(1) Vancouver Canucks vs (5) Nashville Predators - Series Thread

[puckhead]

Going to BUMP all this man. Our team focuses a lot more on team defense then Chicago does so our Forwards know how to play it too. As far as offense we don't have the standout caliber players like Chi town has but we still score. Basically if we hold you guys to 3< we should end up with a W, more then that and Rinne loses confidence and yall should be able to skate away with it

I love all this talk about Tootoo when he was almost invisible this regular season, great to see him back. I kinda want to see him fight somebody tho it's been awhile haha, O'briens been taking over for him there which isn't what I want to see

I noticed that the Preds got 3 or 4 goals in all of their games against the Ducks.
That won't be (well, SHOULDN'T be) as easy to do against us. Bear in mind, we had the best defense in the league throughout the season (2.20 GAA); Anaheim's was 20th in the league.
Granted, so far our first round hasn't quite lived up to the reg season, but those 82 games are the best indication of the team we've got.

as for fighting, i would be surprised from our side. We have a couple of guys who can (Glass, Bieksa, Oreskovich), but the team has been preaching discipline, and following it very very well so far.

but yeah, I'm concerned that tootoo will be a factor for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Ties5o11]

why so little rest for Vancouver?

 

[dash]

why so little rest for Vancouver?

That's the penalty for not finishing off the Hawks earlier...

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

One thing about Nashville is that I can't believe Rinne can play any better than Crawford just did.

He's been nominated for the Vezina. He can get the job done.

The positive for the Canucks is Nashville isn't anywhere near as dangerous offensively as the Blackhawks.

The negative for the Canucks is they're a lot better defensively.

The fewer penalties the Canucks commit the better. Shea Weber has a lethal shot.

 

[BlueandWhiteForever]

If this series is starting on Thursday, then the Preds are already up 1-0 as I see it. I recall back in 2002, we had a quick turnaround after going 7 tough games with the Islanders into a series with Ottawa, and got our ass handed to us in game one 5-0. Of course we did go on to win the series in 4-3

This is a bad move of scheduling by the NHL, but as we know, t.v broadcasters always have to get their way. That being said, it looked to me Vancouver had more than enough in the tank after they won last night.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

He's been nominated for the Vezina. He can get the job done.

The positive for the Canucks is Nashville isn't anywhere near as dangerous offensively as the Blackhawks.

he's started 35 of the Preds last 36 so i can see some mental fatigue ... there was some evidence of that in the Ducks series

true ... they dont have the snipers and gamechangers that the hawks have

 

[BlueandWhiteForever]

Well now that the Blackhawks are in their rear view mirror, the Canucks have no excuses now. They are a far better team then Nashville when they play at their best and should not lose this series barring Rinne stealing it out from under them.

It's time for the Sedins to nut up. No more boogeyman Bolland to scare them. Nobody on the Preds forward core can do the job he did. Luongo has no reasons for mental hurdles now.

I'm calling Vancouver is Six

 

[jstewismybastardson]

i really want to see how the Sedins respond to finally being out of the psychological Dave Bolland shadow ... if you ask me it was the Duncan Keith shadow ... the twins couldnt forecheck and get any takeaways from him because he's such a vastly superior skater than they are ... although I love Weber and think hes a great skater, I just dont think he's a skater the calibre of Dunc Keith

if the Sedins can replicate their Mar 29th performance (where all we saw was Shea Weber fishing pucks out from the net) and present us with box scores that show Shea Weber and Ryan Suter both being minus 3's every game, I like the teams chances

 

[puckhead]

If this series is starting on Thursday, then the Preds are already up 1-0 as I see it. I recall back in 2002, we had a quick turnaround after going 7 tough games with the Islanders into a series with Ottawa, and got our ass handed to us in game one 5-0. Of course we did go on to win the series in 4-3

This is a bad move of scheduling by the NHL, but as we know, t.v broadcasters always have to get their way. That being said, it looked to me Vancouver had more than enough in the tank after they won last night.

quick turnaround after the Dallas 7 gamer as well. Ducks were waiting for us.
but that series had about 10 games worth of hockey played (so many OTs), and the team was just done for. Lost game 1 to Ducks 5-1.
this game 7 has a different feel.... just relief. weight of the world lifted off of their shoulders, now they can just go out and get it done.


btw... gillis WAS fined for his referee's rant, but I'm sure the amount would be less than whatever profit the team gets from the home games through the rest of the playoffs.

 

[Ho_Brah]

Well now that the Blackhawks are in their rear view mirror, the Canucks have no excuses now. They are a far better team then Nashville when they play at their best and should not lose this series barring Rinne stealing it out from under them.

It's time for the Sedins to nut up. No more boogeyman Bolland to scare them. Nobody on the Preds forward core can do the job he did. Luongo has no reasons for mental hurdles now.

