Jan. 31 - Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild
KARE 11
Publication
1/30/15
Date
Minnesota Wild employees chip in to send co-workers with
cancer to the Super Bowl
By Boyd Huppert
[Video Insert]
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Woodbury man battling cancer will be watching his beloved Seattle Seahawks at the Super Bowl on
Sunday – thanks to the generosity of his co-workers.
Chris Turns, director of ticket operations for the Minnesota Wild, learned earlier this week that 61 of his Wild co-workers
donated the money to pay for game tickets and his trip.
"You can hear I'm getting a little choked up thinking about it," said Chris, his voice cracking.
Brett Miller, who works at the desk next to Chris, started the fundraising a few days ago with an email to the Wild staff.
Contributions poured in from 61 different co-workers, from interns to Craig Leipold, the owner of the team.
"$4000 in less than 24 hours," reports Brett. "I was blown away."
Even Brett's aunt contributed frequent flier miles to cover the cost of the plane tickets for Chris and his wife.
"It means so much just because of where it came from," says Val Turns, who will also accompany her husband to the
game.
Chris, who grew up in Pennsylvania, adopted the Seahawks as his favorite team while he was a boy. "I just went to the
Seahawks and never wavered from them," he said.
Chris was diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer in September, just before his 40th birthday, after going to the
emergency room with swelling in his leg.
He completed chemotherapy earlier this month and is scheduled to undergo surgery in Indianapolis next month for
removal of cancerous lymph nodes.
While Chris was undergoing chemo, his co-workers delivered food and even put up the Christmas lights at his home.
But the Super Bowl trip was beyond anything Chris could have imagined.
"I'm truly blessed to work here and have the family that I do here," he said.
765008
Minnesota Wild
Friday (Dubnyk, a familiar type of goalie, gives Wild a chance) edition: Wha'
Happened?
765010
Minnesota Wild
Dubnyk gives Wild a stabilizing presence in goal
Article by: Michael Russo
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated January 30th at 1:42pm
dubnyk2He’s only had six starts, so it’s far too early to proclaim Devan
Dubnyk any type of savior for the Wild.
What we do know after six starts, though, are these things:
*He gives the Wild a chance this year that it flat-out wouldn’t have had
without him. Minnesota had a 9 percent chance of making the playoffs at
the All-Star break, according to their record and a simulation of the rest of
the season from Hockey Reference. Since then, Minnesota has 2-1 and 1-0
wins on the road. Dubnyk was solid in the first; he was spectacular in the
second, a blanking of Calgary on Thursday in which me made many
tremendous saves — including a third-period breakaway and an underrated
pad stop in the final seconds. The Wild would have earned, at most, one
point in those two games had either Darcy Kuemper or Niklas Backstrom
played. Instead, they got the full four — in regulation, which was particularly
huge against Calgary — and have nearly doubled that playoff probability to
17 percent already. It’s still a long way to go, but it’s a good start.
*Though he’s a free agent after this season, he’s the kind of goalie that has
found a long-term home in Minnesota before. Manny Fernandez was 26
and in search of playing time when the Wild picked him up. Backstrom was
playing in Finland before the Wild grabbed him at age 28. Dwayne Roloson
was an undistinguished journeyman before finding a home in Minnesota at
age 32. Those three goalies have the most wins in Wild history. Dubnyk,
28, has put up respectable numbers on bad teams. Maybe this is the right
fit for both the short and long term?
Even if this is just a rental, though, Dubnyk has proven — so far — to be a
smart acquisition. There’s nothing like good goaltending to give a team
hope, and that’s what the Wild (finally) has this year.
Star Tribune LOADED: 01.31.2015
January 31, 2015 - 12:25 AM
VANCOUVER – Six starts by a goaltender is a small sample size. There
are still 34 games left, meaning things can change in a hurry as Wild fans
know all too well.
But as Devan Dubnyk continues to deliver the type of stability that the Wild
could have used six or eight weeks ago, one has to wonder if Dubnyk is
auditioning for a job next season in Minnesota.
