Tag Archives: Daniel Sedin

Sweden to face Switzerland with shot at winning world hockey championship on home ice

Posted on May 18, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

STOCKHOLM — Sweden has the opportunity to win an IIHF World Championship as the host country for the first time since the Soviet Union did it in 1986.

Sweden blanked Finland 3-0 in Saturday's semifinal at Stockholm's Globe Arena to advance to Sunday's championship game.

The Soviet Union won a men's world hockey title 27 years ago in Moscow.

"It's about time. It's about time," Swedish forward Henrik Sedin said. "No pressure, just fun.

"It's an unbelievable feeling. It's something a lot players never get a chance to be part of so it's something you dream about when you grow up."

The Swedes will face Switzerland, which advanced after shutting out the United States 3-0 in the other semi. Julian Walker, New York Islanders prospect Nino Niederreiter and Reto Suri, with an empty-net goal, scored for the Swiss.

Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars meanwhile scored a pair of power-play goals for Sweden with twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks...

Canucks’ Cup dreams left to rot in hockey graveyard

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Erect a tombstone on the Vancouver Canucks’ season and the epitaph would read: What if?

Like, what if Richmond referee Kelly Sutherland hadn’t blown an overtime call from 100 feet away? Or what if coach Alain Vigneault hadn’t publicly blasted Sutherland after another terrible call cost the Canucks a regular-season game in Calgary?

What if Kevin Bieksa hadn’t accused the San Jose Sharks of diving, a charge that doubled as an allegation against the referees?

What if goalie Cory Schneider didn’t bobble pucks on the two goals that ended the Canucks’ season? Or what if Vigneault had made a safer choice — on numerous levels — to start Roberto Luongo in the last game that mattered?

What if Jannik Hansen hit the empty net near the end of Game 2 or Daniel Sedin had buried his open-net rebound chance in Game 4?

What if key secondary scorers Hansen and Chris Higgins had managed even one goal each in the series instead of combining...

Iain MacIntyre: Canucks’ Cup dreams left to rot in hockey graveyard

Posted on May 8, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Erect a tombstone on the Vancouver Canucks’ season and the epitaph would read: What if?

What if Kevin Bieksa hadn’t accused the San Jose Sharks of diving, a charge that doubled as an allegation against the referees?

What if Jannik Hansen hit the empty net near the end of Game 2 or Daniel Sedin had buried his open-net rebound chance in Game 4?

What if key secondary scorers Hansen and Chris Higgins had managed even one goal each in the series instead of combining...

Cam Cole: Canucks show they still have it — but just not enough

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. — And there it was, Vancouver Canuck fans: evidence that it was still there.

Buried deep, perhaps.

Too late, of course.

Unavailable when it was really needed, a lot of the time.

But in there, somewhere, was the Canuck team that will put up a fight, make you pay for a penalty, dazzle you with Sedinery, and annoy the heck out of you with the sneakily-skillful play of Alex Burrows.

In there was a defence corps that will jump into the play and make things happen, speedy wingers who will win races and even a few puck battles. A goaltender who, even on a night when he doesn’t have anything like his best stuff, will beat the puck to death in hand-to-hand combat and make enough big saves to still have a chance.

Alas, also in there is the team that can’t hold a lead.

• PHOTOS: Canucks fall to Sharks in overtime

The team that will take the bad...

Game Within Game: Words come back to haunt Canucks against Sharks

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

THREE STARS

ONE – Joe Thornton, Sharks. Set up series winner. Finished with three assists, four shots and 13-for-23 on faceoffs.

TWO – Joe Pavelski, Sharks. Two goals, nine shots, two blocked shots, 10-for-18 on the draw.

THREE – Alex Burrows, Canucks. One goal, one assist, three shots, plus-1.

