Tag Archives: phoenix coyotes

Banished: Rap sheet and reputation led to Torres’ suspension

Posted on May 16, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

If you’re outraged over the Raffi Torres suspension, you may want to pace yourself.

You may need some of that anger next season.

Torres, National Hockey League bad boy, and designated headhunter, will be on the Canucks’ radar this summer as the they look to add size and some, ahem, intimidation through free agency.

Torres brings both, along with his hall-of-shame-worthy rap sheet.

At least, the old Torres would have brought both. Who knows what kind of imprint Brendan Shanahan’s boot has left on Torres’s game after suspending him for the rest of the second round for a hit many around the NHL believed to be clean.

Actually, the suspension was for his reputation and six previous times he had supplemental discipline. The hit? It would have been fine if it was just about anyone else in the league executing it.

Can Torres ever hit again?

If the NHL had its way, the answer would likely be no. The league is out to lobotomize the...

Canucks to say farewell to Denver, good riddance Avalanche

Posted on April 12, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

DENVER — We’re going to miss Denver. The Colorado Avalanche, not so much.

With the National Hockey League realigning teams next season, the Vancouver Canucks’ game here on Saturday will be their last as a Northwest Division rival to the Avalanche.

Parachuted upon an unsuspecting Western Conference when the franchise moved from Quebec City in 1995, the Avalanche’s nine consecutive division championships included the first five under the Northwest banner when the NHL reorganized to six divisions from four in 1998 to accommodate the last wave of expansion.

The Canucks are trying to sweep the final five Northwest titles before the league reverts to a four-division system and Vancouver moves to a more sensible Pacific grouping that includes the three teams from California, two in Alberta and the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Canucks are also losing as a division rival the Minnesota Wild. But if you saw that team play most of the last decade or visited St. Paul in February or attempted...

Canucks Game Day: Kesler in crosshairs, Weise moves up, Schneider simply super

Posted on April 10, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

CALGARY — No Chris Higgins. No Chris Tanev. But one Ryan Kesler.

As much as the Vancouver Canucks are labouring with the rejuvenated Higgins sidelined by a knee strain and the consistent Tanev by an ankle ailment, the presence of Kesler has not only had an impact on the ice and in the room, the Calgary Flames couldn’t stop talking about the challenge of shutting down the centre tonight (6:30 p.m. SNP).

After missing 19 games with a right foot fracture, Kesler scored the winning goal Monday in a 2-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. The Flames are keenly aware of what occurs when Kesler goes into Beast Mode.

“He’s a guy who brings a lot of speed,” said Flames defenceman Mark Giordano. “We just have to have the same mentality we’ve had the past few games – work hard and try to out-compete the other team. The last time we played them, we got hurt by a few glaring errors....

Canucks injury bug bites as Chrises Higgins, Tanev ‘out indefinitely’

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — As one door of the Vancouver Canucks' infirmary opened this week to release Ryan Kesler, another closed on left-winger Chris Higgins and defenceman Chris Tanev.

The latter two were declared “out indefinitely” by head coach Alain Vigneault after neither skated at practice Tuesday, putting their participation in the opening playoff round in question. The post-season is scheduled to begin in three weeks.

Tanev, injured Saturday against the Calgary Flames, was later seen leaving Rogers Arena with a walking boot on his right foot and crutches in his hands. Higgins has an apparent knee sprain even though he played extremely well Monday night against the Phoenix Coyotes and was on the ice in the last minute of third period.

The Canucks depart Wednesday on a five-game road trip that begins that night in Calgary (6:30 p.m., Sportsnet Pacific, Team 1040).

“Both Chrises, Tanev and Higgins — and I'm getting myself in playoff mode here — are lower body and are not...

Iain MacIntyre: Canucks impatiently waiting for Eddie to rise, shine

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks got back Ryan Kesler on Monday. Now they need Alex Edler.