I'm calling Vancouver is Six

Like I mentioned earlier, I still think the key for Nash is matching the 22 line against the Sedins early in the game, The Sedins don’t want contact and love their space. I say push the envelope and finish every check against them. Yes it is probably beneficial late in games to match Legs vs Sedins, but only after Smithers and Toots have softened them up a bit.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Like I mentioned earlier, I still think the key for Nash is matching the 22 line against the Sedins early in the game, The Sedins don’t want contact and love their space. I say push the envelope and finish every check against them. Yes it is probably beneficial late in games to match Legs vs Sedins, but only after Smithers and Toots have softened them up a bit.

I agree. The entire series I kept saying why doesn't anyone ever hit the Sedin's? If Tootoo & Smithers can rough them up a bit it would certainly help. the Preds cause.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

btw... gillis WAS fined for his referee's rant, but I'm sure the amount would be less than whatever profit the team gets from the home games through the rest of the playoffs.

at least $2 shmill per gate

I stated facts," Gillis told The Dreger Report. "How can I get fined for stating facts"?

the way he "worded" his rant was almost a thing of beauty ... but when he said "not a level playing field" I knew the phone call was coming

 

[Automattic]

Speaking of Tootoo, we got to get the artist formerly known as 2Tootoo2 come kick it. It's Predsfan22 now, right?

 

[UTVolCountry]

I see 2tootoo2 sometimes on ESPN. I believe he signed up months ago but just never came back.

 

[BlueandWhiteForever]

quick turnaround after the Dallas 7 gamer as well. Ducks were waiting for us.
but that series had about 10 games worth of hockey played (so many OTs), and the team was just done for. Lost game 1 to Ducks 5-1.
this game 7 has a different feel.... just relief. weight of the world lifted off of their shoulders, now they can just go out and get it done.


btw... gillis WAS fined for his referee's rant, but I'm sure the amount would be less than whatever profit the team gets from the home games through the rest of the playoffs.

The other difference from that year as well was Vancouver doesn't have to hop on a plane to California this time. As well, no offense to Nashville, but the Preds aren't anywhere near as good a team as the Ducks that year were.

 

[BlueandWhiteForever]

I agree. The entire series I kept saying why doesn't anyone ever hit the Sedin's? If Tootoo & Smithers can rough them up a bit it would certainly help. the Preds cause.

Well let's not act like the Canucks aren't physical as well. Weber and Suter are going to get the same treatment Kieth and Seabrook got, and over the course of the series, it will take it's toll.

But like I said, it is time for the robots to nut up. If they get physically taken out of this series as well, it will become clear they are both too soft for big time hockey.

 

[UTVolCountry]

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Well let's not act like the Canucks aren't physical as well. Weber and Suter are going to get the same treatment Kieth and Seabrook got, and over the course of the series, it will take it's toll.

But like I said, it is time for the robots to nut up. If they get physically taken out of this series as well, it will become clear they are both too soft for big time hockey.

Torres alone will make sure Weber & Suter realize it's going to be a physical series. The Predators have to be physical in this series. They can't allow the Sedin's to set up shop in their zone. They'll tear them apart goal by goal. Speed will be a big factor in this series. The Canucks have a lot of speed on their bottom two lines. If the Predators aren't aware of it they'll get torched.

Last night watching Raymond, Oreskovich & Burrows my first thought was WOW this team has some serious speed. Imagine if they had kept Grabner.

 

[puckhead]

Like I mentioned earlier, I still think the key for Nash is matching the 22 line against the Sedins early in the game, The Sedins don’t want contact and love their space. I say push the envelope and finish every check against them. Yes it is probably beneficial late in games to match Legs vs Sedins, but only after Smithers and Toots have softened them up a bit.

I agree. The entire series I kept saying why doesn't anyone ever hit the Sedin's? If Tootoo & Smithers can rough them up a bit it would certainly help. the Preds cause.

easier said than done. they are very, very good at being aware of their surroundings.
and if you stray out of position to chase, they will eat you alive.
Sedins and Burr have combined for 10 pts (4+3+3) in the 4 games this season
Erat has done well against Van (4pts), the rest is kind of spread out (a few guys with 2 or 1 point each).

it'll be interesting. games were mostly tight. W 2-1, L 3-1, L 3-0, W 3-1


also, despite the treatment the Sedins got from the Hawks (including the Bolland curse), they still put up 7 and 5 points in the series. (Burrows with 6)

 

[SouthPride]

We have plenty of speed with Erat and Fisher. I'm not sure how Trotzy will match them up, roughing them up with Tootoo and Smithson might work because Smity is one of our better defenders and Toots has been exploding on Offense (with speed too i might add)

If Preds take game 1, I'd be worried you Nuckers :attention: