I Watched This Game: Canucks at Flames, April 10, 2011

Canucks 3 - 2 Flames (OT)

For the third time in the last four years, the Canucks and Flames found themselves paired up for game 82 with little on the line. Considering the lopsided outcome of the previous two season-enders, with the Flames walloping the Canucks 7-1 in 2008 and the Canucks matching that goal total in a 7-3 rout last year, one might have assumed that this contest wouldn't be lively or close. But it was. Like extramarital sex with a ghost, this one was a spirited affair. After falling behind by two, Vancouver needed a third-period comeback and an overtime marker from Christian Ehrhoff to head into the postseason on a winning note. I watched this game:

• Also a winning note: C.

• Just like last year, Daniel and Henrik combined for an absolute beauty in the final game of the season, setting up Ryan Kesler for the game-tying goal (above). This one adhered to the Third Law of Sedinery, which says that the Sedins will always make one more pass than is necessary. Consider: Daniel is in behind the defense. Most other players cut to the net in this instance for what is routinely called a breakaway. Instead, Daniel goes wide, drawing both defenders to him, then makes a backpass through four guys to Henrik, who finds Kesler trailing the play. Seriously. The Sedins are the only guys that find trailers on breakaways. These guys love trailers. They have to be a half hour early for every movie, that's how much they love trailers.

• The assist was Daniel Sedin's second of the night, after a centring pass that allowed Alex Burrows to cut the lead in half. With that, Daniel finishes the season with 104 points, good for the Art Ross trophy. He truly was out for blood. Now, it may be eight less than his brother scored last season, but it's also ten more than his brother scored this season. Suck on that, Henrik.

• I love Kevin Weekes' liberal use of the word literally. He's like Rob Lowe in Parks & Recreation. Consider this Weekes-ism, following an early third-period assault from the Canucks: Alain Vigneault obviously did some fine work in this intermission because the Canucks have come out on fire literally. Hmm. I can tell you that, if the Canucks came out from their locker room and they were literally on fire, the broadcast would have taken a markedly different turn.

• There were seven slashing penalties in this game. Seven. Seven! This one had more slashes than a complicated URL. The worst of these was a Henrik Sedin two-hander that seemed relatively out of character Captain Hook, typically known for more passive stick infractions. Slashing is more of Mikael Samuelsson's thing. Now, one might argue that, if Sammy's so slashy, how come he wasn't called for a slash in this slashiest of games? Remember that his third period roughing penalty came when he was pulled out of a scrum he started with a slash. Yes, Mikael Samuelsson slashes like Wal-Mart. Know what else has a lot of slashes? This paragraph. Slash slash slash.

• Alex Burrows isn't known for his skating, but it's hard to miss his improvement in this area. It really stood out during a first period penalty kill, where he won a puck battle, then took the puck around his net and blew the zone with possession. Then, after putting a shot on goal, Burrows managed to be the first forward back, in perfect position to intercept a weak pass from Olli Jokinen. Some beautiful strides during this sequence. For a guy who used to look like he was the only player on the ice wearing roller blades, Burrows has come a long way.

• That said, he's still Alex Burrows. Consider a third period altercation with Jarome Iginla where he goaded Iginla into dropping the gloves, only to forget to reciprocate. Whoops. I suspect Burrows' passion for winning turds stems from the fact that he sort of is one.

• It was fabulous to see all six members of the Canucks' defense finally combine to form Mega Dragonzord. They were a little too reliant on stretch passes last night, but the promise of this group is hard to ignore. Any one of them can spring a guy at any time. Another good way to spring a guy? Have a girl walk in with an itty-bitty waist and a round thing in your face.

• Congratulations to Christian Ehrhoff on collecting his 50th point of the campaign on the overtime winner. Ehrhoff has had a fabulous season, and now becomes the first Canucks' defenseman in 15 years to reach the 50-point plateau. Henrik Karlsson was upset about the goal, feeling he'd been interfered with. Unfortunately, the refs didn't buy it, maybe because claiming Mason Raymond interfered with you is a little like claiming Jesus drank all the wine.

• Aaron Rome actually didn't look too bad playing wing on the 4th line. He had 3 shots, 4 hits and a takeaway, as well as a few decent scoring chances. In truth, Rome acquitted himself nicely enough that this could potentially be an option in the playoffs. It might be a nice way to ensure that the Canucks don't find themselves, after an injury, playing with five d-men in the late stages of an important game. Sidenote: at one point, I was concerned Rome's strong play might earn him a few extra shifts, somehow managing to give him more minutes than Keith Ballard, even as a fourth-line winger.

• There was a brief scare during the first period, when Ryan Kesler headed to the dressing room with an apparent knee injury. Mind you, you had to know he was coming back. When I was a child, I had a posable MC Hammer doll, and my brother popped off its legs, then reattached them backwards, so Hammer's knee bent up towards his stomach. If that had happened to Kesler's knee, he would still have returned. Rule of thumb: if Kesler doesn't leave the game via medicopter, he'll be back soon.

• This was Cory Schneider's 25th appearance of the season, and by allowing fewer than eight goals, he has officially won a share of the Jennings trophy with Roberto Luongo. Schneider's play this season has been fabulous, but I hope this was his last game as a Canuck. A playoff appearance means something has gone horribly wrong, and a return as Lou's backup next season would be beneath him. One could easily argue Schneider is the best rookie goalie in the NHL. He finishes fifth in the league with a 2.23 goals against average, and his .929 save percentage is good for third. In fact, his performance last night bumped his save percentage one point better than Luongo's, dropping the Canucks' starter to fourth in the category. This parting blow may affect Luongo's outside shot at a Vezina nomination, as the "top three in wins, GAA, and SV%" argument is now dead. Think Luongo regrets lobbying for Schneider to get 25 appearances now?

• And finally, someone threw a salmon onto the ice again. Clearly, no one is listening to me.

Who Do the Canucks Want to Face in the First Round?

With the Canucks having sewn up their spot in the playoffs via a clever combination of playing in the terrible Northwest division and being the best team in the NHL, the time has come to consider who the Canucks will face in the playoffs. With a comfortable 10 point lead on the Red Wings for first place in the Conference, the Canucks could safely go .500 over their remaining 8 games and still be guaranteed top spot. So let's look at the teams that could end up in the 8th spot and face the Canucks in the first round.

Mathematically, there are still 12 teams that could potentially finish in 8th. Still, it's safe to say that the Red Wings and the Sharks won't be taking such a drastic fall. Similarly, the Blues, Blue Jackets, and Wild are unlikely to make improbable runs to the playoffs over their few remaining games. That still leaves 7 viable teams who could wind up facing the Canucks in the first round: the Coyotes, Blackhawks, Kings, Predators, Ducks, Stars, or Flames. Which of those teams would be an ideal match-up for the Canucks? Obviously, the Canucks don't need to be afraid to face any team this postseason, but which team would be preferable?