PIVOTAL POINT – With the Canucks leading 3-2 in the third period and trying to protect their slim advantage, Kevin Bieksa shoved Tommy Wingels into the boards and drew a cross checking penalty. The Canucks lost the subsequent draw, the Sharks pressured, Cory Schneider coughed up a rebound on Joe Thornton's wrister, Logan Couture poked the loose puck over to Joe Pavelski, who roofed the tying goal with 4:27 left in the third. Patrick Marleau then put the Canucks away for good in overtime as Schneider couldn't handle another Thornton shot.

BY THE NUMBERS – Canuck coach Alain Vigneault's playoff record behind the Canuck bench fell to 33-35 and 2-12 in his last 14...

Canucks ‘took too many penalties,’ failed to unplug Sharks’ power play

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. — It was pure embellishment. Kevin Bieksa only appeared to be doing everything he could to win.

There were certain things the Vancouver Canucks had to do to beat the San Jose Sharks. Scoring goals was one of those things. And there were things they absolutely had to avoid. Like Bieksa taking a needless cross-checking penalty near the corner, late in the third period when the Canucks were clinging to a lead and their National Hockey League season, against a Sharks team feasting on Vancouver penalty-killing.

Bieksa plays with heart. He competes. He was competing in these playoffs while injured. But shoving Tommy Wingels head-first into the boards was one of the worst decisions of Bieksa's career.

Yeah, referee Chris Lee could have let it go. Just like Kelly Sutherland, the Richmond referee regarded as one of the league's best, should have let go Canuck Daniel Sedin's perfectly legal shoulder-to-shoulder check in overtime.

But this is the NHL. If...

Sharks 4 Canucks 3 OT: San Jose sweeps, season over for Vancouver

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE — It was about winning any way to play another day.

Backed by the superlative goaltending of Cory Schneider and third-period goals by Alex Burrows and Alex Edler, the Vancouver Canucks appeared ready to take a bold step away from the playoff ledge that wouldn't plunge them into an early offseason of criticism and change.

A victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday — the first in the Western Conference quarterfinal series and the first this season — was less than five minutes away when elements that have defined the matchup came into play. Kevin Bieksa took a cross-checking penalty, the vaunted Sharks power play went to work and Joe Pavelski's backhander atthe side of the net, his fifth goal of the series, forced overtime.

The issue was finally settled when Patrick Marleau scored on the power play at 13:18 to provide the 4-3 decision with Daniel Sedin sent off for boarding on what appeared to be a...

Game Within Game: Sharks score on a softie and Canucks crash

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

THREE STARS

ONE – Logan Couture, Sharks. Two goals, two assists, three shots, three blocked shots and an awesome 15-for-18 on the draw.

TWO – Joe Pavelski, Sharks. Two goals, one assist, six shots, two blocked shots.

THREE – Patrick Marleau, Sharks. One goal, seven shots, two hits.

PIVOTAL POINT – With the Canucks still in the game entering the third, and down only 2-1, Cory Schneider allowed one of the biggest McSofties of his career on a harmless Logan Couture shot from the left wing and the roof – crash! – came tumbling down on coach Alain Vigneault's crew.

BY THE NUMBERS – The Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau goals nine seconds apart early in the third period set a dubious Canuck record for fastest two goals against in a playoff game... The Canucks failed to score a first-period goal on the Sharks for the sixth time in their six meetings, including three in the regular season. The Sharks have scored five...

Iain MacIntyre: These Canucks showed no push back or resolve

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Vancouver Canucks, who should have won the Stanley Cup two years ago and until last week still talked about winning one, have been reduced to seeking a moral victory, a sliver of respect before their National Hockey League season is taken from them.

Rarely have the Canucks looked as flimsy as they were Sunday when, playing for their playoff lives, they were easily beaten 5-2 by the San Jose Sharks.

Rarely have the Canucks been pushovers.

But they're now likely to be thrown out of the Stanley Cup tournament in the minimum four games, swept for the first time in any round since 2001 when Vancouver was still struggling as a franchise for respectability and footing.

But even then, overmatched by a Colorado Avalanche team on its way to the Stanley Cup, the Canucks battled fiercely through every shift.