After all their struggles this truncated season — the injuries, the crisis at centre ice, the oxymoron power play, the lack of Sedinery for stretches and the universal inability to win faceoffs — the Canucks suddenly have a lineup that at least looks comparable to the one that played for the Stanley Cup two years ago.

Last week’s acquisition of another offensive centre, Derek Roy, and the surprise return from injury of Kesler without even one full practice, makes the Canucks a significantly better team.

They’re 3-0 with Roy after beating the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 on Monday. Kesler scored, so Allen Iverson must have been on to something about the frivolity of practising.

Assuming Kesler stays healthy and plays well enough to have a trickle-up effect, luring some defenders away from Daniel and Henrik Sedin and making the power play better (there are a lot of invisible...

Gallagher’s Hat Trick: Shooting is good. Lots of shots is good. Now if the Canucks would just shoot to score …

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

It’s the morning after the night before, so you know what that means: It’s time for the Canucks Hat Trick. Province Sports columnist Tony Gallagher delivers his three points after he’s had a bit of time to chew on the Canucks’ dramatic or not-so-dramatic 2-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes …

The Vancouver Canucks are a considerably different team than they were just over a week ago, with both Derek Roy and Ryan Kesler in the lineup. On this five-game road trip (the team sets off at 2:30 p.m. today), Roy will go back to Dallas, a city he barely got to know. As we consider this morning’s hat trick of issues surrounding this team, we’re wondering whether Roy will ever get to know Vancouver.

1. Roy played most of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, of course, and he hasn’t even been back there as a Western Conference player, that stop being his real emotional return. But...

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Coyotes

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

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I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Phoenix Coyotes, April 8, 2013

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The Canucks have been in a lot of low-scoring games lately, but this one felt different. Prior games have been snoozefests — actually, scratch that. A snoozefest sounds amazing. Think about it: an entire festival dedicated to sleeping? That’s a yes. Sleep is fantastic. Snoozefest is the wrong word. But the prior games have been mundane.

This one wasn’t. The Canucks dominated the Coyotes for the majority of the night, peppering Mike Smith like he was a Caesar salad and they were the waiter at an Olive Garden. With a lesser goaltender in the opposition end, this might have been a blowout. But Smith kept the Coyotes close. By the end of the night, Phoenix had come to rely on him so thoroughly that, when he left the goal for the extra attacker, they got confused and scared and scored on themselves. Related: I watched this game.

Canucks...

Canucks impatiently waiting for Eddie to rise, shine

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

The Vancouver Canucks got back Ryan Kesler on Monday. Now they need Alex Edler.

Last week’s acquisition of another offensive centre, Derek Roy, and the surprise return from injury of Kesler without even one full practice, makes the Canucks a significantly better team.

They’re 3-0 with Roy after beating the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 on Monday. Kesler scored, so Allen Iverson must have been on to something about the frivolity of practising.

Kesler scores, Schneider posts another shutout as Canucks win 2-0

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

Ryan Kesler is back and that makes the Vancouver Canucks better.

If there was any doubt about that, Kesler gave us a reminder early in Monday night's 2-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes at Rogers Arena.

He created a scoring chance off the rush on his first shift and then scored Vancouver's opening goal at the 7:26 mark of the first as the Canucks recorded their third straight win.

Of course, having Cory Schneider in goal is helping, too.

Schneider turned aside 19 shots to record his fifth shutout of the season and fourth in the last nine games.

Kesler was something of a surprise starter considering he had not even participated in a full practice after missing 19 games with a broken foot.

"I played only 4 minutes?" he said in a TV interview after the first period. "It felt like 14."

After the game, he insisted he felt just fine.

"Obviously when you get one early it helps," Kesler said. "The first period...

Recovered Canucks star Ryan Kesler plans to play himself into shape

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

VANCOUVER — It seems like there is no timeline like the present for Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler.

After telling reporters Saturday he had “no timeline” to return from his broken right foot, the feisty forward was ready to return Monday to face the Phoenix Coyotes. So what happened here? Are we in a Back To The Future sequel?