Calgary Flames
Currently 10th with 85 points
Season Series: 4-0-1

Likelihood of 8th: The Flames are the least likely to make the playoffs of all the teams on the bubble, thanks to having the fewest games remaining. They haven't done themselves any favors, either, losing their last three games, two of them against teams just above them in the standings. In order to make the playoffs, they will need to win each of their final six games and have two of the teams ahead of them go under .500 down the stretch. If all goes well for the Flames, their final game of the season against the Canucks will be a potential playoff preview and a win-and-you're-in scenario. Otherwise, it will instead be a chance for Daniel Sedin to cement the Art Ross Trophy in the same way Henrik did last season: with sheer absurdity.

Do we want them in the first round? Yes please. It's hard to argue with a 4-0-1 record, with the only loss coming via the shootout. The Canucks have owned the Flames like they're majority shareholders this season. In addition, it just feels right: in their only two runs to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Canucks met and defeated the Flames in the opening round of the playoffs. That's the kind of history I can get behind.

Dallas Stars
Currently 9th with 86 points
Season Series: 4-0-0

Likelihood of 8th: After a strong start to the season, the Stars have regressed severely, to the point that if the playoffs started today, they wouldn't be in them. This shouldn't be a surprise. The early success of the Stars was a function of good luck and a hot goaltender, two things that rarely persist throughout a season. Still, the Stars have a decent chance to sneak into 8th spot, as they are just 1 point behind Anaheim and 2 points behind Nashville, Los Angeles, and Chicago, with 9 games remaining. Considering that their final four games are against the woeful Blue Jackets, Avalanche, and Wild, it would not be the least bit surprising.

Do we want them in the first round? As Professor Farnsworth would say, "Oh my, yes." The Canucks haven't just beaten the Stars in each of their meetings, they've throttled them, with an overall goal differential of +15 over four games. In those four games, the Stars have been exposed as exactly what they are: a mediocre team that has gotten extraordinarily lucky. It's difficult to imagine a better first round opponent for the Canucks to face.

Anaheim Ducks

Currently 8th with 87 points
Season Series: 2-2-0

Likelihood of 8th: Since the Ducks are already in 8th, their odds of finishing in 8th are quite good. Unfortunately, they're also the only team in this discussion that has a negative goal differential and they've gone through some tough times without their superb Swiss netminder, Jonas Hiller. Of course, now comes the news that Hiller is back with the team and will be playing tonight. The question then becomes, will he be the pre-injury Hiller again or will there be an adjustment period. With only 9 games remaining in their schedule, an adjustment period could easily result in the Ducks slipping out of the playoffs.

Do we want them in the first round? Goodness gracious, no. While there is no doubt in my mind that the Canucks would win a playoff series against the Ducks, it would not come without a cost. The Ducks are a big, fast, and physical team, especially when it comes to the playoffs. Their top line doesn't just score goals; they finish their checks and aggravate goaltenders. I would rather the Canucks didn't enter the playoffs bruised, battered, and beleaguered. If the Ducks finish in 9th or 7th? Great. Keep them out of 8th.

Nashville Predators
Currently 7th with 88 points
Season Series: 1-2-0

Likelihood of 8th: As I (very safely) predicted at the start of the season, the Nashville Predators will make the playoffs. It is always foolish to bet against Barry Trotz and his band of Bee-Gee-loving brothers. Please note that the reports of the Predators loving the Bee Gees are as yet unconfirmed. The Predators are in a slightly precarious situation, however, as they have only 8 games remaining compared to 9 for many of their compatriots. Given how tight the standings are, the Predators can't afford to let up.

Do we want them in the first round? The Predators are one of only two teams on this list that has a winning record against the Canucks. They pushed last year's Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, to 6 games, and were arguably the 'Hawks toughest test of the postseason. They're a tough, hardworking team with top-end talent on defense, a potential Hart candidate in goal, and balanced scoring throughout their forwards. And yet, I'm not the least bit scared of them. The Canucks have the skill, grit, and mentality to beat the Predators; it would be a tight series, but definitely a winnable series. Home ice advantage will be key: the Predators are 20-8-7 at home but only 19-17-3 on the road.

Los Angeles Kings
Currently 6th with 88 points
Season Series: 1-1-1

Likelihood of 8th: Like the Predators and the Blackhawks, the Kings have a slim two-point lead on the Dallas Stars to remain in the playoffs. Their appointed starter, Jonathan Quick, has faltered down the stretch, leading the Kings to go with their other Jonathan, the rookie Bernier, more and more. Thanks to a solid defensive corps and five forwards with 20+ goals, the Kings have been able to weather their occasionally shaky goaltending, and it's likely that they will be enough to keep them in the top 8 in the West, but it's entirely likely it will be by the skin of their teeth.

Do we want them in the first round? More than you'd think. Yes, the Kings have a winning record against the Canucks, but their two victories came at the start of the season when the Canucks faltered out of the gate and took a few games to get their legs under them. Having witnessed the Canucks' victory over the Kings in person with a multitude of other Canucks fans, I would love to see a west coast match-up with the potential for bus/plane-loads of Vancouverites invading the Staples Center. That said, what matters is what happens on the ice, and the offensive firepower of the Canucks grossly outclasses that of the Kings. Plus it's a re-match of last season's first round, which is always fun.

Chicago Blackhawks

Currently 5th with 88 points
Season Series: 2-1-1

Likelihood of 8th: Yet another team with 88 points, the Blackhawks are the least likely of the trio to slip to 8th or out of the playoffs altogether. The Blackhawks had no business being as far down in the standings as they were throughout most of the season, as a multitude of bad bounces and losses in one-goal games made them look far worse than they actually are. They have had one of the best goal-differentials in the Western Conference (currently second behind the Canucks) all season long, even when they were slumming it with the cellar dwellers. As much as they are not as good as last season, particularly on their bottom-six and in goal, they still have high-end talent in their top-six forwards and a great group of defensemen. They won't slip to 8th...

Do we want them in the first round? … and besides, we don't want to face them in the first round. There's no poetry to meeting and defeating the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs after being ousted by them in the second round the last two seasons. It would be a far better story for the Canucks and Blackhawks to meet once more in the second round, with the chance to turn the relationship between the two teams into a true rivalry. After all, it's not a rivalry if one team keeps winning all the important games. Let's save the Blackhawks for Round Two.