After two years of goaltending instability, General Manager Chuck Fletcher
says the most important thing this offseason will be solving that problem.
With a 4-1 record in six starts with a 1.66 goals-against average, .931 save
percentage and two shutouts since arriving in a trade from Arizona, Dubnyk
has provided confidence in the skaters in front of him.
The latest example came Thursday in Calgary when Dubnyk made 30
saves in a 1-0 Wild victory. He stopped 22 shots the final two periods,
which was no small feat considering the Flames pressured the final half of
the second period with 10 consecutive shots and are the top-scoring thirdperiod team in the NHL.
“We thought enough of him to trade for him,” Fletcher said last week.
“Everybody I talked to about him told me what a really good person he is
and what a good teammate he is.
“There’s no secret we’d love to get some stability in goal, and I’m sure he’s
analyzing our situation as well. This last half a season, our goal is to win as
many games as we can. But I also think it’s fair to say you’re always
evaluating.”
Dubnyk, 28, has felt welcomed by his new teammates. His wife and child
are moving to Minnesota next week and he has found an apartment.
And while he doesn’t think anybody should look at him as a “savior,” he
“absolutely” says he’s taking this opportunity as a chance to prove himself.
765009
Minnesota Wild
Wild: Zach Parise lauds Thomas Vanek's defensive play
By Chad Graff
Posted: 01/30/2015 12:01:00 AM CST
Updated: 01/30/2015 12:09:56 PM CST
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- With a big smile forcing its way through
his fat lip and gap-toothed grin, Zach Parise revealed his nickname for
teammate Thomas Vanek -- "Selke."
The nickname is meant in jest to Vanek, a reference to former NHL great
Frank Selke, whom the league's award for best two-way player is named
after.
“To come here and have a chance to play, it’s a chance that I was trying to
work for,” Dubnyk said. “But it’s important that I just concentrate from game
to game and not think about that long term. There’s no success to be had to
be thinking about a picture that big.”
As Fletcher knows after three seasons of injury and illness with Niklas
Backstrom, Darcy Kuemper and Josh Harding, things change quickly. A few
weeks ago in Buffalo, Backstrom was sitting on the bench backing up
Dubnyk in his Wild debut. Suddenly an errant stick smacked Backstrom
across the jaw and “after the game I thought we may have lost him for
awhile,” Fletcher said. “He turned out to be fine, but you just never know.
Our goaltending situation always seems to be day-to-day, which is
obviously something we’d like to change going into next year.
“We’re searching for stability in goal and maybe Devan turns out to be that
answer.”
With Backstrom and Kuemper both under contract next season, if the Wild
signs a goalie Backstrom might have to be bought out or Kuemper may
have to be traded.
But Fletcher said “it’s not that simple” and he’s not at the point where he’s
giving up on either, particularly Kuemper, who is 24.
Vanek, of course, is known more for his offensive prowess than
commitment to the defensive zone.
“Darcy is still a goalie with tremendous potential,” Fletcher said. “There’s
ebb and flow in performance with goalies in general.
But his responsible play Thursday night created the turnover that turned
into Parise's goal in the Wild's 1-0 win over the Calgary Flames.
“We need our goaltenders to be better, but these situations are fluid.
Dubnyk has the net now, and he’s played well, but there’s a lot of games
down the stretch and I’m sure there will be an opportunity for Darcy to grab
the net again. There’s four games in a week, back-to-backs, three in four
with travel. We’ll probably need all three of them to play again.
Every player on the Wild has a nickname. Many, like Vanek's, are more
comical than serious.
"It was a really good play by Thomas," Parise said of the play that set up his
goal. "That's why we call him Selke. It was a really good stick."
Star Tribune LOADED: 01.31.2015
“We’ve watched Darcy in junior, we’ve watched him in the ECHL, we’ve
watched him in the AHL, the NHL, we’ve watched him in the playoffs. He’s
a quality kid and real good young goaltender who’s a big part of our team.
The tendency is to look too far ahead, but we have to stay in the moment …
and just let things play out.”
