I’m not going to lie; I didn’t see the Canucks would be 3-1 through four games on this road trip. Not with this line-up. Willie Desjardins’ group has shown tremendous resiliency of late.
A team without Alex Edler, Chris Tanev, Kevin Bieksa and Frank Corrado should not likely win in New York, on Long Island or in Boston. Throw in the fact Vancouver’s most versatile forward (Alex Burrows) didn’t play the last three games, one of its best penalty killers (Brad Richardson) has been out since before the all-star break, its second line centre (Nick Bonino) just returned from injury and it’s amazing the Canucks have won six of their past eight.
Vancouver now has more road wins (19) than any team in the NHL and the Canucks’ record when their opponent scores first (13-17-1) is quite impressive.
KASSIAN LOVES TO CELEBRATE
Does anyone else just basically laugh when Zack Kassian scores these days? It’s clear he and his teammates are enjoying it.
As I said last week, the man is great TV no matter what. And everyone should enjoy it because Kassian is shooting at a 54 percent clip in February. That’s sustainable, right?
HOW RONALDS KENINS COMPARES TO MATT COOKE
Ronalds Kenins reminds me of Matt Cooke. Now, before you jump all over me about cheap shots etc., I’m not making the comparison that way. It’s more about how they have similar body types and both have the ability to maximize leverage to make solid hits.
Cooke was never shy to finish a check and used angles very well to get into the proper spot to deliver heavy hits. Kenins does that as well. And he has shown “real good” instincts in the O-zone. I always felt Cooke didn’t get enough credit for his offensive abilities, considering the role he plays. Since breaking into the league full time in 2000-01 Cooke has failed to record at least 10 goals just twice. Once was the lockout-shortened season (eight in 48) and the other was a year cut in half by injury (eight in 45).
RONNIE’S CENTREMAN
Horvat Corsi For% since January 30: 49.8%
Horvat on-ice shooting% since January 30: 12.2%
Horvat personal shooting% since January 30: 35.3%
Since Kenins came up on January 30th (12 games for Kenins, 14 for Horvat) that line has been roughly a 50% Corsi For line, according to war-on-ice.com. That doesn’t seem great, but it’s actually elite for a fourth-line. In contrast, Horvat’s Corsi For percentage on January 29th (the day Kenins was recalled) was sitting at a below replacement level 42 percent.
FACEOFF SCHOOL
Patrice Bergeron was a machine Tuesday night at the dot. Professor B took the Canucks to school going 31-for-38. Flat out ridiculous. I asked Desjardins post-game if he was glad he had seen the last of Bergeron and he just smirked, shook his head and replied:
“Oh God, he was unbelievable.”
Here is why I’m not a huge fan of Henrik Sedin killing penalties. He isn’t a good faceoff guy. Of all the players in the NHL who have taken at least 1,100 faceoffs (and there are 15 of them) Hank is dead last at 46.8 percent. Not surprisingly Bergeron tops the list at 59.7 percent.
PICTURES OF THE WEEK
Vancouver’s trainers love to have some fun with Canucks goaltending coach Rollie Melanson every time they go to Long Island. Melanson is on the Islanders Awards wall for sharing the Jennings Trophy with Billy Smith back in 1983. But when the Canucks (and some black hockey tape) make their way to Nassau, Melanson suddenly dissapeared.
Guessing this tradition continues in Brooklyn.