Phoenix Coyotes

Currently 4th with 91 points.
Season Series: 2-2-0

Likelihood of 8th: The Coyotes are the least likely team on this list to fall to 8th, if only because they have a 3-point cushion and there are so many teams below them. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but the Coyotes are more likely to focus on trying to catch the Sharks for the Pacific Division. That said, they only have 7 games remaining, 5 of them at home, where they have struggled in comparison with their road record. If that trend continues, one of Nashville, Los Angeles, or Chicago could catch up to them and take away their home ice advantage. I don't see them slipping all the way to 8th, however.

Do we want them in the first round? If they did fall to 8th, it would be a decent match-up for the Canucks, who have split their season series with the Coyotes (with some help). Phoenix has elite goaltending, as long as Bryzgalov is on his game, decent defense (including, if can you believe it, Adrian Aucoin), a misshapen conglomeration of the NHL's discarded forwards, and a brilliant coach. The brilliant coach is the one to keep an eye out for: Dave Tippett is as good a coach as there is in the NHL and he keeps the Coyotes competitive despite their lower payroll.

So who should it be? Unsurprisingly, the two teams in this group that the Canucks would most want to face are the two teams currently outside the Top 8. For the sake of nostalgia, the Calgary Flames would be a dream match-up, but they'll be hard-pressed to even make the playoffs. Instead, I hope to see the Dallas Stars squeak their way into the playoffs, preferably by going all-out over their remaining 9 games, leaving them with nothing left for the playoffs. In lieu of the Flames or Stars, say it with me: anyone but Anaheim.

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Flames, March 12, 2011

Canucks 4 - 3 Flames

Last night, the Canucks wrapped up their five-game West Coast road swing with a convincing 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames, and I do mean convincing. Don't let the final score fool you; this wasn't a one-goal game. The Flames may have jumped out to an early lead after Mikael Samuelsson and Dan Hamhuis got confused about the game's start time, but the Canucks woke up immediately thereafter, perhaps buoyed by the Flames' damning two-goal lead, and spent the rest of the evening putting Calgary under pressure on the ice [ice, baby]. After the slow start, it was great to see them so immediately snap to life, and I did see, because I watched this game:

• That's right. Two song references in one sentence, wherein the first song referenced is sampled by the second. PITB for the win, y'all.

• Alex Burrows potted his 20th goal of the season on a tip in front that tied the game at three. I don't think we give Burrows enough credit for what he does in front of the net. He's not the biggest guy and he's not that strong on his skates, so the only way he gets space in front is by zipping around at breakneck speed. Watch the next time a Sedin gets the puck behind the net: cue Burrows, darting back and forth around the crease like a squirrel in the street. Also watch, on last night's goal, as he gets effortlessly moved from the area by Matt Stajan, then immediately scurries back there once Stajan thinks his work is done. In the split second between Stajan heading to the side boards and Steve Staios realizing Burrows has been left alone, Burrows is in the position to be found by Daniel Sedin.
  

• Speaking of Daniel Sedin, he and Henrik were fantastic. They were on the ice for all four goals, combining for 5 points and completely dissecting Calgary's defensive coverage with Wizardous Sedinerie and fabulous vision all night. My favourite goal (Daniel Sedin's first of the night, above), comes when Rene Bourque drifts about a foot too high, and Daniel cuts through the middle of the offensive zone ice at full speed. That's a fabulous read, and it's matched only by Henrik's vision to get him the puck. The moment Daniel starts his sprint, it's obvious what's coming, too, as Henrik puts a backhand pass through the legs of Robyn Regehr (who seriously opens up to let it through), and Daniel one-times it past Kiprusoff. So good. Not so good: Rene Bourque practicing his first star twirl while this play is unfolding.

• When the Sedins are going like this, the power play tends to trend upward as well, so it's no surprise that the special teams were spot-on last night. The first unit went 2-for-2, scoring just over thirty seconds into each powerplay (32 and 37 seconds, respectively). Daniel Sedin's game-winner was so effortless it was hard to tell who moved less when it happened, he or Miikka Kiprosoff. It came so quickly off the faceoff you'd have thought the linesman just chucked it into the net.

• What a road trip. The Canucks went unbeaten in five games, all of which were against teams currently top 8 in the West. It was the best road trip since the one where that carful of girls literally punched Stuntman Mike to death.
  

• Ryan Kesler played a fabulous game as well, finishing with a goal and an assist, both on the powerplay. It was great to see the return of his lethal wrist shot from above the faceoff dot. Kiprusoff seemed a little befuddled that it got past him, but Kesler's been getting behind everyone these days--it was inevitable. Of note: while Kesler was back there, he took his shirt off and offered Kiprusoff a half-eaten slice of pizza.

• One thing Kesler does well is take hits to make plays. He got drilled three or four times last night, but the Canucks never lost possession of the puck.

• In the broadcast booth, Garry Galley was a nice change of pace from Kevin Weekes. He made some good observations, including his call on the Alex Burrows goal, in which he dubbed Daniel Sedin's open ice "The Quiet Zone." It sounds like the title of a Cronenberg movie full of weird sex. I'm glad that Galley was good, because he's owed me one for fifteen years. He was the slowest player in NHL 94 and somehow, he was always on my team. I was so sick of his painfully slow sprite lugging the puck through the neutral zone. Anyway, now we're even.

• By the by, Garry's son Wyatt is the star goaltender for the Langley Chiefs. They're in the BCHL playoffs right now and tickets are cheap.

• You always hear criticism that the announcers are biased against your team, but you had to think Calgary fans were pulling their hair out as Galley marveled at the Canucks. It was somewhat inevitable, though. Vancouver's the best at everything right now. They'll be the first team to 100 points, and Daniel Sedin, too, will probably get there before any other team does.

• Curiously, someone threw a fish on the ice. No idea why. Curiosities abound: why a salmon, and how does a salmon gets through security, anyway? They'll confiscate a Ziploc bag of goldfish crackers but they'll let a real freaking fish through? Ridiculous. But, perhaps the most curious element of this very curious action was that the fish found the ice late in the third period. Why wait? It's been my experience that, when you've got a fish in your backpack, you get rid of it as soon as possible (unless you're the shopping penguin). Suffice it to say, someone just ruined a backpack.

• Thanks to Qris for covering this feature in our absence. We haven't missed an IWTG this season. Without him, that streak ends.
  

• Chris Higgins is going to be a great addition to this team. He was good wherever he played last night, and he was all over the lineup, especially after Mikael Samuelsson got benched early in the first.

• I understand the criticism that Mason Raymond's had a number of off-games without getting benched so summarily as Mikael Samuelsson did tonight, but I think Alain Vigneault wanted to whip Sammy with a sock full of batteries after that Michael Backlund goal. This goes back to Samuelsson's Borg-brainwashing in Detroit, but he often refuses to to give up possession by dumping the puck out of the zone. In this case, it bit him. How to win AV's love: make the safe plays. Why do you think Aaron Rome had more shifts (34) than any other Canuck? Hint: it's not his skating.
  

