09/30/2016 – CanucksBanter

Vancouver Looks To Make It Two Consecutive Wins

By Andrew Chernoff

September 30, 2016

Game Time: 6:00 PM PST
Location: Scotiabank Saddledome
TV: Sportsnet One
Radio: TSN 1040

What’s Up:

The Vancouver Canucks (1 – 0 – 1 = 3 pts) battle the Calgary Flames (1 – 1 – 0 = 2 pts) in their first of two meetings in preseason play. The other game being played on October 6 at Rogers Arena.

The game marks the third game in four nights for the Canucks who took on division rival San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night suffering a 3-2 overtime loss in San Jose; and then defeated the Edmonton Oilers the next night 5-3.

What’s at stake:

Edmonton defeated Calgary 4-2 Monday night in their first preseason game, and then Calgary rebounded back the next night with a 3-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Calgary would like to make it two wins in a row over their division rival.

Vancouver is looking to nip its losing streak at one game on the road, and continue on the winning track against the Flames.

Vancouver special teams are 2 for 7 on the power play with 7 shots on net; 8 for 9 on the penalty kill with 8 shots on net and one shorthanded goal, so far this preseason.

When it came to possession play, San Jose out classed Vancouver Tuesday night, clearly dominating the Canucks, in all situations and 5-on-5.

On Wednesday night, Vancouver clearly was more competitive, dominating a good portion of the game to be fully deserving of the win.

Vancouver will look to continue where the Oilers game left off and make it three consecutive games with the opening goal, giving a solid competitive effort for their second consecutive win.

Potential Canucks Lines:

Skille-Gaunce-Burrows
Baertschi-Granlund-Rodin
LaBate-Ruutu-Grenier
Zalewski-Chaput-Rendulic

Hutton-Gudbranson
Brisebois-Tanev
Tryamkin-Larsen

Bachman
Demko

Potential Flames Lines:

Tkachuk-Bennett-Brouwer
Shinkaruk-Stajan-Ferland
Higgins-Hamilton-Chiasson
Klimchuk-Jankowski-Hathaway

Giordano-Hamilton
Kylington-Wideman
Wotherspoon-Engelland

Elliott
Parsons

Stats And Numbers:

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Stats From: www.sportingcharts.com

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NHL BRIEF: WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY EDITION – SEPT. 30, 2016

Welcome to the “NHL Brief: World Cup of Hockey Edition,” a daily collection of the latest news and notes from the tournament.

THURSDAY’S RESULT

Home Team in Caps
Team Canada 2, TEAM EUROPE 1

LATE RALLY PROPELS TEAM CANADA TO WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

Down 1-0 late in the third period, Patrice Bergeron tied the game at 17:07 of the frame and Brad Marchand scored a shorthanded goal with 43.1 seconds remaining in regulation to power Team Canada to the World Cup of Hockey 2016 championship.

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Marchand #63 of Team Canada celebrates after scoring a third period goal against Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Europe 2-1. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) — TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Marchand #63 of Team Canada celebrates after scoring a third period goal against Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Europe 2-1. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

* Team Canada captured its sixth victory in the World Cup of Hockey/Canada Cup, adding to its championships in 1976, 1984, 1987, 1991 and 2004.

It also finished the tournament with a perfect 6-0-0 record; the only other time Team Canada won all of its games at such an event was the most recent iteration, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey (also 6-0-0).

* Marchand recorded his tournament-leading fifth goal of the World Cup of Hockey 2016, while Bergeron – Marchand’s NHL teammate with the Boston Bruins – added his fourth, second among all players. Their fellow Bruins teammate Zdeno Chara provided the lone goal for Team Europe.

* The line of Sidney Crosby (3-7—10), Marchand (5-3—8) and Bergeron (4-3—7) combined for 12-13—25 in the tournament and finished the World Cup of Hockey 2016 ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in overall scoring.

TEAM CANADA EXTENDS WINNING STREAK IN BEST-ON-BEST PLAY

Team Canada extended its winning streak to 16 games since losing to Team USA in its final preliminary contest of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver (also includes 2014 Olympic Winter Games and World Cup of Hockey 2016).