Star Tribune LOADED: 01.31.2015
765011
Minnesota Wild
Dubnyk and the Wild had a big win Thursday night, beating Calgary 1-0 to
move within five points of a playoff spot.
Before Dubnyk came from the desert, goaltending was a major concern for
the Wild. Their team save percentage ranked 29th out of 30 NHL teams.
Devan Dubnyk's resurgence just what Wild needed
By Chad Graff
Posted: 01/30/2015 12:01:00 AM CST
Updated: 01/30/2015 11:45:03 PM CST
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Under the shell Devan Dubnyk wears
above his leg pads is another shell, this one maroon.
It is from his days with the Arizona Coyotes, days that might seem like long
ago, even though it has been only 15 days since he was traded to the Wild
for a third-round draft pick.
Dubnyk has been surprised by how quickly he has become comfortable in a
new dressing room with new teammates.
"It's felt like longer than that," he said. "It's nice to feel comfortable with the
group of guys this quickly. That just grows the more you get to play behind
them. And winning, obviously, makes things a lot more fun."
Dubnyk has started all six Wild games since he was traded to Minnesota on
Jan. 14, compiling a 4-1-0 record with a 1.66 goals-against average and
.931 save percentage.
By comparison, Niklas Backstrom has a 3.04 goals-against average and
.887 save percentage this season, while Darcy Kuemper has a 2.62 goalsagainst average and .904 save percentage.
Dubnyk has allowed nine goals as a member of the Wild, four of which
came in a loss to Detroit.
"He's been really good; he really has been," Zach Parise said. "A lot of
times you have breakdowns, and you need to get bailed out. He's made the
save he should make and some you don't expect him to. We're really happy
so far with how he's played."
Dubnyk's resurgence has come on the heels of his most disappointing
season. He was so erratic last season that the Coyotes sent him to the
minors.
That seemed like a distant memory after Dubnyk posted his second shutout
in six games, a 30-save performance Thursday night in a 1-0 victory at
Calgary.
"It feels good; it really does," Dubnyk said. "I try not to think too much about
last year, but it happened. Coming into this season, it gave me a chance to
appreciate and not take for granted having a job in this league.
"I really try to make a habit of showing up every day, and I'm not taking the
time here for granted. It made it feel really good to be able to come back
this way."
Pioneer Press LOADED: 01.31.2015
765125
Websites
USA TODAY / Devan Dubnyk acquisition could be saving Minnesota Wild's
season
KEVIN ALLEN
If the Minnesota Wild can squeeze into the playoffs, general manager
Chuck Fletcher’s acquisition of goaltender Devin Dubnyk will be the best inseason trade of the NHL season.
It could be more important than the Penguins’ acquisition of David Perron to
play with Sidney Crosby.
Since the Wild gave the Arizona Coyotes a third-round pick for Dubnyk, the
6-6 goalie is 4-1 with two shutouts, a 1.66 goals-against average and .931
save percentage.
Dubnyk’s .931 save percentage is far superior to the .893 figure the team
owned before his arrival. Since Dubnyk arrived, the Wild have moved up to
28th in team save percentage.
Fletcher had other options, including trading for one of the Buffalo Sabres
goaltenders, Jhonas Enroth or Michal Neuvirth, who seemed like intriguing
options. He could have explored a bold, high-profile move like acquiring
Cam Ward from the Carolina Hurricanes.
But Fletcher opted for Dubnyk, who makes $800,000 and will be an
unrestricted free agent next summer. The Wild’s other two goalies, Darcy
Kuemper and Nicklas Backstrom, have contracts through next season. By
acquiring Dubnyk, Fletcher kept his options open
In hindsight, it was the most logical move for Fletcher. Dubnyk has 188
games of NHL experience, and a career .910 save percentage. He had
been sharp playing with the Coyotes this season, posting a .916 save
percentage.