• I liked Manny Malhotra trying that icing play the Sedins always do. He and Raffi nearly connected for some Plagiarized Sedinerie. We've actually seen a lot more of that this year, when players who aren't the Sedins try their hand at Sedinerie. It's very Mickey Mouse. Mind you, considering they're the top two scorers in the NHL, it's probably safe to learn from them. On the flipside, it's probably not safe to learn from Mary Kay Letourneau. Especially if you're Chris Tanev; he's quite young.

• And finally, we often criticize the way Alain Vigneault metes out icetime, but he's managed his roster quite well. Nobody played under 11 minutes, and in the last game of a five-game road trip, icetime management matters. Know what else matters? Family.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Flames, February 12, 2011

Canucks 4 - 2 Flames

There was a surprising amount of hand-wringing following Wednesday night's loss to the Anaheim Ducks, especially considering the Canucks hadn't dropped two consecutive games in regulation since November. Suffice it to say, there was little to worry about (unless you're Brad Zeimer, the Freddy Kreuger of Vancouver hockey reporting, in which case the possibility that people will realize there's nothing to worry about threatens your very source of power). Bearing in mind recent trends (such as zero pointless streaks in 2011), it was highly likely that we would see a bounce-back of flubberesque proportions. Unsurprisingly, that's exactly what we got. The Canucks gave themselves a pre-game Flubber rubdown and bounced back harder, even, than the laws of physics allow, capping off another fantastic Hockey Day in Canada with a win over the Calgary Flames. I watched this game:

• It was a tight game, and I need to state, for the record, that I'm thrilled by this. I love that the Flames are back to playing good hockey. While I relish watching them lose, it's not nearly as much fun when it's a foregone conclusion. The closeness of the last two contests has increased the entertainment level exponentially.

• The Sedins and Kesler combined for one paltry point last night--a Daniel Sedin assist, because he's still out for blood--but Alex Burrows and Mikael Samuelsson had two goals apiece. These guys are on fire right now, and it can only bode well for the Canucks if they jump from three scoring threats to five. Samuelsson turned the entire tide of the game with two great shots, including the game-winning goal. And, if you think the Sedins and Kesler weren't factors, consider that both his two goals don't happen without perfect screens by Kesler and Daniel Sedin, respectively.

• Samuelsson has really picked up his play, most notably getting his lethal wrist shot back, but it should also be noted that he's now getting first-unit powerplay time and he's back playing on Ryan Kesler's wing. Those are plum offensive minutes, and they factor into his uptick in scoring. Consider this effect the next time you bemoan the trade of Michael Grabner.

• Good eye by Craig Simpson on Samuelsson's even-strength goal (above). It was a set play. After winning the draw cleanly to Bieksa, Kesler heads to the net while Mason Raymond inches up the wall towards the blue line. Meanwhile, Samuelsson parks himself in an open area, high above the right faceoff dot. After Bieksa and Raymond open up a passing lane, Raymond feeds him for a quick snapshot. Both the shot and Kesler's screen in front are perfectly placed, and Kiprusoff has no chance. Now, how do you know it's a set play? Because nobody ever goes there. It's like the back corner of the Costco parking lot. You know that anybody who parks there is up to something.

• Mason Raymond is often infuriating, but he's also got 9 points in his last 8 games. I hate the way he circles the zone (a move I heard one guy call the MayRay-Go-Round), but it's hard to fault a guy that can be counted on to keep the puck 200 feet from his own net, even if he rarely takes it to the other team's. Plus, he had two assists. His goal-mouth pass to Alex Burrows for the opening goal looked accidental, as Raymond appeared to lose the puck while trying to shoot it. However, he went to the net and got a fortuitous bounce, and that's a common string of events. Furthermore, Raymond nearly had another assist when he beat his defender with a wicked head juke before centering the puck for Kesler, who couldn't bury it. Heck, the way Samuelsson and Kesler are going, if Raymond can continue to buy space and get them the puck a little more often, he'll be fine.

• A while back, Justin Bourne wrote an article on the ways players slow down the game. One of them was to have wingers kill time getting waved out of the faceoff circle on purpose. We saw another use for this tactic last night, as Niklas Hagman got himself intentionally tossed in order to give his linemates a bit more rest after an icing call. It was amusing to watch Henrik Sedin just stand there, waiting for Hagman to get kicked out, as if to say, go ahead, idiot.

• Manny Malhotra had a two-point last night, picking up assists on both of Alex Burrows' goals. In both cases, all he did was win a faceoff. He won 13 of 16 faceoffs last night. One faceoff win led to the vital opening goal; one led to the empty-net goal that sealed the win. As Skeeter said last week, Malhotra is an enabler, and his remarkable faceoff prowess bookended this victory. Stuff like this happens more often than you realize; he just doesn't always end up on the scoresheet for it.
  

• Jannik Hansen had a game-high six hits, and continues to be the best forechecker and pokechecker the Canucks have. He's a pokechecking monster (a pokeymon, if you will). It's like when your parents first joined Facebook: he pokes everything. He's also a huge part of the Canucks' penalty-kill, which killed off all three penalties the team took and now has a streak of 40 kills, more than enough for Halo 2's Overkill Medal. Like M.O.D.O.K., one of the greatest comic book villains of all time, The Canucks' penalty-kill is a mental organism designed only for killing. Jannik Hansen is a huge part of this.

• Speaking of the penalty-kill, I liked Alex Burrows' heads-up play when Andrew Alberts broke his stick. First, Burrows gives Andy Alby his stick, then stickless, he skates right up to Jarome Iginla and nudges him away from everything. It takes them both out of the play, turning an effective 5-on-3 with Jarome Iginla on it to a 4-on-3 without him. Clever.

• Kevin Bieksa was, again, the rock of the Canucks' defense, and he played some delicious defense on Jarome Iginla. Not since Brach's Rocks have I seen such a deliciousness from a rock. Bieksa took his lumps, too. In one instance, Jarome Iginla took him out with a Mario 64-style butt drop. Bieksa had a team-high 25:24 of ice time, which is impressively low considering the injuries on the back end. For contrast: Jay Bouwmeester had over twenty-six minutes of ice time, and the Flames' defense is healthy.

• The Canucks were able to keep Bieksa's minutes down somewhat because they got some great play out of their bottom-three guys, especially from Aaron Rome. He picked up an assist, finished the game a plus-2, and dished out three hits, including one Ballard-esque hipcheck along the boards. It's a little easier to understand Vigneault's man-crush on Rome when he plays like that, but here's something I'll never fully understand: the philosophy of Martin Heidegger.

