Game Thread: The Tortando has hit Vancouver - Better get a Jacket.

[Judge Fudge]

Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella wasn't happy with his team's effort in Tuesday's shootout loss to the Florida Panthers and he's ready to go back to square one.

"We're just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Friday's game against Columbus.

The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference.

"I'm not going to sit here and...say well, this guy's doing this, that will work," said Tortorella, in his first year as Canucks bench boss.

Tortorella appears open to shuffling any of his lines, and that includes potentially splitting up the Sedin brothers. At Thursday's practice at the University of British Columbia,
Henrik Sedin centred a line between Jannik Hansen and Chris Higgins,
while twin Daniel found himself with Ryan Kesler and Mike Santorelli.

Tortorella was noncommittal, though, as to how long these changes would stay in effect or even if he would employ them in a game scenario at all.

"I'm not sure where it goes, how long it goes and we see if we can find our way," said the coach.

Friday's opponent, the Blue Jackets, have lost seven of 10 games but came away with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

Canucks' Tortorella alters line combos after Panthers loss

 

[DragonfromTO]

Somebody had better start blocking some fucking shots!

 

[Vadered]

Somebody had better start blocking some fucking shots!

I nominate John Tortorella.

 

[forty_three]

Gaborik's not playing, so maybe he can pick him off with a pineapple from the press box.

 

[dash]

Shall we make this the game thread for tonight? Will Matt Calvert play for Columbus tonight 43?

 

[mattola]

Tortando? is that a sub area of Orlando?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

TSN just took the quote that Botchford attributed to Torts and ran with it even though Torts didnt say "shit" lol

 

[dash]

TSN just took the quote that Botchford attributed to Torts and ran with it even though Torts didnt say "shit" lol

Botch spends so much time on TSN he might as well join the evil empire.

 

[DevilishWon]

All torts needs now is for Larry Brooks to relocate from NYC to Vancouver

 

[forty_three]

Shall we make this the game thread for tonight? Will Matt Calvert play for Columbus tonight 43?

Couldn't reach my buddy all day to find out for sure, but the Jackets facebook page says Scut Farkas is a go.

Johansen has a lot of family and friends coming. He's been the Jackets top player all year. Hope he's extra amped tonight.

 

[forty_three]

Matt Calvert SCORES!

 

[forty_three]

I would really like it if they could do something about these last second goals.

 

[forty_three]

Welp.

Guess it's time to go to bed. Wheels completely fell off the wagon.

 

[puckhead]

catching up on first period

- Zack Kassian should really really never play defense. did he think there was someone else behind him? gotta take the man OR the puck, OR both. never neither. neither is bad
- It appears the CBJ's primary defensive tactic is slash the fuck out of any opponents stick within reach
- Jack Johnson sucks, but Canucks can't cash in
- for such an aggressive forecheck, I'm surprised they aren't caught in transition more often.
- nice Sedinerous shift results in a goal
- deserved a better fate (again) after the period. at least they got one. can't complain too much about the overall effort.


every time these teams play, I want to see a Kesler/Hamburger fight

 

[puckhead]

2nd period:

- Kassassinated!!
- ugh, then he tries to play defense again. he needs to spend some practices exclusively skating backward
- Bobrovsky!!
- Oh and Edler with the cannon. that will boost the shooting% up from the 3% range in the past week or so
- so... Why is Hamhuis on the 31 powerplay instead of Edler or Garrison
- wow - daniel with the terrific chance to get #300. what a pass for the other brother

nice to see hard work rewarded, and some good bounces finally. (CBJ missed a couple of glorious chances, the bobrovski own goal)

 

[IPostedWhat]

Who the hell is Ryan Stanton?

 

[puckhead]

period 3

- Sestito with a reputation/game management call. Torts almost with the AV chuckle
- Bob-whiff-ski!! (unless it was tipped.) Henrikk takes away Daniel's 300th
- Holy smokes, I detest Boll. what a waste of space.
- Foligno stepped out of his weight class there. defending what looked like an Umberger dive (say it ain't so). Thanks RJ.
- Penalty shot - Garrett's right that was a pretty liberal call. he certainly wasn't away clean. Bob stops him anyways
- Garrison caught watching, and Anisimov gets an easy one
- Welsh with a first career goal. that was some nice hands!


that was a much needed offensive output.
Ryan Stanton with a 3 point night. thanks Chicago


edit: IPW - Stanton was a waiver pick-up. the final cut from the Hawks.

 

[puckhead]

Welsh. rookie hazing, I presume

 

[forty_three]

Welsh. rookie hazing, I presume

Just visualizing the point that a group of Vietnamese Rice Paddy women could have beaten the Jackets last night.

I really wish that the excuses they have (key guys out) would resolve itself because I really want to know what the problem is. Is it lack of depth, is it the injuries, is it too much turmoil, is it over confidence, lack of confidence or leadership in the room?

Has Richards lost them? Is Bobrovsky actually bipolar? To what extent does Jack Johnson suck? And is he worse than Nikitin? And while we're on the subject of Nikitin - WHO IS THIS IMPOSTER? We want last year's Nikitin back.

It's mind boggling to me that as bad as they've been, they are only 4 points out of the race.

 

[puckhead]

Has Richards lost them? Is Bobrovsky actually bipolar? To what extent does Jack Johnson suck? And is he worse than Nikitin? And while we're on the subject of Nikitin - WHO IS THIS IMPOSTER? We want last year's Nikitin back.

I have been waiting for so long for that invitation.
Just how bad is Jack Johnson? - HockeyAnalysis.com

/stats are a bit outdated, but it's still a fun read.


btw, i do feel bad the the wheels fell off for your team, but if if makes you feel any better.... it was much needed for the good guys