“I learned a lot of things from Darryl Sutter, and one of them is that you
always know where you are trying to get to with your lineup,” said former
Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button. “But sometimes you have
to move it along incrementally. The Minnesota Wild had to find some level
of consistency in their net and Dubnyk had played well in Arizona. This was
not only an astute move, but a necessary one.”
USA TODAY LOADED: 01.31.2015
765110
Vancouver Canucks
Game Day: Canucks draw potential slump-buster as lowly Sabres hit town
Elliott Pap
January 30, 2015 12:48 PM
VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have lost three straight at home
and have scored just one goal in the three losses. That is not good.
Their misery, however, is nothing compared to their opponents tonight, the
Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m., Sportsnet Pacific, TSN 1040). The Sabres have lost
13 straight in regulation and sit last overall in the NHL with 31 points.
They are the league's worst road team, worst offensive team, worst
defensive team and worst faceoff team. They have the worst power play
and second worst penalty kill. Is there anything left?
Well, the good news for them is they will likely wind up with the best odds in
the NHL draft lottery, which would enable them to take generational player
Connor McDavid (assuming they prevail in the lottery).
The good news for the Canucks is this is an opponent they should — and
must — beat. The Canucks are still sitting above the playoff bar in the
Pacific Division and Western Conference but are only a point out of ninth
spot, currently occupied by the defending Stanley Cup champion L.A.
Kings.
a tough year but we can't look back. We just have to keep looking forward.
That's what you have to do in this game."
Ex-Sabre Ryan Miller will start for the Canucks. Buffalo coach Ted Nolan
did not announce his starter and said it will be a game-time decision.
ICE CHIPS: The Canucks’ power play, on a 0-for-17 swoon, has sunk to
16th in the league at 18.3 per cent … The penalty kill, by contrast, is No. 1
in the NHL with an 87.9 per cent efficiency rating … Vancouver is 24th on
faceoffs at 47.9 per cent … Referees for tonight's game are Brian
Pochmara and Greg Kimmerly.
INJURIES: The Canucks will be without D Kevin Bieksa (hand), C Brad
Richardson (ankle) and LW Derek Dorsett (neck/head). The Sabres will be
without C Cody McCormick (blood clot), LW Marcus Foligno (hand) and G
Michal Neuvirth (lower body).
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 01.31.2015
765111
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Game Day: Miller meets Buffalo for first time, while Kassian,
Hodgson square off again
January 30, 2015. 12:44 pm
Steve Ewen
Defenceman Luca Sbisa, who turned 25 today, has no intention of taking
the Sabres lightly.
"For me, these games seem really tough and I do the opposite of underestimating a team like this," said Sbisa. "I know from growing up, when
you're maybe a little bit more naïve, you under-estimate teams and then
you lose to them. This is still the NHL and any team can still beat any team
on any given night. So I am approaching it like they're a top-five team."
Here are five things to ponder ahead of the Canucks taking on their old
expansion cousins from Buffalo tonight.
1. OLD HOME WEEK
The Canucks will unveil one new face tonight as Latvian forward Ronalds
Kenins, wearing No. 41, will make his NHL debut. He'll take the lineup spot
of Derek Dorsett, injured in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to Anaheim after absorbing a
high hit from Ryan Kesler.
Ryan Miller will make his first-ever start against the Sabres, the team he
played 540 regular season games with over his first 11 seasons in the NHL.
The Sabres, at the urging of then director of amateur scouting Jim Benning,
selected Miller in the fifth round of the 1999 draft, which is the same one
where the Canucks landed a couple of guys named Henrik and Daniel
Sedin a few hours earlier.
New defenceman Adam Clendening, acquired in a trade Thursday night
from the Chicago Blackhawks for prospect Gustav Forsling, will not play. He
was in transit Friday.
More fun 1999 draft stuff? Radim Vrbata was a seventh-round pick of the
Colorado Avalanche, two choices after the Detroit Red Wing landed Henrik
Zetterberg.
Kenins, who played for ex-Canucks coach Marc Crawford in Zurich last
season, was obviously elated to get the call-up from Utica.