• And finally: Sami Salo had a nice, quiet first game back. Give Rick Bowness and the rest of the coaching staff credit for resisting the urge to give him a (Byfuglienian) buttload of minutes. He looked a little shaky at times, including a seriously foolish interference penalty in the third, but that's okay. He's rocking a four-game health streak now.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Flames, January 23, 2011

Canucks 3 - Flames 4 (SO)

It's a bummer that, for the second time in as many games, the Canucks had to fall in a shootout. That said, I'm hoping that the fans are smart enough to differentiate between the sluggish team that barely managed a point versus San Jose on Thursday night, and tonight's team, which improved as the game went on and controlled the run of play for much of the third period versus the Flames. Yes, Vancouver, your team only skated away with one point, and yes, they've now lost 5 of 6, but if you were looking for improvement, it was there tonight. Or, at least I felt it was when I watched this game:

• You'll hear the media people saying that the Canucks have dropped 5 of 6, but it's somewhat sensationalistic and irresponsible to report it this way when only 1 of the 5 losses was in regulation. They've gotten six points in their last six games, which is the same amount of points they'd have collected by going 3 and 3. The next time someone tells you the Canucks are spiraling, respond by pointing out they're actually playing .500 hockey. It's still worth a mutter, as this team should be better than .500, but it's not worth a panic, as they're not worse than .500, either. Not to mention they were the only of the top three NHL teams to get a point today. Detroit and Philadelphia--the two teams with whom they're jostling at the top of the league--lost in regulation.

• The real big story, I guess, is the odd decision from the NHL war room to call Alex Tanguay's shootout attempt a goal. Vancouver fans are right to be outraged. The call goes against the NHL's rule for reviewable goals, which stipulates that the puck has to be visibly across the goal line in order to overturn an official's no-goal call. In this case, the puck was lost in Luongo's pads, and there was no way to see it cross the line. Though it obviously did, by the letter of the law, the referee's no-goal call should have stood, due to inconclusive footage. Puzzlingly, the NHL used their heads and determined that, if Luongo was in the net, so was the puck. More than anything, it's odd that they decided tonight was the night to go against the letter of the law and utilize common sense. Since when do they do that? Jason Botchford dug up three distinct instances where the War Room called this the other way, and I think that's the infuriating thing here: it's not consistent with how they've been handling this situation in the past. Plus, where was this approach when the "Intent to Blow" controversy started?

• Meh. This game really shouldn't have even gone to the shootout, anyway. The Canucks' power play, usually so good, has now thoroughly failed the team in two consecutive games and dropped to third in the NHL. Identical to last night, the team went 0-for-5 a man up, including, again, an important 4-on-3 in overtime. The unit's had a few short droughts this season, but they need to get this fixed right away. This drought has effectively cost the team two points in the last three days.

• In the first period, Kevin Bieksa took a massive blow to the eye from Tom Kostopoulos, which turned out to be a massive blow to the whole Canucks team when Bieksa didn't return. Word is he's not concussed (yea!), but one of his eyes is swollen completely shut (nay!).

• Do you remember, back in November, when the Canucks' defense was in total disarray? It got so bad that Vigneault put his foot down, then made his top two pairings and committed himself to leaving them together for better or for worse. It's been two months since then, and we've taken for granted the defensive stability that grew out of his decision. It was apparent after the loss of Bieksa threw everything back into disarray. Ehrhoff, Edler, and Hamhuis all wound up playing over twenty-six minutes, but their ice time and shifts didn't make much sense and they didn't synchronize in the slightest. Meanwhile, Keith Ballard still didn't crack twenty minutes, and Chris Tanev's minutes actually decreased from the last game.

• Worse, nobody was ready or rested to join their regular units on the powerplay, which meant seeing Hamhuis and Samuelsson on the top unit, as well as Ehrhoff and Edler with the hapless second unit. It was a waste of a powerplay. I want to say Vigneault should have used a timeout to rest Ehrhoff and Edler to join their regular forwards, but Christian Ehrhoff played a game-high thirty-three minutes tonight; Vigneault clearly forgot rest was an option for him.

• I know Manny Malhotra is one of the forwards mired in a pretty remarkable scoring slump, but he had a great game tonight. Alternate Captain Mal was all over the ice defensively, he won 13 of 22 faceoffs, and he had 5 blocked shots--a game-high.

• Raffi Torres, on the other hand, had another subpar outing, and this time he earned himself a benching. Torres only played 5:43 tonight, only thirty-seven seconds more than Kevin Bieksa. The intermission peewee teams had more icetime.

• Mason Raymond had a few grade A chances, but he's still fighting the puck. Of all the slumping forwards, he's the one that concerns me the most. The Canucks are really thin on the wing if he's not an effective weapon.

• The Sedin line was solid and dangerous again tonight, as Daniel and Henrik both collected a point. However, the real stars of their line were Alex Burrows, who had two assists and was on the ice for all three Canuck goals, and Alex Edler, who was also on the ice for all three goals, and scored two of them himself. The first goal, above, came on a beautiful one-timed snap shot. The second goal came after Jay Bouwmeester slewfooted his goaltender in an ill-advised attempt to distract Alex Burrows.

• A brief word on Daniel Sedin's crosscheck to the back of Mark Giordano: awesome. I recognize that he took a penalty for it, but good on him for responding after the referees let the Flames brutalize the twins all night. Case in point: when "Macho Man" Cory Sarich drove a flying elbow into Henrik Sedin's face. I understand the referees want to let the teams play, but WWE finishing moves are a bit much.

• Ryan Kesler played a surreal game tonight. He seems to have willed his thumb back to health, as he took an unreal 30 faceoffs and won 19 of them. He scored a shorthanded goal that tied the game in the third period. He shadowed Jarome Iginla all night and kept the all-star forward off the scoring sheet. Also, during the second intermission, he flew into outer space and punched a comet into the sun.

• Speaking of punching, the Flames' third goal was a direct result of Roberto Luongo's aggravating tendency to punch the puck instead of catching it cleanly. Somebody needs to remind him he's supposed to catch the puck, not kill it. He's the Rooster Cogburn of goalies.

• Weirdest Kevin Weekes statement: "This is why Tambellini hasn't scored--he shoots lasers." I assume he meant to say that Tambellini isn't using his great shot enough, but it sounded like he was ragging on him for literally shooting lasers. And, as everybody knows, lasers are just fine, unless the walls are covered with mirrors.

• And finally, the Canucks only had 15 hits tonight. Unacceptable. Robbie Williams has more hits, and he sucks.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs. Flames, January 5, 2011

Canucks 3 - 1 Flames

The Canucks showed why they're first in the NHL with a calm, easy-going win against the regrettably terrible Flames. As I've mentioned before, I miss the days when these games were bitter battles against a legitimate rival. Instead, the Flames are a sad-sack team that bears no threat. The Canucks were content to allow the Flames to set the pace and control the puck, confident that Luongo and the defense could contend with the Flames' efforts and confident that the forwards could capitalize on their opportunities.

