sleddy2008
12-18-2010, 04:25 PM
C/P from TSN.ca
(Sports Network) - With just one regulation loss in their last nine games, the Vancouver Canucks have been playing some of their best hockey of the year over the last few weeks. Alain Vigneault's club will try to continue that success tonight, when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Rogers Arena.The Canucks enter tonight off the strength of back-to-back wins and the club has gone four straight without a regulation loss (3-0-1). Overall, Vancouver has won seven times in its last nine outings, going 7-1-1 over that stretch.
Vancouver enters tonight with 38 points and can tie Colorado for first place in the Northwest Division with a win against the Maple Leafs.
The Canucks last played on Wednesday, when they were able to record an overtime victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. Ryan Kesler completed his first career hat trick by scoring the game-winner with 1:30 left to play in overtime, giving Vancouver the 3-2 victory.
The Canucks went on the power play at the 2:45 mark of the extra period after a Jan Hejda boarding penalty. On Vancouver's second rush of the advantage, Daniel Sedin took the puck down the left side and sent a floating pass to Kesler, who put a shot home for the win.
"It felt like the puck was magnetized to me," Kesler said. "It's just one of those games where you feel good out there."
Roberto Luongo stopped 28-of-30 shots for Vancouver and the Canucks' No. 1 netminder is 10-6-2 with a 2.44 GAA in 19 career starts against the Maple Leafs.
Vancouver, which is 10-3-2 on home ice this year, recorded a victory in Toronto earlier this season when it notched a 5-3 decision at the Air Canada Centre on Nov. 13. It was the seventh straight win in the series for the Canucks, who have also won three straight on home ice against the Leafs.
Toronto is completing a three-game tour of western Canada tonight and has earned a split so far in the first two stops at Edmonton and Calgary. The Maple Leafs are just 4-9-1 on the road this season.
The Maple Leafs posted a 4-1 win in Edmonton on Tuesday, but were dealt a 5-2 setback two nights later in Calgary. Olli Jokinen posted a goal and two assists to help lead the Flames to victory.
Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski scored for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped three of five.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere got the start but was pulled after yielding four goals on 24 shots through two periods. Jonas Gustavsson finished the contest and made eight saves.
"We weren't very good for two periods and the only reason it was 1-1 (after one) was because of Jiggy's (Giguere) play," said Toronto head coach Ron Wilson of his club's failure to play consistently. "He took away two or three sure goals from them."
Giguere is just 9-10-1 with a pair of ties and a 2.86 GAA in 26 career starts against the Canucks, while Gustavsson has never faced Vancouver. It appears as though Gustavsson will get the start tonight, however, as Giguere is sidelined with a groin injury.
(Sports Network) - With just one regulation loss in their last nine games, the Vancouver Canucks have been playing some of their best hockey of the year over the last few weeks. Alain Vigneault's club will try to continue that success tonight, when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Rogers Arena.The Canucks enter tonight off the strength of back-to-back wins and the club has gone four straight without a regulation loss (3-0-1). Overall, Vancouver has won seven times in its last nine outings, going 7-1-1 over that stretch.
Vancouver enters tonight with 38 points and can tie Colorado for first place in the Northwest Division with a win against the Maple Leafs.
The Canucks last played on Wednesday, when they were able to record an overtime victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. Ryan Kesler completed his first career hat trick by scoring the game-winner with 1:30 left to play in overtime, giving Vancouver the 3-2 victory.
The Canucks went on the power play at the 2:45 mark of the extra period after a Jan Hejda boarding penalty. On Vancouver's second rush of the advantage, Daniel Sedin took the puck down the left side and sent a floating pass to Kesler, who put a shot home for the win.
"It felt like the puck was magnetized to me," Kesler said. "It's just one of those games where you feel good out there."
Roberto Luongo stopped 28-of-30 shots for Vancouver and the Canucks' No. 1 netminder is 10-6-2 with a 2.44 GAA in 19 career starts against the Maple Leafs.
Vancouver, which is 10-3-2 on home ice this year, recorded a victory in Toronto earlier this season when it notched a 5-3 decision at the Air Canada Centre on Nov. 13. It was the seventh straight win in the series for the Canucks, who have also won three straight on home ice against the Leafs.
Toronto is completing a three-game tour of western Canada tonight and has earned a split so far in the first two stops at Edmonton and Calgary. The Maple Leafs are just 4-9-1 on the road this season.
The Maple Leafs posted a 4-1 win in Edmonton on Tuesday, but were dealt a 5-2 setback two nights later in Calgary. Olli Jokinen posted a goal and two assists to help lead the Flames to victory.
Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski scored for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped three of five.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere got the start but was pulled after yielding four goals on 24 shots through two periods. Jonas Gustavsson finished the contest and made eight saves.
"We weren't very good for two periods and the only reason it was 1-1 (after one) was because of Jiggy's (Giguere) play," said Toronto head coach Ron Wilson of his club's failure to play consistently. "He took away two or three sure goals from them."
Giguere is just 9-10-1 with a pair of ties and a 2.86 GAA in 26 career starts against the Canucks, while Gustavsson has never faced Vancouver. It appears as though Gustavsson will get the start tonight, however, as Giguere is sidelined with a groin injury.