Miller, who, of course, signed a three-year, $18-million free-agent deal for
Canucks GM Benning this off-season, is coming off a 20-save effort in the
4-0 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday.
"Every hockey player has the dream and you wait for it for a long time," said
Kenins, 23. "Now I am here and I am so excited to play the game. It's great
to be here."
Canucks coach Willie Desjardins did not say how he would deploy Kenins
against the Sabres. But he did say he remembered the Latvian from training
camp.
"I noticed him right away," Desjardins commented. "As soon as I saw him, I
noticed him … his compete level and just how smart he is. So I'm excited to
get a look at him. I expect him to work hard and that's something this is
always important to me and I think he's going to put in a really good effort."
As for Clendening, Desjardins wants to see him in a practice before he
writes his name on a lineup card.
"We'll probably give him a chance to meet the guys and do a little bit of our
systems stuff before we put him in," explained the Canucks coach. "I have
seen him play, but just in the American League, and I haven't got a real
good look at him. I know he's a good puck-moving D-man, he's got a good
shot and he's the type of guy who could run a power play. So I think there
are lots of really good things about him. He's young and somebody who can
be a good prospect for us and, hopefully, grow. We'll have to make a
judgment on his game and where he fits in."
The Sabres, who did not have a morning skate today after losing 3-2
Thursday night in Edmonton, are expected to throw these lines at the
Canucks: Matt Moulson-Zemgus Girgensons-Tyler Ennis; Brian FlynnTorrey Mitchell-Brian Gionta; Chris Stewart-Cody Hodgson-Drew Stafford;
Nicolas Deslauriers-Matt Ellis-Patrick Kaleta.
Hodgson, the ex-Canuck, is having a miserable season. He has gone 19
games without a goal, has just two in 48 games and is a minus-21.
"We need to get back to thinking the right way and playing the right way and
the results will take care of themselves," Hodgson said. "Obviously it's been
He has a 1.51 goals against and .946 save percentage in his 23 wins. He
has a 4.17 goals against and an .855 save percentage in his 12 losses.
“When you’re watching, you know he’s a good goalie, just from all the thing
he’s done,” coach Willie Desjardins said after the morning skate today. “But
when you get to meet him, you find out how smart he is, what a great
student of the game and how wide his vision is. You get to see a little
different side of him and probably a little bit of a background of why he is
good. He’s put up numbers. Once you meet him, you understand why he’s
put them up.”
2. OLD HOME WEEK PART II
The Sabres coming to town leads to further revisiting of the 2012 deadline
day deal which feature Vancouver sending centre Cody Hodgson to Buffalo
in exchange for right winger Zack Kassian.
Neither player has flourished this year. Kassian comes in with five points,
including two goals, in 25 games, and is a minus-nine. Hodgson has seven
points, including two goals, in 48 games, and is a minus-21.
Kassian has had the better luck against his former team so far. He has one
goal and five assists in three games versus the Sabres since the trade,
while Hodgson is pointless in three games against the Canucks.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming back to Vancouver,” Hodgson said when
asked if it’s become just another game for him. “I’ve always enjoyed the
city.”
Vancouver had an optional morning skate. They’ve dropped two in a row.
Buffalo, coming off a 3-2 defeat Thursday in Edmonton, didn’t skate. They
have lost 13 straight.
3. GOOD MORNING, LATVIA
With injuries to centre Brad Richardson (foot) and winger Derek Dorsett
(upper body injury), the Canucks have called up left winger Ronalds Kenins
from their AHL Utica Comets team.
Kenins, 23, who is billed as a grinder type, has five goals, 12 points and a
plus-six rating in 36 games with Utica so far.
He’s a native of Riga, Latvia, and, by playing the Sabres in his NHL debut,
he gets to go up against noted countryman Zemgus Girgensons, 21, a
centre. Buffalo coach Ted Nolan also coached Latvia at 2014 Sochi
Olympics.
Kenins had no points in five games in Sochi.
Riga is 10 hours ahead of Vancouver time, but the game will have interest
there, considering how Latvia rallied around Girgensons with all-star voting.