They were absolutely right. The Flames outshot the Canucks 44-21 but never once threatened to win the game as the Canucks took the lead early and calmly repelled the Flames offense time and time again. Unlike Team Canada, the Canucks made their 3-0 lead going into the third period last, coming just 11 seconds short of giving Luongo the shutout. The game featured two milestones: Raffi Torres notched his 200th point and Daniel Sedin scored the 10,000th goal in franchise history. That, my friends, is over 9000. I watched this game.

• Luongo made 43 saves for his 3rd win in a row. He's 12-1-1 in his last 14 starts. After a rough start statistically, he's 11th in the league in GAA and save percentage. Don't listen to anyone who suggests that there's a goaltending controversy. Unless they're telling you to call 911 because there's a fire in the house. Then you should listen.

• The Canucks' first goal came just 1:10 into the first period (above). Mason Raymond makes Olli Jokinen look dumber than normal before feeding Kesler in front. Neither Tanguay nor Bouwmeester show much interest in taking Kesler, who now has 20 goals, putting him on pace for 42. Clearly, Kesler is a Douglas Adams fan. It's marvelous to see Raymond and Kesler together again, like when Andy Richter came back to join Conan O'Brien when he took over The Tonight Show.

• Kevin Bieksa had a stellar game tonight, with a goal and an assist in his near 22 minutes of time-on-ice. Juice has 7 points in his last 6 games and looks like he might actually manage 30+ points this season. There are many things to like about his goal: the patience he shows to allow traffic to pile up between him and the net, his ability to get the shot through said traffic, and the delightful grin on his face as Torres comes up to congratulate him. But the best part comes after the goal, as the camera finds an excited fan in a classic yellow V jersey holding a sign saying "WE ARE ALL BIEKSA" on it. And with that a ridiculous Twitter hashtag began and the Bieksa bandwagon filled up immediately.

• The Sedins and Burrows were the best forwards on the ice tonight. Burrows ended up with 2 assists (but only finished +1 because he was off the ice before Kesler could score), Daniel had a goal on 4 shots, and Henrik constantly made beautiful passes, the best of which had Shorty quit doing the play-by-play for a moment just to say "Oh my goodness." It was that good. Astonishingly, like "Dude, Where's My Car?" Henrik ended without a point.

• Daniel Sedin's 22nd goal of the year featured some great work by Burrows to gain the zone, a purposeful shot wide by Bieksa, and a perfect tip by Daniel to beat Kiprusoff. John Garrett instead insinuated that the puck only went in because Kiprusoff didn't have his stick and without it was like Linus without his security blanket. I am instead going to blame Jokinen for standing three feet in front of Daniel, carefully defending the completely empty slot.

• Dan Hamhuis did his best Olli Jokinen impression on the goal that broke Luongo's shutout, as he too decided to defend the empty slot instead of picking up Tim Jackman in front of the net. Hamhuis had a bit of a rough game, as this giveaway earlier in the third led to a flurry of chances for the Flames. The fourth line had the misfortune of being on the ice for his mental error, dropping each of their plus/minus columns by one.

• That said, Bolduc is the one who lost the faceoff: he actually lost all 8 of his faceoff attempts, dropping his faceoff percentage for the season below 50% for the first time. Kesler and Malhotra were both solid at 67% and 79%, including going a combined 15-for-17 in the defensive zone. Unfortunately, Henrik was not as good at 38%, with Olli Jokinen being his main antagonist. It was the only good thing Jokinen did all night and the only flaw in Henrik's game.

• Christian Ehrhoff was stellar defensively, once again using his stick effectively in the defensive zone to take away passing lanes and sweep pucks off sticks. I suspect that Ehrhoff has heard all the rumblings that he's more likely to be traded now than Bieksa as he seems intent on proving that he's not one-dimensional. In case anyone's forgotten, Ehrhoff is good at hockey.

• Jeff Tambellini throws his tiny body around as if he was a borderline NHLer on what might potentially be his last chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Which makes sense. He had 4 hits tonight. He now has 34 hits on the season, putting him third amongst Canuck forwards despite playing 13 fewer games. Also very hitty, Andrew Alberts and Jannik Hansen, who both had 5 hits tonight and lead all Canucks players with 83 and 82 respectively. Not very hitty: Harvey Danger. Despite three fantastic albums, they only had one hit, "Flagpole Sitta." Now that, Evander Kane, is a national travesty.

• And finally, my wife would like to let everyone know that Alain Vigneault's tie was very nice. Good work, AV.

"Shocking" News: Darryl Sutter Steps Down

Okay, fine, it's not the least bit shocking. It was just a matter of time before the baffling moves Sutter's made over the past couple season would get him ousted from Calgary. Puck Daddy has a solid summary of the situation, Matchsticks & Gasoline will have the fan reaction, and Flames.com has the official word.

After squandering the best years of Kiprusoff and Iginla, getting a random assortment of Maple Leafs' castoffs for former wunderkind Dion Phaneuf, and bringing back Olli Jokinen in free agency, it's a wonder Sutter lasted as long as he did. His main issue, it seems, is that he never quite figured out that the Flames needed to rebuild. Instead of picking up prospects and draft picks for Phaneuf, he got a couple impending free agents. Instead of moving salary in trades to create flexibility under the cap, he bafflingly traded for Ales Kotalik and his terrible contract and handed out No Movement Clauses like they were Chick tracts. Combine that with a terrible prospect pool and the future is bleak for the Flames organization.

Jay Feaster will move offices as he drops the "Assistant" from his title and takes over for Darryl Sutter. Feaster has a Stanley Cup on his resumé after his Tampa Bay Lightning won in 2004, but he's stepping into a brutal situation. The Flames have most of the salary cap already tied up for next season and Feaster will have to be clever with trades in order to free up the capspace and prepare the team for rebuilding. The Iginla trade rumours have already been flying and this won't quiet them down any time soon.

Quite frankly, I welcome a return to respectability from the Flames. They have been the Canucks' primary antagonist over the years with many epic playoff battles and bad blood. As much as the Blackhawks have been labeled the Canucks' main rival, it's not a true rivalry until victories have gone both ways and, thus far, the Blackhawks don't have any reason to see the Canucks as a rival. For me, the Flames will always be that team, that hated team that I want the Canucks to beat. If the Flames aren't a legitimate threat, there's no drama in their match-ups. If the Flames sit at the bottom of the Northwest Division, then who cares if the Canucks beat them?