CANUCKS-SHARKS GAME 3 PHOTOS

Sunday, they hardly battled at all when they fell behind 3-1 early in the...

Canucks Gameday: Kesler expects to be ‘on top of my game’

Posted on May 3, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks

Friday, May 3, 7 p.m., Rogers Arena

TV: TSN; Radio: TEAM 1040

——————

If you're a Vancouver Canuck fan looking for good omens prior to Game 2 against the San Jose Sharks, consider that Ryan Kesler was one of the smattering of players the team made available to speak to the media Friday morning.

Kesler didn't take the morning skate prior to San Jose's 3-1 win in the opener Wednesday.

Vancouver was coy about his condition, but there were rumblings around the rink about him having the flu. He wasn't his usual gnarly, edgy self on the ice; the Canucks' best face-off man also had trouble on draws, winning just 12-of-25.

Whatever was bothering him, if it was still ailing him, it's safe to assume the Canucks wouldn't have had him talking to the press.

"I expect more out of myself tonight," he said. "I expect to be on top of my game.

"We're going to focus on Game 2...

Canucks core near tipping point, know time to win it all is now

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — It is window season again in Vancouver.

If the Canucks’ marketing department were on its toes, it would have a major sponsorship deal with Jeld-Wen, or Pella. Surely Bill Gates would do Windows commercials on the big scoreboard, maybe even own the team. He could probably afford it.

Window season is every spring for the last two or three — that time of year when the Vancouver Canucks’ core group is reminded of its advancing years and advised to win the Stanley Cup now, before the prime of Henrik and Daniel Sedin has expired and the good times follow these magical twins over the far side of the hill and the window of opportunity slams shut on everyone’s fingers.

There are those in the room who would rather not discuss it.

Kevin Bieksa, for one, like some recalcitrant janitor, says, in effect: “I don’t do windows.”

For one thing, it’s too far in the future, he said Tuesday, when what really needs...

Cam Cole: Canucks core near tipping point, know time to win it all is now

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — It is window season again in Vancouver.

There are those in the room who would rather not discuss it.

Kevin Bieksa, for one, like some recalcitrant janitor, says, in effect: “I don’t do windows.”

For one thing, it’s too far in the future, he said Tuesday, when what really needs...

Gallagher: History has prepared this year’s Canucks

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

No matter what anyone may think of the matchup between Vancouver and San Jose, one thing is pretty clear.

The Canucks should be abundantly more prepared for these playoffs this season than they were last year.

For starters, they’ve played just 48 games this season. It’s been intense but mercifully short, so much so that Ryan Kesler hasn’t even had time to get hurt yet. And therein lies a huge positive over last season, as has he’s played only 17 games, this outstanding player is fresh, hungry and ready to go, a huge lift for any team.

Traditionally this team plays its best between games 45 through 65 when they pull away before coasting home. The timing is right if that pattern still holds, although to be fair, this year it’s not just the usual run of the middle regular-season games they’ll be trying to win.

The older roster has not just finished a grind of 82 games whereby they underperformed from...

Canucks notes: Vancouver hopes to erase final two games from memory bank

Posted on April 28, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

EDMONTON -- It was up to defenceman Kevin Bieksa to state the obvious after the Vancouver Canucks' regular season ended the most ugly way imaginable.

"We kind of became unravelled," Bieksa said after the Canucks dropped a 7-2 decision to the Edmonton Oilers in their regular-season finale on Saturday night. "Not the ideal way to finish the season, but we have to put it behind us and get ready for Game 1."

That may be easier for some than others. Goalie Roberto Luongo was lit up for six third-period goals -- including five in span of 3:35 -- and left the arena without speaking to the media.

The Canucks can take some comfort in the fact it was a mean-nothing game with a lineup missing many of the team's top players. Daniel Sedin, Alex Burrows, Jason Garrison, Dan Hamhuis and Alex Edler were all rested by head coach Alain Vigneault and captain Henrik Sedin played only one 22-second shift to keep...