Tag Archives: dustin brown

Canucks’ draft pick Alex Friesen hoping to fill hard-hitting void

Posted on June 4, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

It was suggested to Alex Friesen that the gritty centre should deliver a couple of cases from the family's Ontario winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake to Alain Vigneault. What better way to get on the good side of the Vancouver Canucks coach when a development camp is staged later this month. Vigneault likes a good glass of grape as much as a good shift by his players.

The suggestion was met with nervous laughter because there's nothing funny about trying to take the next career step as a first-year professional. After signing a three-year, entry-level contract last week to beat the June 1 deadline to come to terms with 2010 draft picks, the sixth-round selection gets to the serious business after five OHL seasons. Friesen had 26 goals and 71 points in the regular season plus eight goals and 22 points in 20 playoff games to lead the Niagara Ice Dogs to the league final. But now the 21-year-old must prove...

NHL Playoffs: The run for the Stanley Cup has become a crap shoot

Posted on May 15, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

As the NHL playoffs roll on this spring one is left scratching one's head over what we are seeing.

Three months ago, LA Kings general manager Dean Lombardi was being raked by most of the noted hockey experts around the continent for his inept management of this team and most were speculating that not only was his job in question, his firing was a virtual certainty if things continued the way they were going.

When he traded for Jeff Carter it was thought to be another in a long line of desperate moves designed to create offence but more importantly save said job which he was rapidly losing. His hiring of Darryl Sutter as coach was seen as a totally mystifying move by most everyone in the game because this fellow hadn't coached in a while and his teams were never known for filling the net offensively, even when he had the success he did in '04, in particular in...

NHL Playoffs: Kings open Western Conference finals with 4-2 win over Coyotes

Posted on May 14, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Los Angeles Kings certainly weren't bothered by a long layoff. The Phoenix Coyotes sure seemed to be.

Dwight King scored his second goal of the game into an empty net and the Kings dominated from the start to open the Western Conference finals with a 4-2 victory over the Coyotes on Sunday night to remain unbeaten on the road in the playoffs.

"We had that long break and everyone was so anxious to get started, and everyone bursted out all their energy we had saved up," Kings defenceman Drew Doughty said. "Everyone was flying."

With a week off after sweeping St. Louis in the second round, the Kings were far from rusty, overwhelming the Coyotes early to set up Anze Kopitar's goal 4 minutes into the game.

Phoenix rallied to tie twice, the first time on a shot by Derek Morris that surprised Kings goalie Jonathan Quick from the red line, but the Kings kept coming.

Dustin Brown had...

Canucks Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider downplay any goalie controversy

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — Move along. No goaltending controversy here. That was the message coming from the Vancouver Canucks camp Friday.

Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo both spoke to a large gathering of reporters inside Rogers Arena after a full team practice at UBC earlier in the day.

Both downplayed the ongoing hullabaloo about who belongs in the Canucks crease next season, and who will be unceremoniously escorted out of town when 2011-12 concludes, all of which has become all the talk around Vancouver hockey circles since Schneider started Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference quarter-final against the L.A. Kings, ahead of Luongo, the gold-medal winning goalie for Canada in the 2010 Olympics and the Canucks No. 1 guy since 2006.

“Cory has worked extremely hard since he’s been up. I think, you know, he deserves what he’s getting. Obviously he’s going to be a top-notch goalie in this league for a long time and I’m happy for him and hopefully we...

Daniel Sedin and Canucks glad for three days off before Game 5

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

BY JIM JAMIESON

THE PROVINCE

Naturally, the Canucks don't want to admit any possible advantage in the three off-days between Games 4 and 5 in their first-round playoff series with the Kings.

But there's no question it should be a huge help to Daniel Sedin and, by extension, his brother Henrik and, by further extension, the rest of the Canucks.

Sedin, who missed nearly a month with a concussion, returned in Game 4 and sparked a dormant power play that was the difference in a 3-1 win in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Daniel, who skated with the extras in a practice on Thursday, agreed the longer than usual break between games will be beneficial to him.

“If you're out for four weeks and not doing anything you're going to lose some quickness and even being able to stay out for those 40-second shifts,” said Sedin. “Yesterday, I felt fine for 20-25 seconds and then it was back to the bench. It'll take some time.”

The...

Canucks’ Daniel Sedin talks … and talks — so he’s more than okay

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun VANCOUVER — If there was any further proof needed that Vancouver Canucks star forward Daniel Sedin has recovered from his concussion, it was dispelled Thursday in the media room at Rogers Arena. For more than 13 minutes, Daniel stood at a podium and answered every question Vancouver hockey journalists could throw at him. Thirteen minutes! Why, that's almost a lifetime of interviews for some. Imagine 13 minutes of Todd Bertuzzi. (On second thought, don't.) So Daniel is fine. He survived his first game back since March 21. He stepped into the heat of a season-saving playoff game for the Canucks and emerged whole. Despite just two full practices since Duncan Keith put him out with an elbow to the face, Daniel played 19:33 Wednesday in the Canucks' 3-1 victory over the L.A. Kings. He was on the ice for all three Vancouver goals. He collected one assist. He was plus-1. He took an early hit from Kings defenceman Matt...

Fan-Attic: Is this the changing of the guard with Canucks’ Cory Schneider?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Come on now, you knew this would have to happen at some point in the playoffs. Enough has been written about the Canucks goaltending debate to publish a small book. Well, the debate stopped yesterday when Coach Vigneault stated, “I am going to play the goaltender that I think is going to give us the best chance to win.”

With that the likely goaltender of the future was anointed with Cory Schneider’s start in a deciding game four. All Schneider did was stop 43 out of 44 shots, a penalty shot by Dustin Brown when the game was still up for grabs, and a multitude of LA chances that could have changed the outcome on any number of those.