Daniel's Worst Christmas - An Original Holiday Tale

Daniel's Worst Christmas is a poetic retelling of the Canucks' 2009-10 season, in which an injury to Daniel Sedin led to a Hart trophy season for his twin brother, Henrik. But that wasn't the whole story...

In early October, when Santa is plotting

His route for the big Christmas nights

He looks to his wife, who is expert at spotting

Potentially huge oversights.

But last year, when Santa approached her to study

His game plan, he found she was sick.

With worriment said he, "I must find a buddy,

To stand in for Mrs. St. Nick!"

He looked in his workshop, but nobody in there

Was quite up to filling the gap.

He checked in the stable, but only saw reindeer.

Just antlers and caribou crap.

He looked on his good list, and there saw a brother,

The most loyal he'd ever seen.

A Swede who could play right-hand man like no other:

Canucks' winger, Daniel Sedin.

"Oh ho!" said he, "Daniel's a true second fiddle!"

He laughed a laugh heard North Pole-wide.

"His twin brother Henrik's the guy in the middle,

But Daniel just stays at his side!"

So down to Vancouver went Santa, with moxie.

Without Daniel, Christmas was sunk!

The first place he looked was the back of the Roxy.

He only found Patrick Kane, drunk.

Eventually, Santa found Daniel, inhaling

A huge cup of coffee, straight black.

He told Sedin how Mrs. Claus had been ailing,

And begged him to come with him back.

"I can't go," said Daniel, politely refusing,

"We'll lose if I'm not there to score.

But Santa shrugged, "Thirty-nine seasons of losing?

Canuck fans can lose a few more."

"Commissioner Bettman won't go for this, you'll see,"

Said Daniel, "His heart's black as coal.

If Bettman won't let us play hockey in Sochi,

He won't let me near the North Pole."

"I know Bettman well," Santa said, nearly stewing,

"He once was my most cloddish elf.

I fired him for bungling. But, looks like he's doing,

Incredibly well for himself."

"Forget him," said Santa, "Your presence is vital!

A world without Christmas is close!

The wave of dashed hopes and distress would be tidal,

Like when Lafayette hit the post."

"We'll tell all the fans that your foot's broken. Tragic,

But they'll understand. Whereupon,

I'll bless your twin brother with Santa Claus magic.

He'll play twice as good while you're gone!"

"Well, not too good," Daniel said, "Too good's forbidden."

He chuckled, then let out a scoff.

"He once got an all-star invite but I didn't.

It's petty, but that pissed me off."

"I don't want to see Henrik winning a trophy,

Or even worse, two! That'd be grim!

To save face, I might have to pay off Mike Brophy,

To say that I'm better than him. "

Thus, Daniel Sedin headed back to the fact'ry,

To tend to St. Nick's sudden need.

And Henrik Sedin started scoring, exactly

As Kris Kringle's blessing decreed.

And Santa, with Daniel on board, resumed making

His Christmas list, checking it twice.

He started by sorting the presents, and taking

Full stock of the naughty and nice.

"As usual, Pronger's been naughty," said Santa,

"His elbows and stomps make me cross.

Perhaps I could get him a trade to Atlanta,

Or better: a cup finals loss."

"And what should I get for the Calgary Sutters?

So long as they're running the thing,

Their team might appreciate fancy new putters

To help pass the time every spring."

"For Lou Lamoriello, a big piece of charcoal

Named Ilya. He'll be highly-sought.

His previous totals will sparkle and sparkle;

His play and his cap hit will not."

"To disciplinarian Campbell is given

A freshly-wiped e-mail inbox.

For Blackhawks fans, Vince Vaughn and Jeremy Piven.

The blogosphere, Damien Cox."

And thusly, did Daniel miss five weeks of hockey,

To sort the gifts, goodly and grim:

For frail Sami Salo, a lone stick of Pocky,

The one thing more fragile than him.

And when they were finished, said Santa Claus, grateful,

"You saved me! Saved Christmas, at that!

Hey, bring my good friend Kyle Wellwood this plateful

Of bagel bites. Man, is he fat."

And so Santa brought Sedin back to Vancouver

By sleigh, as he promised he would.

But there, they discovered his magic maneuver

Had made brother Henrik too good.

"He's scoring at will!" Daniel said, in a fury.

"He got a damn hat-trick last night!

I said make him Jeff Cowan, not Pavel Bure!

Mösspräst, Santa! Make it all right!"

"On Mason! On Backstrom! On Osgood & Howard!

He's scoring in ways unbeknown!"

But Santa was already gone (he's a coward),

And Daniel was left all alone.

The advent of Henrik alone was the story,

So Daniel tried coming on strong.

But Henrik, awash in that Santa Claus glory,

Just racked up points all season long.

The praises for Henrik were loud and ham-fisted,

And Daniel collateral dross.

It couldn't be stopped; no goal went unassisted.

He tragically won the Art Ross.

And worse yet, the Art Ross became a preamble

For Hart talk, among analysts.

To silence it, Daniel extorted Ken Campbell

To gripe about second assists.

But nothing can fight Christmas magic. Ovechkins

And Crosbies could never cut through,

(A lot like the Broncos could not stop the Redskins

In Super Bowl twenty and two.)

Though Henrik's last name was misspoken as "Sedden",

He won on that Las Vegas stage.

And down in the crowd, brother Daniel did redden,

Cheeks flush with competitive rage.

A season removed now from Henrik's ascendance,

Each instance that Daniel might score,

He thinks of last Christmas, then roofs it with vengeance,

And hates Santa Claus all the more.

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Flames, December 1, 2010

Canucks 7 - 2 Flames

Two days ago, I called out Mason Raymond. I wondered if he was still playing hurt, or if his diminished numbers were closer to what we should expect from him going forward. To close the article, I wrote the following:

The third option is that Raymond is just a streaky player, and he's poised for another strong December. Last season, he scored 8 times in the month, including a hat trick in Calgary. If Raymond closes out the calendar year with a handful of tallies, then this whole post is a waste of time. I wouldn't mind. Is MayRay on the verge of a criticism-silencing hot streak?

It would appear that he is. Raymond was tonight's first star, netting his 2nd annual December hat-trick against Calgary, and generally making me look like an idiot. That's fine. I know I am personally responsible for this, and there will be my solace. Raymond showcased his speed and his ability to break away from defenders, and he also got that little bit of puck luck that can really help to get a guy going. He'd better stay going, too, or I'll have plenty more to say. I can be very cruel. Just ask my self-esteem, which I have been systematically tearing down for years. Anyway, I watched this game:

• I am a fan of Jeff Tambellini. He's got 4 points in the 3 games since his call-up, 7 points in 9 games this season, and the Canucks are 8-0-1 with him in the lineup. His speed and ability to get to loose pucks and get into scoring areas is an excellent complement to Kesler and Raymond's similar abilities, but he adds a different dimension in that he can also get a shot off in limited space. Earlier in the season, I made a case for Samuelsson as the best fit for this line, but I might have to eat that now. Last season, Ray and Kes played with Samuelsson and Grabner, and both players had their strengths. Samuelsson had the quick trigger, Grabner had the raw speed, but Tambellini has both of these elements. Can we keep him?