Kesler, who missed six weeks and 19 games, participated in an optional morning skate Saturday and a full morning skate Monday. Normally, a player coming back after six weeks away requires several full practices on non-game days before he is cleared for action. This obviously goes against the norm. Blame the lockout-shortened season.

“I’ll play myself into shape,” Kesler stated before Monday’s National Hockey League contest. “We don’t practise much down the stretch so that’s what we’re going to do.”

The Canucks have nine games remaining after Phoenix, including six on the road. They haven’t yet clinched a playoff spot but are in...

Canucks Game Day: Ryan Kesler welcomed back to lineup for Coyotes test

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

VANCOUVER — Ryan Kesler is back. He will play tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes (7 p.m., TSN, Team 1040) and he won't have to play on crutches either because his broken right foot has healed.

The return of the Canucks' second-line centre is somewhat of a surprising development as he hasn't participated in a full team practice since bowing out of the lineup six weeks ago. But everything is different in this lockout-shortened season where practices are few and far between.

“The foot doesn't hurt and I'll play myself into shape,” Kesler said today. “We don't practise much down the stretch so this is what we're going to do. It's exciting. I'm not expecting to come in and be a saviour. I'm coming in to find my game and help my team.”

The “play-into-shape” plan was confirmed by head coach Alain Vigneault.

“Ryan has been off skates for quite some time but, like they used to do in the old days, we're...

Canucks make coach Vigneault’s milestone game a winning one

Posted on April 6, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER – Alain Vigneault holds many franchise coaching records for the Vancouver Canucks and he added another to his collection Saturday night when he surpassed Marc Crawford for most regular-season games behind the bench at 530.

The one he enjoys the most, however, is wins. And who wouldn't? Vigneault has 308 of those, the latest coming when his skaters took out the reeling Calgary Flames 5-2 before another sold-out house at Rogers Arena.

“The wins are definitely the most important thing,” Vigneault said. “I want wins and we got a win tonight. They say never critique a win but tonight our best player was our goaltender. He made some unreal saves. Calgary came to play and they came to play really hard but Schneids (Cory Schneider) shut the door and we were able to jump on a few of their mistakes.”

The Flames, who played and lost Friday night in San Jose, outshot the Canucks 15-8 in the first period, 14-4...

Ryane Clowe trade a no-brainer as San Jose Sharks look to get younger, faster

Posted on March 31, 2013 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE — Ryane Clowe sat alone as the scrum scurried elsewhere for Saturday night sound bytes.

It was as if the San Jose Sharks winger was already traded, already gone and forgotten. A cold statistical season in which Clowe has yet to score in 28 games and his coming off a recent shoulder injury, hasn’t stopped the hot pursuit of the pending unrestricted free agent. With a game suited for the rigours of the postseason, the Boston Bruins are rumoured to be at the front of a line before the Wednesday trade deadline. They lost out of Jarome Iginla. They apparently want Clowe either as a rental or if a sign-and-trade deal is done. He has a no-trade clause.

Either way, it’s adios for Clowe who may or may not face Vancouver on Monday night and had some of his best physical and verbal exchanges with the Canucks in the 2011 playoffs. The Sharks are trying to get younger...

Canucks Notebook: Vancouver looks to regroup against hot Sharks’ team

Posted on March 31, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

EDMONTON -- And now the Vancouver Canucks get thrown to the Sharks.

Wait, didn't that happen on Saturday night?

The theme song from Jaws should have been playing early in the first period of Saturday night's game, when the Canucks surrendered four goals on the first five shots they faced from the Edmonton Oilers.

The final score was 4-0, which flattered Vancouver.

The Canucks were still licking their wounds as they departed the Alberta capital on Sunday and headed for San Jose, where they meet the Sharks on Monday night.

"You kind of have to try and put it behind you," defenceman Dan Hamhuis said before he climbed aboard the team bus. "It was a strange game and you obviously want to pick some stuff out to learn from, but the feelings you get out of game like that aren't good. You have to try and put those behind you and get your focus on the next game."

That next game doesn't figure to...