“It’s a little more nervous for me, because I want to show them that I can
play at this level,” Kenins said of facing Girgensons and Nolan.
4. RICHARDSON STILL AILING
Richardson will miss his fourth straight game tonight. Desjardins hinted
that’s not close to returning, explaining, “for some reason, it’s coming
slower than we thought.”
“I thought he’d be back after the (all-star) break,” Desjardins said. “Our
medical guys are on top of it.”
Asked if it was a hairline fracture, Desjardins replied: “No, I don’t think
there’s anything showing.”
As for Dorsett, Desjardins said, “I think he’s getting close. We’ll keep
monitoring that.”
5. AIMS FOR ADAM
New defenceman Adam Clendening wasn’t at the rink for the morning
skate. Desjardins said the plan is to give him “a chance to meet the guys,
probably learn a little bit of our systems stuff,” before putting him in the lineup.
Clendening, 22, came over from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for
Swedish defence prospect Gustav Forsling, 18 in Thursday trade.
Desjardins said that he had seen Clendening play a bit in the AHL, but had
not “gotten a real good look at him.”
“I know he’s a good puck-moving d-man. He’s got a good shot. He’ s the
type of guy who could run a power play. I think there’s lots of really good
things about him,’ said Desjardins.
Clendening, who’s from Niagara Falls, N.Y., is a Boston University product
and a second-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2011, one selection before
Columbus grabbed centre Boone Jenner and two before Anaheim nabbed
goalie John Gibson.
He has four NHL games under his belt.
Forsling, 18, was Vancouver’s fifth-round pick last summer.
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 01.31.2015
765112
Vancouver Canucks
Gallagher: Canucks need to build momentum from their easy victory over
listless Sabres
After all commissioner Gary Bettman was in Vancouver and had a
scheduled television interview between the second and third periods of this
classic. He had to hang around and watch it just like everyone else. And it
was anything but pretty.
This one was never destined to be a classic as everyone knew, the
entertainment value often failing somewhat when you know who’s going to
win. More than anything this was a game to decide which team could take
the dumbest penalty and while it was close for a while, you have to give the
edge to the Sabres. They even had their most loathsome move go
unpunished when Torry Mitchell felled Henrik Sedin with a wild stick to the
throat. Presumably the fact the Vancouver captain returned was the reason
nobody retaliated with even a cross word toward Mitchell, but then, who
was that going to be anyway?
“He swung his stick around and caught me right on the Adams apple,” said
Henrik, who had a big red mark on his throat. He added that the officials
said they didn’t see it and were in some hurry to re-start the game for some
reason, which explains why Mitchell didn’t get a game misconduct. “It was
hard to get my breath right away and then for the rest of the night at times.”
If Henrik had been seriously hurt of course, the final buzzer could have
sounded on this team’s playoff chances immediately. But, he says
laughingly, "they said there was a power play (later in the period) so that
brought me back.”
The Canucks ended up winning it 5-2 despite surrendering two power play
goals to the hapless Sabres who entered the game with the worst power
play in the league while the locals were boasting the best penalty kill.
It was a simple, uninspiring pickup of two points for Vancouver. The calibre
of play seemed to be a league below what could have been seen on
television this week when the Blackhawks played in LA and Anaheim and
San Jose battled in a couple of intense affairs in California.
But it’s funny how sometimes a listless, easy win against a dreadful team
can often be a vitamin to a team badly in need of a shot in the arm,
particularly when several members of said winning team break some
slumps. Seriously, how good was Friday night for Chris Higgins, a guy who
hadn’t scored a goal in his last 12 games and had three points in his last
22? And darned if the fellow didn’t get an assist as well, such was the lavish
outpouring. Granted it came against the Sabres’ third-string goalie, who
plays with a knee brace bigger than most full body casts. But you never
know what might get a struggling team back on task, which is apparently to
make the playoffs in the Western Conference even if they are destined to
fall in short order once the second season begins.