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Team Canada celebrates after a 2-1 win over Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images) — TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 29: Team Canada celebrates after a 2-1 win over Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)

* Team Canada has outscored its opponents 62-20 during that span (24-8 in World Cup of Hockey 2016), averaging 3.88 goals per game versus 1.25 against.

* Team Canada also has outshot its opponents 638-420 during that period (249-183 in World Cup of Hockey 2016), an average of 39.9 per game versus 26.3 against.

* Seven players have played in all three tournaments for Team Canada during this undefeated stretch: Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, Drew Doughty, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Jonathan Toews and Shea Weber.

CROSBY EARNS MVP, AGAIN CAPTAINS TEAM CANADA TO VICTORY . . .

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby (0-1—1) was named tournament MVP after leading the World Cup of Hockey 2016 with seven assists, 10 points and a +8 rating in six games.

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada celebrates after a 2-1 victory over Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) — TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 29: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada celebrates after a 2-1 victory over Team Europe during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

* Crosby improved to a perfect 25-0-0 in his last 25 outings with Team Canada dating to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, leading four groups to championships in that span (also as captain at 2014 Olympic Winter Games and 2015 World Championship).

He has totaled 10-16—26, as well as three game-winning goals (and a gold-medal goal), in those 25 appearances:

Sidney Crosby, Last 25 GP for Team Canada

2010 Olympic Winter Games (Final 4 GP): 2-0—2
2014 Olympic Winter Games (6 GP): 1-2—3
2015 World Championship (9 GP): 4-7—11
World Cup of Hockey 2016 (6 GP): 3-7—10

* The World Cup of Hockey 2016 coronation continues a 17-month stretch for Crosby that also has seen him win the 2015 World Championship and 2015-16 Stanley Cup (with the Pittsburgh Penguins). He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during Pittsburgh’s run to the Stanley Cup in June.

. . . PRICE ALSO ADDS TO FLAWLESS STRETCH WITH TEAM CANADA

Carey Price stopped 32-of-33 shots for the second consecutive game to guide Team Canada to its World Cup of Hockey 2016 championship. He finished the tournament with a 5-0-0 record, along with a 1.40 goals-against average and .957 save percentage – both tops among goaltenders with at least two appearances.

Price also upped his record to a perfect 16-0-0 with a 1.05 goals-against average, .962 save percentage and five shutouts in his last 16 appearances with Team Canada dating to the 2007 World Junior Championship (17 GA in 16 GP).

A breakdown:

2007 World Junior Championship: 6-0-0, 1.14 GAA, .961 SV%, 2 SO
2014 Olympic Winter Games: 5-0-0, 0.59 GAA, .972 SV%, 2 SO
World Cup of Hockey 2016: 5-0-0, 1.40 GAA, .957 SV%, 1 SO

TWICE AS NICE

Joe Thornton and Jay Bouwmeester captured their second World Cup of Hockey championships after also winning with Team Canada in 2004. Thornton registered 1-5—6 in six games during that tournament, while Bouwmeester did not collect a point in four contests.

DID YOU KNOW?

Team Canada trailed for 50:41 of Game 2 of the World Cup of Hockey 2016 final. Prior to Thursday, it had trailed for just 2:41, or 0.9%, of total playing time in the tournament.

Five Games Prior to Game 2 of Final

Leading – 258:46 (86.25%)
Trailing – 2:41 (0.9%)
Tied – 38:33 (12.85%)

Game 2 of Final

Leading – 0:44 (1.2%)
Trailing – 50:41 (84.5%)
Tied – 8:35 (14.3%)

TEAM EUROPE LEAVES WITH HEADS HELD HIGH

“[You] need to open your mind to the big picture and the journey this group partook in and how we played today was amazing. I mean, by far, by far our best game. They played their hearts out . . . I feel nothing but pride of the way this group performed today, the challenge they put up against Canada. This group just continued to surprise and beat the odds and beat the thoughts of everybody that was watching . . . Looking back, I know with some distance from today, we will do nothing but celebrate this month of September 2016 as a special month for this Team Europe group and what they did here.” – Team Europe head coach Ralph Krueger

PARTING SHOT

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