasn't seemed to go away. 

• 5 Canucks going to All Star game and more players starting to look more closely at our team
• Demko injury ( although slide started right after All Star break and before the Demko injury )
• Joshua injury and resulting blending of lines
• Lindholm coming in cold *and* getting injured resulting in continued blending of lines
• Tocchet looking to far in the future instead of focusing the team on game by game mentality. Even recently when he was interviewed, after saying the players maybe starting thinking towards the playoffs instead of the next game, made reference to "this is how it is in the playoffs" etc. instead of speaking solely of the current game only
• PP going stale resulting in confidence going down
• PK getting cautious and confidence going down

Good analysis. I kind of blame it on the game itself.

 

First half you got our group of hard working players all buying in and playing for each other. Then the all-star game where 5/6 of those guys separate themselves and go off waltzing around like superstars. They come back a little complacent and disjointed, add the Joshua injury, and all that mojo they had was not quite as strong.

 

It's not the first time teams have struggled after the break. I mean it's on the players for not sorting it out but it did seem to be a tale of two different teams.

[Dr. Crossbar]

5 hours ago, IBatch said:

Could it be just so simple as Demko going down.   

 

4 hours ago, HKSR said:

since Demko went down, in 13 games, the Canucks have a 3.00 GAA and 0.890 SV%.

 

Demko's GAA:  2.47 GAA

Demko's SV%:  0.917%

 

Nope, Demko wouldn't make a difference at all.

 

These two responses fit quite nicely.

[Captkirk888]

3 hours ago, stawns said:

 

Defense isn't this teams issue, scoring is.  Even without demjo, they've managed to keep goals against reasonably low.  They are a good possession team, just not a good scoring team

 

That's why it's important that they don't play LA in the first round, LA can suffocate the Canucks.  Against Nashville and Vegas they can at least play a more open style and get a lot of chances 

You have just solidified my point tho. Many of the games if Demko had made those stops the canucks had enough goals to win. In other circumstances, if a key save was made  it could change the momentum of the game,and thus provide a better result for us.

[Captkirk888]

14 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

Good analysis. I kind of blame it on the game itself.

 

First half you got our group of hard working players all buying in and playing for each other. Then the all-star game where 5/6 of those guys separate themselves and go off waltzing around like superstars. They come back a little complacent and disjointed, add the Joshua injury, and all that mojo they had was not quite as strong.

 

It's not the first time teams have struggled after the break. I mean it's on the players for not sorting it out but it did seem to be a tale of two different teams.

Hughes, Miller, and to a lesser extent Boeser all have still put up points. Miller and Hughes still driving the team. Injuries and line mixing have surely messed with the chemistry that  and no Demko are the difference.

[Dr. Crossbar]

32 minutes ago, AnotherCanucksFan said:

Tocchet looking to far in the future instead of focussing the team on game by game mentality. Even recently when he was interviewed, after saying the players maybe starting thinking towards the playoffs instead of the next game, made reference to "this is how it is in the playoffs" etc. instead of speaking solely of the current game only

 

Let's be clear on this one. Before and after each game, all season long, Tocchet has emphasized and made it a priority that the guys don't look too far ahead and keep the focus game to game. He's done a great job of that.

 

This last stretch of games after the team has clinched is a different beast. Even John Shannon made mention this week on the D&D show that it's a bit tougher for Tocchet to keep the guys focused game to game and not thinking about playoffs when they've already clinched. It actually happens to players naturally.

[IBatch]

20 minutes ago, Dr. Crossbar said:

 

Let's be clear on this one. Before and after each game, all season long, Tocchet has emphasized and made it a priority that the guys don't look too far ahead and keep the focus game to game. He's done a great job of that.

 

This last stretch of games after the team has clinched is a different beast. Even John Shannon made mention this week on the D&D show that it's a bit tougher for Tocchet to keep the guys focused game to game and not thinking about playoffs when they've already clinched. It actually happens to players naturally.

They will be ready.   And i'm sure they also know, that they are worthy.  

[VegasCanuck]

7 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

are you counting the coyotes as a playoff team? Or are you actually counting real playoff teams?

I'm saying that Coyotes as they are now, are likely either a playoff team or really close to being one.

 

They have so much young talent in their system that is starting to mature. They spent the last few years turning most players of any value over the age of 25, into draft picks, Dylan Guenther is a case in point.

[Gawdzukes]

1 hour ago, Captkirk888 said:

Hughes, Miller, and to a lesser extent Boeser all have still put up points. Miller and Hughes still driving the team. Injuries and line mixing have surely messed with the chemistry that  and no Demko are the difference.

 

Yeah they've put up points but it seems a bit of the NHL team cohesiveness gets lost on numerous teams after that break. Injuries have hurt but we've been relatively lucky on that front. I really don't like the all-star game. There were players that used to fake injuries to skip it.

[AnthonyG]

26 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

I'm saying that Coyotes as they are now, are likely either a playoff team or really close to being one.

 

They have so much young talent in their system that is starting to mature. They spent the last few years turning most players of any value over the age of 25, into draft picks, Dylan Guenther is a case in point.

Agreed, ARZ is going to be a very very good team in the near future. If I was to include those in the “playoff” teams the last month, thats another W and an OTL to add and the W was a 50/50 game in terms of advanced analytics, the OTL we dominated every single aspect

[AnthonyG]

1 hour ago, VegasCanuck said:

I'm saying that Coyotes as they are now, are likely either a playoff team or really close to being one.

 

They have so much young talent in their system that is starting to mature. They spent the last few years turning most players of any value over the age of 25, into draft picks, Dylan Guenther is a case in point.

They are where we were 4 years ago. Definitely a bright future ahead

[Coconuts]

The Coyotes have shown flashes of being legitimately competitive at times this season, which is a step forward from where they have been the past few years. They'll probably be competitive sooner than later once they move, as they'll likely have an ownership group actually willing to spend and fill out the roster with talent. 

 

Factor in their bushel of picks, large amount of cap flex, young talent on the roster, and higher tier prospect pool and there's really a lot to like. The Coyotes as they are allow for a GM to put his mark on things, there's lots of flexibility to be had. 

[-dlc-]

6 hours ago, stawns said:

Everyone has to deal with it and the top teams continue to play well and win in spite of it.  There's no room for excuses in a results oriented business

So be specific. What top teams continue to play well in spite of some of their top players being injured/in a funk? Sweeping generalized statements aren't really proving much.

 

From what I've seen, no teams are really just barreling through....it's anyone's ball game.

[Drive-By Body Pierce]

6 minutes ago, -dlc- said:

So be specific. What top teams continue to play well in spite of some of their top players being injured/in a funk? Sweeping generalized statements aren't really proving much.

 

From what I've seen, no teams are really just barreling through....it's anyone's ball game.

 

Except they will win with a puck.