The pace of this game would indicate that this goal is becoming more and
more in doubt despite the fact the Canucks still hold a playoff spot. As the
games become more competitive, a higher level -- elusive to this team over
the last 20 games or so -- is going to be required. Something has to trigger
this team to pick it up, and very quickly given the quality of opposition
coming into the building as this homestand continues. Minnesota is up on
Sunday at noon and Winnipeg on Tuesday. Both these teams have been
playing well lately and while they represent excellent win opportunities to
improve a poor home record, the Canucks will have to play a whole lot
better than they did in this third-rate stage play.
The win in his first game against his old team was Ryan Miller’s 24th of the
season against 12 losses. It was badly needed given the six goals on 48
shots he surrendered in the last two Canucks losses.
“It was a bit weird out there but it was nice to see some pucks go in for us,”
said Miller who claimed he didn’t exchange any words with old teammates,
but rather just the odd look and glare.
Yes it was good to see some pucks go in for Vancouver, but unless the
Canucks get a push from this one mentally, the goals aren't likely to go in
quite so easily on any other night.
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.31.2015
Tony Gallagher
January 31, 2015 2:45 AM
VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 30: Zack Kassian #9 of the Vancouver
Canucks is stopped by goalie Matt Hackett #31 of the Buffalo Sabres while
Rasmus Ristolainen #55 tries to help defend during the first period in NHL
action ion January 30, 2015 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada.
There must have been some in the stands who, having exercised their
lungs at the Stanley Cup presentation to the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena
back in 2011, gained a tiny measure of satisfaction watching the Buffalo
Sabres go down to the Vancouver Canucks for their 14th consecutive loss,
Friday night.
765113
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks 5, Sabres 2: Canucks rack up much-needed win over hapless
Buffalo
Jason Botchford
January 31, 2015 2:43 AM
Canucks defencemen suddenly start producing
The Vancouver Canucks managed to end a home shutout streak before it
reached 200 minutes.
The way things have been going lately, that's something.
Nothing has been easy for Vancouver. And that includes a game against
one of the worst teams the NHL has seen in decades.
The wretched Buffalo Sabres that arrived in Vancouver are last in more
categories than Blackberry. They are awful defensively, and appalling on
offence.
IN A WORD
PANIC: That's what many fans had to be feeling when Henrik lied
motionless on the ice on his first shift. Torrey Mitchell lost control of his stick
and slammed Henrik in the face. The captain missed a few shifts and
returned.
SCRATCHED: Remember when Cody Hodgson wanted more minutes?
Now, he just wants any. The Canucks former top prospect was a healthy
scratch.
SYMPATHY: Considering it was Hackett's first game of the year, and he
was playing behind the Sabres, you had to feel for a guy who played great
by still got the loss.
ADVANCED STATS
100%: This was Chris Tanev's Corsi-for percentage in the first period. The
Sabres didn't get a shot attempt with Tanev on the ice.
ONE: This is how many shot attempts the Sabres had when the Sedins
were on the ice. The Canucks had 18.
24: This is how many shot attempts the Canucks had when Dan Hamhuis
was on the ice. It was by far the best Corsi number on the team.
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.31.2015
They also started a goalie who was playing his first game of the season
after blowing out his knee last year. Buffalo still gave the Canucks just
about everything they could handle.
If you were expecting a decisive Vancouver win, you got it on the
scoreboard.
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Chris Higgins scored 5:31 into the third to put the Canucks up 4-2.
Canucks Game Day: Miller meets Buffalo for first time, while Kassian,
Hodgson square off again
But there was nothing impressive about this one until the third, when
Buffalo surrendered, something they've been doing a lot of on their way to
14 straight losses.
A few years ago, the Canucks would have piled up 17 even-strength
scoring chances in the first two periods.
Vancouver Canucks
January 30, 2015. 12:44 pm
Steve Ewen
On Friday, they were lucky if they got six.
But a win is a win, and the Canucks needed one. They got just eight of
those in their previous 20 games, sliding to the bottom of the Western
Conference top eight.
