[Hyack]

Vancouver at Anaheim

6

3 thoughts before the Ducks game Sunday

MILLER (JUST IN) TIME

The National Hockey League schedule has always looked like it was made on a dare. No team ever receives its 82-game agenda in July and declares: “Wow, this is awesome. It totally makes sense.”

At the extreme Pacific Northwest outpost of the NHL, the Canucks have always suffered more than most teams. So while they’re playing their sixth game in nine nights today in the Anaheim Ducks’ home-opener, it’s not exactly new territory for them.

Yes, they’ll be a little fatigued playing their second game in less than 24 hours after rallying from three goals down before losing 4-3 in a shootout Saturday to the Los Angeles Kings in a three-hour marathon. But the return of starting goalie Ryan Miller could be a re-energizing factor.

Miller hasn’t played since stopping all 25 shots he faced in a 2-1 shootout win against the Calgary Flames last Saturday, which seems about a month ago. So he’s still perfect in the second week of the Canucks’ season.

“Yeah, I guess,” he said before this morning’s sparse, optional skate in Orange County. “And I did it without getting a shutout.

“It was exciting to get in the first game and I want to keep that energy going. It was frustrating to sit out, but I think it was the right thing. Marky has played strong hockey and it’s time to get back in.”

Jacob Markstrom, who had an excellent week but was unhappy with the goals he allowed Saturday, started the last four games after Miller strained his groin making a shootout save against Johnny Gaudreau in the Canucks’ opener.

Miller noted it is “weird” that the Canucks didn’t play their first game until Day 4 of the regular season and that the league “condensed the condensed schedule” on them.

But he is obviously rested, which is when he has performed best for the Canucks.

“The strength of our start has been the structure and how well we have stayed in the structure. We’ve been rewarded for it. We’re not going to get that reward every night, but you’ve got to take it when you can get it. Can we stay in the system? Can we keep it so every line has a chance to be effective?”

We’ll find out.

APPLES AND ORANGES

There was a deluge of dissenters on Twitter last night when it was tweeted that the Canucks’ 4-0-1 start is the best in franchise history. Officially, it is the best because no Vancouver team has ever had nine points after five games. But it’s important to remember that a loser point, like the one the Canucks earned against the Kings, did not exist until 2000. And the shootout, with which Vancouver beat Calgary, was implemented only in 2005.

In straight regulation time, the Canucks’ record would be 1-0-4. The 1992 Canucks, the only other Vancouver team to start 4-0, won all those games in 60 minutes.

That 92-93 version of the Canucks was a rising team of young stars and core players in their prime who, one season later, would play for the Stanley Cup. That was really the first golden era for the franchise. No one should think this Canuck team, still in transition after becoming too old and slow, is at the same stage 24 years later.

A LOSE-LOSE SITUATION

With Derek Dorsett out due to a shoulder injury suffered Saturday, winger Jack Skille gets back into the lineup tonight and the transition should be seamless. But on defence, Alex Biega and Nikita Tryamkin will miss their sixth straight games as the top six Vancouver defencemen remain healthy and capable.

Biega is 28 years old and in his seventh season of professional hockey. It took him five years just to dip a toe in the NHL pool, so he understands patience and tradecraft and is equipped to handle sitting out.

Tryamkin, however, is only 22. And although he played four seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, he is new to the NHL and still at the dawn of his development as a player. He is also 6-7 and 265 pounds. He needs to play. Not practise. Play. And until there’s an injury, that probably isn’t happening anytime soon.

The Canucks lured him to Vancouver last spring with an out-clause in his two-way contract that allows the defenceman to bolt home to the KHL if the team sends him to minors. Tryamkin is flexing that clause.

Canuck general manager Jim Benning has approached him about going to the Utica Comets and playing 20-plus minutes a night – even on just a conditioning assignment that comes with a return ticket to the NHL — but Tryamkin has refused. That’s not good for Tryamkin or the Canucks.

Given his mobility and size, and potential to obliterate opponents in front of his net, Tryamkin could be a star in the NHL, a guy who makes many millions. But he has to give himself a chance to become that player.