It wasn’t about the number of saves Schneider made, but the timing of them, like the barrage at the end of the first period to keep LA from going up by two. How about the Dustin Brown penalty shot which could...

Kings nagged with doubts after Game 4 loss to Canucks

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The L.A. Kings are still, very much, styling in this series with the Vancouver Canucks, but you couldn't blame them if a little cloud of doubt crept into their minds today.

They had this series exactly where they wanted it, and then the Canucks tried to hand them Game 4 personally gift-wrapped. With one of the more shocking starts this season, the Canucks came out with their season on the line and looked so disinterested, just about everybody saw the period the same way in the press box: that this team had packed their bags and was preparing for summer.

Only one guy was still going strong and that was Cory Schneider, the team's No. 1 goalie, who apparently didn't get the memo that it was time for beach sandals and golf clubs, as he kept making saves. Then the Sedins got interested, and we all saw what happened.

That failure to put away a team that was ready to go...

Canucks’ Schneider and Kings’ Quick square off for NHL Playoff battle

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Dustin Brown has the best book on beating Jonathan Quick. He has to face his teammate in practice and the prospect of pounding a puck past the cat-like quick Vezina Trophy candidate isn't any easier even when there are no points at stake.

That's good because the Los Angeles Kings are going to need their front-line stopper to perform like an award winner. Cory Schneider not only responded with a brilliant 43-save performance Wednesday to backstop a 3-1 victory as the Vancouver Canucks staved off elimination in the Western Conference quarterfinal, he has thrown down the goaltending gauntlet and the series will be decided by the guys between the pipes. Throw Daniel Sedin back into the mix from a concussion and the awe, artistry and finish he orchestrated with Henrik Sedin in Game 4 makes you wonder if the Canucks — and especially Schneider who won his first career playoff game Wednesday — are capable...

Daniel Sedin has huge impact in Game 4 against Kings

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

LOS ANGELES - If there was any doubt about the impact Daniel Sedin's absence has had on this series, it was long gone by the third period Wednesday night.

But that's where Daniel had his signature moment. His beautiful, spinning, blind pass to an open Dan Hamhuis led to the Canucks third goal.

Turns out, these twins are pretty good together.

The shift was Daniel at his best, as he and Henrik made the puck dance, leading up to the play. And when the Sedins find seams, work the puck with such cleverness and command, they are a joy to watch and they can be hell to stop.

Alex Burrows called the play "unbelievable." Henrik said the same. Good start, because to win this series, the Canucks are going to need a whole lot more of the unbelievable.

There may not be enough margin for error for the Canucks to pull off a miracle comeback in this series. If they can't, some people...

NHL Playoffs: Henrik Sedin true iron man of Canucks

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

LOS ANGELES — Amid all these losses at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings, it may have slipped people's notice how hard, how strong Henrik Sedin has been playing so far in these NHL playoffs.

He hasn't been piling up points, obviously, because this was the first time in 12 playoffs games this team has gone over the two-goal total, but he has never been more determined, strong on the puck and downright snarly.

If he isn't refusing to go down when hit along the boards, he's hanging onto the puck until a play develops. When the opponents try to hit him it doesn't bother him in the least, and surely Mike Milbury will be front and centre showing his little forearm shiver on Dustin Brown, the passive toughness taking on a little more active nature here Wednesday night.

“I know we haven't been winning, but I do feel as strong as I ever have at this time of year,”...

Cam Cole: ‘Slightly alive’ Canucks to fight another day

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

• Click here for a Game 4 photo gallery or look under "More on this story" that appears on this web page.

LOS ANGELES — When Miracle Max -- i.e., Billy Crystal -- was supposed to bring the lifeless body of the hero Westley back from the beyond in The Princess Bride, he first lifted the corpse’s arm and watched it fall limply to the table.

“I’ve seen worse,” he said.

“It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, there's usually only one thing you can do ... go through his clothes and look for loose change.”

Which is where the Vancouver Canucks enter the plot.

Down 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in their Western Conference first round playoff series, given up for dead, they looked as though a miracle might be the minimum requirement to revive their...

NHL Playoffs: Canucks’ Henrik Sedin true Iron Man

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

LOS ANGELES — Amid all these losses at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings, it may have slipped people's notice how hard, how strong Henrik Sedin has been playing so far in these NHL playoffs. He hasn't been piling up points, obviously, because this was the first time in 12 playoffs games this team has gone over the two-goal total, but he has never been more determined, strong on the puck and downright snarly. If he isn't refusing to go down when hit along the boards, he's hanging onto the puck until a play develops. When the opponents try to hit him it doesn't bother him in the least and surely Mike Milbury will be front and centre showing his little forearm shiver on Dustin Brown, the passive toughness taking on a little more active nature here Wednesday night. “I know we haven't been winning but I do feel as strong as I ever have at this time of year,”...

Vancouver Canucks stay alive, Cory Schneider, Daniel Sedin shine in 3-1 win over L.A. Kings

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun LOS ANGELES — Cory Schneider delivered, Daniel Sedin helped kick-start the power play and the goal-starved Vancouver Canucks got some big offence from their defence. They live to play again. Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa scored second-period goals to erase a 1-0 deficit and the Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 Wednesday night at the Staples Center to force a fifth game in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series. The Canucks still trail the series 3-1, but a win Sunday at Rogers Arena would at least make things interesting. "We had to win, I don't think we cared how we did it," said Schneider, who stopped 43 of the 44 shots he faced. "We stuck together and our special teams came up big. We won a huge game. By no means are we right back in it, but it's a first step we had to have and now we can worry about the next one." All the talk before the...