• Yes, Vancouver's second line was consistently dangerous tonight. The three forwards combined for 4 goals and 8 points tonight. I move that we call them the Jessie Spano line, because they're addicted to speed.

• The Canucks were all freshly-shaven tonight, and it was strange. I'm not used to seeing Ryan Kesler without his trademark stubble. He looked naked. That seems to be a theme with Kes these days. He's worse than Malin Akerman.

• The Canucks went 3-for-8 on the powerplay, and killed all three penalties they faced, scoring a shorthanded goal during one of them. They also scored 3 even-strength goals. 12 skaters got points. Not a lot to complain about tonight . Although Tanner Glass was a minus-1. Don't make us criticize you, Tanner. We've got your family and friends breathing down our neck, watching our every move... it's very nerve-wracking.

• On the plus side, let's give Glass some credit for his scrap with Tim Jackman. Rick Rypien is the one who always gets noticed for fighting outside his weight class, but Jackman has a good four inches on Glass. The fight was a draw, but I'll give the decision to Glass, because I really want him to play Scrabble with me. Glass's fighting has definitely improved, by the way. He showcased some excellent jukes and parries.

• I normally like Curtis Glencross, but what was he thinking? He seemed hellbent on destroying Keith Ballard, as though perhaps Ballard had stolen the crown jewel from Glencross's mythical sarcophagus, thereby resurrecting his evil spirit and incurring his otherworldy wrath. First, he hooks him, then he boards him, then he cross-checks him in the face. More than likely, Glencross is looking at a suspension, and perhaps a vanquishing at the hands of a mummy hunter.

• Speaking of Ballard, he played a decent game tonight. He had just under 15 minutes, but in that time, he had four blocked shots, a team-high. The defenseman with the most minutes, if you're wondering, was Christian Ehrhoff, who played 24:07.

• To the folks claiming the blowout against San Jose was directly caused by the absence of Kevin Bieksa, you must be right, because he didn't play in this game, either. Oh no wait, yes he did.

• I always find those "keys to the game" things a little obvious, but Ferraro and the rest of the crew knocked it out tonight. They claimed Calgary plays a decent game but is prone to devastating five or six-minute lulls. Calgary vehemently supported this claim. Every good stretch was followed by a stretch where their play was so poor Dan Ellis mistook it for Mike Smith.

• Poor Miikka Kiprusoff. Not only does Raymond deke him out of his shorts, but Kipper takes Alex Tanguay's knee to the back of his head once he's beaten. Perhaps Tanguay was trying to send a Ballard-like message? Next time I won't be so gentle.

• Speaking of messages, I recognize that Brent Sutter was trying to send one to his forwards, for played a lackadaisical game, but putting four defenseman out on the power play is a little like giving up, no? It seemed like a conflicting message to punish forwards for not going full-tilt while personally throwing in the towel. That's like telling your kids to eat their vegetables while you feed yourself cake frosting.

• And why is Sutter being so hard on his team anyway? The Canucks sleep doctor predicted this, so it was written. That sleep doctor is the greatest predictor of sporting outcomes since Paul the Prognoctopus.

• I really do hate the second-unit powerplay, but did you know that the first-unit only got one of the three powerplay goals? Granted, the last two goals came after Calgary had quit playing, but the second unit still produced. They'll have to, because Kesler's not coming back; he's too excellent an addition to that first-unit (his pass on this goal is evidence).

• Did everyone see Double Moustache Man? He is legend.

• And finally, a word about Alex Burrows. His goal tonight was a fabulous bit of patience and intelligence. Burrows outwaits the defender, then looks for the pass to Daniel. But, in a split-second, he recognizes that Kiprusoff's cheating across and snaps the puck past him. Burrows has a goal in three straight games and points in four straight. He could be on the verge of a very good stretch, like the one a cat does right after it wakes up.

I Find This Photo Odd: Double Moustache Man Edition

I know the eyes are drawn to the surly cartoon villain features of Brent Sutter, but the real star of this photo is the facial hair of the man to his left. Unlike any beard I have ever seen, this Flames fan appears to be growing separate moustaches for his upper and lower lips. This guy was behind Sutter all night. During bench shots, I kept seeing him and wondering, just what in the heck is going on there?

Perhaps it's a tribute to a classic Sigur Ros album. Perhaps he's very sensitive about his otherwise thin lips. Whatever the purpose, his unfortunate double moustache makes him look like an Amos n' Andy photo negative. Somebody should tell him that when Movember ends, you shave off your moustache, you don't give it a playmate.

I'm sure he's a very nice man and I mean him no disrespect, but this is some odd way to decorate one's face. Quasi-beardishness of this sort is odd, and as a result, I find this photo odd.

Western Conference Rankings

(Updated - September 30, 2009)
The Western Conference rankings are in, and the Eastern Conference picks have been updated. I missed a calculation when I first published the East, a mistake that had overvalued the Maple Leafs and Devils, while undervaluing the Thrashers. In any case, the final results are now in for both Conferences. Again, teams are divided up into four different groups; Tier I - The Leaders, Tier II - The Contenders, Tier III - The Disruptors, and Tier IV - The Scavengers [...]

The Leaders are teams who are well balanced, have had recent success, and are poised to lead their respective divisions. The Contenders are teams who should push for the top, but may have a few question marks to satisfy before being promoted. The Disruptors are those teams who have had solid rosters, and could upset some of the higher-ranked teams, but have a lot left to prove and will need to to fight out each other to make the post-season. As for The Scavengers, they are the teams who will try to pick up wins however they can, but will likely stay out of the Playoff picture for most of the season.

Tier I - The Leaders
Detroit Red Wings
Vancouver Canucks
San Jose Sharks

Tier II - The Contenders
Chicago Blackhawks
St. Louis Blues
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames

Tier III - The Disruptors
Columbus Blue Jackets
Minnesota Wild
Dallas Stars
Nashville Predators

Tier IV - The Scavengers
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers
Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche

Again, let me have it in the comments section if you disagree. I'll be reviewing each Division in-depth soon, and I'll also post up some general trends to watch for during the year. I will release updated power rankings for both Conferences at the quarter points throughout the season. Remember - you can send me fantasy questions through the contact form on the sidebar, and follow LindHockeyFile on Twitter for quick updates!

- Josh Lind