[N_Fiddledog]

First the return of The Walking Dead in shark jump mode. Now the return of Team Choke.

Canucks lose 4-2.

What a crappy Sunday.

[Hyack]

Ottawa at Vancouver

7

Canucks Game Day: Stecher starts, No No Nikita, Stopping Shots

$1:

Here are five things we’re pondering heading into Ottawa’s visit Tuesday night at Rogers Arena at 7:00pm PT.

1. WELCOME TO THE NHL, TROY

With rearguard Chris Tanev (lower body injury) on the shelf, the Canucks called up Troy Stecher from their AHL Utica Comets farm team and are inserting him immediately into the line-up, ahead of Nikita Tryamkin or Alex Biega.

Stecher, a Richmond native, was out early for the skate today, working on the first-unit power play along with fellow point man Philip Larsen and the forward trio of Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Brandon Sutter.

In the line rushes, he took Tanev’s usual spot with Alex Edler.

“Yesterday was a long day, obviously,” Stecher said of travelling from Utica. “I’m excited about tonight. I’m sure there’s going to be some fears and some excitement. I will settle them as well as I can.

“I have a bunch of family and friends coming. I have pick and choose who I want to give them (his free tickets) to.”

Asked about butterflies, Stecher said: “Hopefully I can get rid of them in the warm-up and national anthem and focus on the game.”

Stecher was a standout during the Canuck preseason. He had one goal, two assists and a plus-three rating in four games.

Desjardins was listing Tanev as day-to-day, so it will be interesting to see if Stecher can do enough to get this into a long-term stay.

2. NIKITA A NO-GO

This will be the seventh straight healthy scratch for Tryamkin, the towering Russian who has said he will invoke a clause in his contract to go back to the KHL instead of going to Utica if he isn’t on the Canucks’ roster.

Tryamkin and Biega were out before the morning skate, being put through the paces by skills coach Glenn Carnegie.

Desjardins has talked about having Tryamkin on a “program,” which is shorthand for improving his fitness.

“We’re still trying to get him to where we want him to be. He’s not there yet,” Desjardins explain. “At the same time, it doesn’t mean that I couldn’t play him somewhere in the next period of time.”

You could argue, of course, with Tanev being out that Stecher was the best fit because he had played with Edler in the preseason and they would have some chemistry.

3. WELCOME BACK TO THE NHL, JAYSON

Stecher’s debut overshadows the addition of forward Jayson Megna from Utica. He was called up due to injuries to Derek Dorsett (upper body) and Alex Burrows (upper body). Desjardins listed the pair as being out for 7-10 days.

Megna, 26, a Fort Lauderdale native, has played 54 career NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers and has six goals and six assists to show for it.

“It’s something you work so hard for. And if you’re not going to start up here, you want to get back here as quick as possible,” said Megna.

Megna will wear jersey No. 46, and, going off the morning skate, he’ll start the game on the fourth line, teaming with Jake Virtanen to flank Brendan Gaunce.

Loui Eriksson will be with the twins on the first line, while Sutter will have Jannik Hansen and Markus Granlund on his wings and Bo Horvat will be between Jack Skille and Sven Baertschi.

The defence pairings, after Edler and Stecher, will feature Ben Hutton with Erik Gudbranson and Larsen alongside Luca Sbisa. Ryan Miller is expected to start in goal.

4. BACK TO OLD DEFENSIVE WAYS

The Canucks didn’t give up more than 27 shots in those opening four wins on home ice. They allowed 31 and 37 shots in the defeats on the road to Los Angeles and Anaheim over the weekend.

“At times, we got away from our structure,” said Hutton.

5. SENATORS CHANGING ON FLY

The Senators have idle since a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay at home on Saturday.

They practised in Vancouver on Monday, and coach Guy Boucher changed up all four lines. Tom Pyatt jumped up the first line, alongside Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman, while Ryan Dzingel is now skating on the second line, with Derick Brassard and Bobby Ryan. Zack Smith is now with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mark Stone, and the fourth unit has Chris Kelly, Chris Neil and Matt Puempel.

