Canucks lose heartbreaker in St. Paul fall 2-1 in OT to Wild

St. Paul MN

Last nights game can either be determined as a heartbreaker or confidence booster. The Canucks seem to play their best against the best. After beating the Wild the other night the Canucks travel to the XCEL Energy Arena and lost 2-1 in OT. This game was there for the Canucks to take as the first period saw the Wild go to the sinbin 5 times. However, it was the Wild that managed to take advantage as Wes Walz scored SH to put the Wild up 1-0. Roberto Luongo would make a couple sweet glove saves to preserve the 1-0 SO.

The second period in which the Wild would hold the shots lead saw Mike Sillinger score a fluke goal off the faceoff just 12 seconds in. Sillinger tried to dump the puck in but a weird bounce off a stansion bounced the puck out front and into the empty cage. Luongo had gone behind the net to stop the clear around.

That would be it until OT as both goalies made save after save.

In OT with 21 seconds to go Wes Walz with his second of the night broke the hearts of the Canucks and sent the crowd home happy. A bad turnover by Shawn Horcoff at the Wilds blueline allowed a 3 on 2 the other way and the Wild capatalized.

Star # 1 Wes Walz


Star #2 Roberto Luongo



Star #3 Vesa Toskala

Canucks battle for a 2-2 draw with the Oilers

Edmonton AB

The Canucks are on a little run gaining 4 points out of a potential 6 in their last 3games and now travel to St. Paul. The Canucks had some tired legs and the Oilers took full advantage of it in the first outshooting Vancouver 16-8. Mark Recchi scored twice including once on the PP to put the Oil up 2-0 after 1.

As has been the case over the last couple days the Canucks seemed to find a way to battle back as John Madden and Andrei Kostitsyn scored second period goals to tie the score at 2.

In the third the Oilers again had pressure outshooting the Canucks 12-4 but Manny Legace stood on his head making big save after big save. In OT the Canucks were able to get 2 shots on net but both were turned aside by Chris Osgood.

Final shots on the game were 37-22. This game could have easily been a blowout but Manny kept the Canucks in the game and stole a point for his team.

Star # 1 Manny Legace


Star #2 Mark Recchi



Star #3 John Madden

Canucks battle the Flames to Stalemate 1-1

Calgary AB

Niklas Backstrom was the story in tonights affair between the Canucks and Flames. Vancouver clearly had the upper hand all night but great goaltending kept them in the game.

The Flames opened the scoring early in the first as Rem Murray potted his second of the year. Calgary would hold a 9-6 shot advantage.

In the second the game would get nasty as Darryl Sydor was assessed a 5 and a match penalty for a gutless spearing job. On the play Rem Murray also took a minor for roughing after the play. The league will be reviewing the spearing incident immediately. It took Vancouver just 25 seconds to score on the 5 on 3 as Vaclav Prospal was found at the side of the net for the pretty tic tac toe. From then on it was the Backstrom show. He turned away shot after shot. The period ended tied 1-1 after 2.

In the third the Canucks were unable to dent the twine despite outshooting the Flames 11-6.

Overtime was much the same as the Canucks outshot the Flames 5-0.

Star # 1 Niklas Backstrom


Star #2 Manny Legace



Star #3 Brad Stuart

Canucks tame the Wild

Vancouver BC

The tension around the GM Place was electric. The GLHL leading and defending champs Minnesota Wild were in town. Given the current standings this should have been a romp for the Wild. However, early on the tone was set and the Canucks played like a team possessed. Being outshot 9-5 in the first the Canucks were the only ones to manage to get on the scoresheet as Stu Barnes scored his 6th of the year unassisted. He picked off a pass up the middle from Scott Hannan went in all alone on Luongo beat him with a wrister glove side.

The second again was dominated by the Wild outshooting the Canucks 11-3. This time however, it would be the Wild getting on the board as Oleg Tverdovsky blistered home a nice one-timer. The teams would held into the locker room tied at 1.

Coming off a loss the night before to Edmonton in which the Oilers scored 2 third period goals it was imperative that the Canucks play better. Things turned out better tonight as Vaclav Prospal and Pavel Kubina scored to make it 3-1 with just 4 minutes and change left. The Wild wouldnt quit as Daniel Sedin would make it 3-2 with just under 3 minutes left. The Wild appeared to had tied it late in the third with the tender on the bench but video review showed the puck never fully crossed the line.

Star # 1 Vaclav Prospal


Star #2 Shawn Horcoff



Star #3 Anton Volchenkov

Edmonton strikes Oil in Vancouver win 4-1

Vancouver BC

The year of struggles continue for the Canucks. Last night was more of the same. Chris Osgood stole the show allowing 1 goal on 32 shots. Vancouver opened the scoring on a goal by Martin Erat. That goal would carry over the second frame.

However, in the second and on the game belonged to the Oilers. Eric Perron scored early to tie it up. Both Toskala and Osgood made big saves to go into the third stanza tied at 1.

The third was all Edmonton. Guillame Latendresse, Brent Seabrook and Mark Smith all scored for Edmonton to give them a commanding 4-1 final victory.

GM Shepherd was quoted after the game as saying this was one needed. We can't let the divisional games get away from us. With a tough Minnesota team coming in we can't be dropping these ones. Specifically if we want to make the playoffs.

Minnesota now travels to GM Place. Minnesota which leads the league in points brings with it explosive offense and dynamic defense along with one of the best goalies in the league in Roberto Luongo.


Star # 1 Mark Smith


Star #2 Chris Osgood



Star #3 Brent Seabrook

Canucks bury the Avalanche

Vancouver BC

The sold out GM Place went home happy last night as the hometown Canucks skated past Colorado 4-2. This season has been like a rollercoaster for many of the players and fans. The team hasn't hit a plateau yet. Last night Scott Thornton got the action started with his 2nd of the year. Kimmo Timonen would tie it late in the first to send the teams to the rooms with a 1-1 draw.

In the second Canuck killer Mikael Samuelsson would score his 9th of the year and 3rd against the Canucks to put the Av's up 2-1. However, Stu Barnes and Stephane Yelle would score goals late in the 2nd to make it 3-2 Canucks.

The third saw Shawn Horcoff score with 1 second left on the clock to seal the deal.

The game was heavily dominated by Vancouver as they outshot the Av's 34-19.

Of note early in the first the tone was set as Jason Smith rocked Alexander Ovechkin in the corner sending him to the showers as he didn't return.

Star # 1 Stephane Yelle

Star #2 Mike Johnson



Star #3 Mikael Samuelsson

Canucks go up in Flames lose 5-3.

Calgary AB

If the Canucks hope to have any chance in the GLHL this year they must win these pivotal divisional games. However, last night the Canucks failed to get the job done falling 5-3 to the Flames.

Kyle Wellwood opened the scoring for Calgary late in the first to go into the dressing room up 1-0. Vancouver would reply as Brendan Witt scored his first of the season to make it 1-1. Witt in his first game back from injury hammered a screen shot home. Calgary would go up 2-1 on a goal by Patrik Elias. Just 16 seconds later thou Vaclav Prospal would score to make it 2-2. Pavel Kubina would make it 3-2 for the Canucks. In typical see-saw action the Flames responded on Mike Keanes first of the year.

In the third the Flames came out hungry and got a goal from Nik Hagman to make it 4-3. From there the Flames would shut it down till Chris Tamer found the empty cage to seal the deal for the Flames.

Star # 1 Kyle Wellwood


Star #2 Stu Barnes



Star #3 Dion Phaneuf