Nucks vs Ducks 7pm Sprtsnet

esoter1c · #1 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

GAME: Vancouver Canucks (34-21-4) @ Anaheim Ducks (35-16-9).

A winning streak has put the Vancouver Canucks alone in first place in the Northwest Division. Another loss to the Anaheim Ducks could prevent them from staying there very long.

Winners of four straight, the Canucks look snap a five-game skid against the Ducks when they continue their season series Tuesday night.

Vancouver (34-21-4) hasn't lost since falling 3-0 to Chicago on Feb. 7. The Canucks' latest win, 5-4 over Colorado on Sunday night, moved them two points ahead of Calgary in the Northwest.

The Flames play at Colorado on Tuesday, while Vancouver will be trying to earn its first victory over Anaheim (35-16-9) since a 3-2 road win Nov. 20, 2005.

"Everyone talks about first place, first place. Yeah, we want to end up there, but our focus has to be on our play," said Canucks center Brendan Morrison.

Henrik Sedin scored the tiebreaker 1:31 into the third period Sunday and Brendan Morrison added his second goal of the game on a power play 2:20 later to lift Vancouver.

Matt Cooke had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, giving him two goals and four assists during a four-game point streak.

Roberto Luongo gave up all four goals, but faced 36 shots as Vancouver struggled defensively. Luongo went 3-0-0 with a 1.59 goals-against average in his previous three games.

"I'm happy with the win, but I don't think we played sharp," Canucks forward Markus Naslund said. "We've got to cut down on the mistakes."

Luongo is 4-4-0 with a 1.99 GAA in nine starts against Anaheim.

The Pacific Division-leading Ducks will look to bounce back against a Canucks team they've outscored 8-1 in beating it twice this season.

Anaheim had won two in a row before a 4-3 overtime loss to Los Angeles on Sunday night. Teemu Selanne scored his club-record 301st goal with the Ducks.

"Obviously, it's an honor with all the great players who have been here. It's a really nice bonus," said Selanne, who topped the previous mark set by former linemate Paul Kariya.

The goal was Selanne's 36th of the season and 17th in his last 21 games. He has four goals and four assists in his last three games after being held scoreless in the previous two.

Selanne has three goals and four assists in his last five contests against Vancouver.

Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger was struck in the face and throat by a slap shot 48 seconds into overtime Sunday and left the ice, but the injury wasn't serious.

"The majority of the puck hit him in the chin, so we were fortunate in that respect," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "It didn't do as much damage as we thought it did at first."

Chris Kunitz scored for Anaheim at 1:54 of the second period. It was his 20th, giving him one more than he had as a rookie last season.

The Ducks are 7-0-0 against the Canucks when Kunitz plays, although the forward has only one goal and one assist in those games.

It's the Luongo show tonight.

4-3 Nucks.

Naslund, Sedin, Morrison & Pyatt.

Filo · #2 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Sabourin gets the start.......

Goodfellow · #3 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

this fool has 8 NHL starts and not a single win.

sure he's alright, and may have potential.. but he'll never make key saves like luongo.

Realistically, I don't think we'll win.

esoter1c · #4 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filo

Sabourin gets the start.......

We're fucked, ducks 5-3.

Carrie · #5 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

luongo!!!!! where are youuuuuuuuuuu???????//

KenJi · #6 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Sabourin is not doing too badly actually though that first goal was weak.

Whoo 1-1.

Were still on the powerplay too.

KenJi · #7 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Wow Naslund's form keeps getting better. It all comes down to his skating, but that was a beauty of a goal.

KenJi · #8 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

You know whats sad the Canucks are finally doing so well this season, and yet it almost seems like there is less interest in the Canucks now.

p.s: Sabourin doubters just got owned. He pretty much played as well as luongo usually plays

Goodfellow · #9 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Well I guess I was wrong, we did win with sajokin ! his first NHL win! haha

Both goals = Luongo woulda had though. First one was pathetic and the 2nd one he dove at the player and left his net open for the other guy to score.. derrrrr...

KenJi · #10 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

First one luongo would have had. I doubt the second one he would have though.

It was either a perfect pass to mcdonald or it was off mitchell's skate to mcdonald. How can you tell me luongo would have had that for sure.

crackdragon · #11 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

yah another win :) Only caught bits and pieces, so I guess Ill say good game.

mojo · #12 (**permalink**) Feb 20, 07

Naslund scored a beautiful goal. Overall good game and finally a win for Danny Sav-er-in.

esoter1c · #13 (**permalink**) Feb 21, 07

I'm still amazed we didn't get just slaughtered.

That was a vintage Nassy goal, just beautiful.

KenJi · #14 (**permalink**) Feb 21, 07

The penalty call on Niedermayer was a little weak though in o.t. At least I found it to be. Either way we ended up winning on that powerplay so I'll take it. Just stating the officiation was pretty bad overall in that game.

Theoretically we should be able to win 3 out of the next 4 games with the kings,coyotes, and blues coming up. Seems thoguh we always have problems with the easy teams. Even in the crawford days we lost to the easiest teams but beat the good ones