“I was just trying out a few things,” Boucher told reporters Monday. “We’re on the road, so we don’t have the matchups we want so I’m just trying to balance things out so we get good matchups with the four lines.”

[email protected]

[N_Fiddledog]

Crossing my fingers.

Troy looked so good in the preseason.

Hope he can carry it on to the Regular season level. Uh hope, uh hope.

D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Eriksson
Granlund-Sutter-Hansen
Baertschi-Horvat-Skille
Megna-Gaunce-Virtanen

Edler-Stecher
Hutton-Gudbranson
Sbisa-Larsen.

[Hyack]

Troy Stecher

Highly skilled two-way defenceman that displays tremendous poise with and without the puck. Soft hands that can pass as well as let rockets fly. Excellent vision and a playmaker's knack for the game. Very aware and responsible defensively, but is not comfortable having the puck in his own end for too long and will take it upon himself to get the puck out of the defensive zone. His impact upon the game occurs at both ends of the ice as an offensive and defensive force.

Jason Megna

"Jayson brings a combination of size, speed and skill to our team adding depth to our forward group this season," said Jim Benning. "He has the ability to catch the opposition off-guard with deceptive speed and brings a willingness to play in the difficult areas around the net and in the corners. We’re pleased to be able to add Jayson to the team."

Let's see how they stack up on the ice......

[Hyack]

The game is now being played on Ch 302 in the Lower Mainland....

[Hyack]

Damn, the first time this season the Canucks have been shutout, losing 3-0 to the Sens. Outshot 28-22 for the game and 10-3 in the 3rd period didn't help things at all. The guys are on a downhill slide now, losing the last 3 games, 2 outright losses and one in the shoot-out. The team has a few days off before hosting Edmonton on Friday.

[Canadian_Mind]

Disappointing. They had a great initial home stretch. Seems to have died though. Is rest really going to help them find the fortitude they had in their first 4 games?

[N_Fiddledog]

You can't win if you can't score.

Benning's patchwork fixes to add team scoring during the off-season aren't righting the ship.

[N_Fiddledog]

On the other hand...

The NHL season planners didn't help. This season was front loaded like it was designed to wear Vancouver down. Troy Stecher did look good last night, a healthy Sutter seems to be a good thing and Granlund has shown flashes of talent in his new role on a better line.

The other long term strategies of the Benning/Linden plan seem to be bearing fruit. Build for team character and start building from the goal-tending out, through the defence.

They just have to find a way to pot enough goals to make the play-offs this year in order for the plan to be considered a present success.

We can still hope they'll find a way to add the new, scoring, Sedin replacement, first line next year.

[Alta_redneck]

I'm looking forward to Friday nights game. I've always felt the Canucks generally out hit the Oilers, sometimes almost into submission. I want to see how that plays out this time.

Hoping for a barn burner.

[N_Fiddledog]

Well yeah...

If I was you I'd be looking forward to it too. You're an Oilers fan.

Edmonton's on an up. Vancouver's on a down.

Me, I'll be just peaking through my fingers. Afraid to look.

[Alta_redneck]

Up's down's don't matter, the Oiler's are suppose to be a bigger team and not to have their asses kicked up and down the ice. Canucks not a hitting team anymore? They sure stung Calgary that first game out at the coast. Slowed that FURLAND down in the first period.

[N_Fiddledog]

For a list of reasons you won't the see the big, rugged, gritty team that handled the Oilers in the pre-season.

If they spring back to life you might see a decent defensive team play a good offensive one.

But what happened to Lucic, Maroon, and Kassian for your guys? Who's "kicking their asses up and down the ice?"

[Alta_redneck]

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

But what happened to Lucic, Maroon, and Kassian for your guys? Who's "kicking their asses up and down the ice?"

No one. Is that the answer you were looking for ? I didn't quite understand the question,

I'm basing my thoughts on pass seasons, I'm interested to see the difference because of those 3. Their not even playing mean, just going up and down their wing and getting the odd goal.