Dallas @ Canucks!!!! Game preview

[Antenna_Boy]

GAME: Dallas Stars (40-24-13-0) at Vancouver Canucks (37-24-10-5)

TIME: Saturday, 7:00 PST

The Vancouver Canucks will be looking for their first win of the season against the Dallas Stars tonight as they count down the remaining five games until playoffs.

Both teams have had the past two days to rest up for tonight, after achieving wins on Wednesday night. It will be an important contest as the two Western Conference teams battle for fourth place playoff position, which is also the final place for home-ice advantage.

The Dallas Stars are coming off of a 4-3 overtime victory at Edmonton and hope to extend their six-game unbeaten streak to seven, even though they will be without number one goalie, Marty Turco.

Turco, who was suspended for four games following the Wednesday night game involving a high-sticking incident, leads the league at first place with 36 wins and 9 shutouts.

In his place will be backup goalie, Ron Tugnutt, who has only appeared in seven games this season (3-3-0).

"I know there's a strong stance against sticks and blows to the head," Turco said. "I really didn't know what to expect, but they made their decision and I've got to live with it.”

"It was an unfortunate incident, it's something I do regret and now I have to live with my mistakes."

The Vancouver Canucks finally broke their five-game winless streak against the Los Angeles Kings in a 1-0 shutout.

Dan Cloutier made 15 saves in his first appearance after missing two games with a lower-body injury.

"I think that was one of the best games of the year defensively," said Cloutier. "I thought we were outstanding. Every defender played well and the guys came back and helped out. It really looked good out there."

Matt Cooke opened the scoring with the only goal for the night at 9:19 of the first period.

"It was a hard working game where we controlled the pace the entire 60 minutes, and we played a full 60 minutes of hockey," said Cooke, the game's first star. "You don't have to win 7-6 or 5-4. Winning 1-0 is just the same."

"With the exception of maybe two or three shifts we really carried the momentum and didn't give them much offensively. That was our best game in a long time."

Dallas is at 17th place for their power play and Vancouver is at 21st. However, Dallas is at 3rd place and Vancouver is at 4th for the penalty-kill.

Vancouver is currently 37-24-10-5 and at 5th place in the Western Conference and Dallas is 40-24-13-0 and at 4th place.

[RiCeY]

I hope Nazzy can turn things around tonight...

[KenJi]

i think we havbe a good shot at winning, its a matter of getting it down that counts.

We need the win, we still have a chance to catch colorado if we win tonight, because colorado lost to detroit again.

which means with a win the canucks wi ll be one slim point behind colorado for the northwest division lead.

if we get the division, i could care less about dallas

[Cdn_Brdr]

^Werd... Kenji knows whats up. With only 5 games to go its crucial to try and put them all away if we can.

The 'nucks looked super sharp vs. the Kings on Wednesday. They only allowed 15 shots for christ sake!!!

[Miss T]

OK, WHO VOTED THEM TO LOSE! :finger:

[Antenna_Boy]

Originally posted by Cdn_Brdr
[B/]
The 'nucks looked super sharp vs. the Kings on Wednesday. [/b]

does that include hitting the goal post???:070:

[crackdragon]

The nucks have a good shot at winning tonights game. I just hope they can get and hold a 1 or 2 goal lead early on so we dont have to watch Dallas close up and play there fucking boring hockey they usually play once they get the lead.

[e_BoY]

canucks look like their trying way too hard rite now giving up way too many odd man rushes. come on boys calm down take it easy and play simple hockey and you can win it.

[crackdragon]

woot! 1 all

[e_BoY]

nice goal too i might add

[ebbomega]

Go Morrison.

[e_BoY]

woot nice 3rd period. sanderson woot! morrison woot!

[Antenna_Boy]

Hmmm, all I have to say is that it was disappointing to see the canucks trail by a goal..when it was 2-1. But as soon as my baby siamese kitten dropped into my lap, the canucks really fired up!! I don't know how to explain it, but maybe instead of a lucky rabbits foot, i had a lucky kitty foot. I was very amazed the canucks showed dominance in the whole third period and OT. Definitely a hard effort by every canucks player. And Clouts made those last few saves to save his ass once again :smoke1:

[ebbomega]

You should cut off your cat's foot and put it on a keychain.

[Belms]

nicely done. only one poinbt behind. damn u defence.ive said it before and will say it again, our defensive coverage is shit. we need to mark our mans and shit will be fine. fucking slackers. Clouts was tops thou. he made some money saves .

[cityqueen]

WOW! What an awesome game to be at!!! :kam: (For those that didn't see my post in Da Sweet Stuff......I was given free tickets to the game about 4 hrs before it started!)

Missed most of the 1st period, however the 3rd period did more than make-up for that! Vancouver was hammering-in the shots......and also saw some really nice passing. When we went into OT I was pumpted....I've never been at a game that's gone into OT before! Not that it lastest too long......what was it......40 secs in? NICE! :c-tard:

and obviously the vibe when going to the clubs after was great!

Come on Canucks....let's kick some ASS!

[KenJi]

Originally posted by Belms
nicely done. only one poinbt behind. damn u defence.ive said it before and will say it again, our defensive coverage is shit. we need to mark our mans and shit will be fine. fucking slackers. Clouts was tops thou. he made some money saves .

ya the covergage for dallas's second goal was bad. It was like every canucks player inlcuding malik were automatically ready to jump up ice before the puck even got out of the zone, hence why Turgeon was left so wide open in front of the net.

but still we got the 2 points, and were now a point behind dallas an d more importantly colorado

[Antenna_Boy]

Originally posted by ebbomega
You should cut off your cat's foot and put it on a keychain.

Too bad the kitty is for sale though :(

[KenJi]

so dallas lost again in o.t today

so canucks with a win will be tied with dallas for fourth but by way of wins dallas is still ahead of us.

so ya lets hope colorado loses to l.a tomarrow and win again phoenix.

best case scenario right there ^

[Antenna_Boy]

yes, so who are we playing tomorrow????

[Belms]

phoenix.

[-DLO_604-]

man should be an easy win so you would think.