Vancouver Canucks (26-17-3) vs. Buffalo Sabres (14-32-3)
The Sabres actually scored first. The worst power play in the league bested
the league's top penalty kill when Chris Stewart slipped one by Ryan Miller
in front of the net.
Sportsnet Pacific, TSN 1040
It took almost the entire first period for the Canucks to respond.
1. OLD HOME WEEK
Shawn Matthias was pulverizing everything in his way in the first. With a
little luck, he probably could have scored a goal or two.
Ryan Miller will make his first-ever start against the Sabres, the team he
played 540 regular season games with over his first 11 seasons in the NHL.
The Sabres, at the urging of then director of amateur scouting Jim Benning,
selected Miller in the fifth round of the 1999 draft, which is the same one
where the Canucks landed a couple of guys named Henrik and Daniel
Sedin a few hours earlier.
It was his work, creating space, which led to a Bo Horvat goal, ending a
streak that saw the Canucks go 195:56 without scoring at home.
Both Nick Bonino and Yannick Weber scored power play goals in the
second. Those power play goals were needed, even if they came agains
the Sabres.
The only way the Canucks are going to make it through February and
March still in the top eight is if they have a good power play.
WHAT THIS MEANS
The Canucks are going to want to get newly-acquired defenceman Adam
Clendening into the lineup soon, and probably Sunday.
Many believed Yannick Weber would be the guy he'd replace. They are
both offensively gifted blue liners who are third pairing guys requiring
sheltered minutes.
But Weber had something of a statement game Friday. He scored a goal,
cruising through the Buffalo zone like he was on Robson St. at 5 am.
Weber was flying in the third when the Sabres just gave up.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Vancouver GM Jim Benning scouting Clendening himself when the young
defenceman was playing for Boston University.
It took him two weeks to pull together the trade. Benning said he believes if
Forsling works out, he will become the same player Clendening is now.
The fact Benning was able to flip Forsling, a fifth round pick seven months
ago, for Clendening, who instantly becomes the Canucks best defensive
prospect, indicates what a good draft pick Forsling actually was.
7 p.m., Rogers Arena
Here are five things to ponder ahead of the Canucks taking on their old
expansion cousins from Buffalo tonight.
More fun 1999 draft stuff? Radim Vrbata was a seventh-round pick of the
Colorado Avalanche, two choices after the Detroit Red Wing landed Henrik
Zetterberg.
Miller, who, of course, signed a three-year, $18-million free-agent deal for
Canucks GM Benning this off-season, is coming off a 20-save effort in the
4-0 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday.
He has a 1.51 goals against and .946 save percentage in his 23 wins. He
has a 4.17 goals against and an .855 save percentage in his 12 losses.
“When you’re watching, you know he’s a good goalie, just from all the thing
he’s done,” coach Willie Desjardins said after the morning skate today. “But
when you get to meet him, you find out how smart he is, what a great
student of the game and how wide his vision is. You get to see a little
different side of him and probably a little bit of a background of why he is
good. He’s put up numbers. Once you meet him, you understand why he’s
put them up.”
2. OLD HOME WEEK PART II
The Sabres coming to town leads to further revisiting of the 2012 deadline
day deal which feature Vancouver sending centre Cody Hodgson to Buffalo
in exchange for right winger Zack Kassian.
Neither player has flourished this year. Kassian comes in with five points,
including two goals, in 25 games, and is a minus-nine. Hodgson has seven
points, including two goals, in 48 games, and is a minus-21.
Kassian has had the better luck against his former team so far. He has one
goal and five assists in three games versus the Sabres since the trade,
while Hodgson is pointless in three games against the Canucks.
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“I’ve always enjoyed coming back to Vancouver,” Hodgson said when
asked if it’s become just another game for him. “I’ve always enjoyed the
city.”
The Provies: Henrik’s scare, Lack’s scare, and why is Bennington smiling?
Vancouver had an optional morning skate. They’ve dropped two in a row.
Buffalo, coming off a 3-2 defeat Thursday in Edmonton, didn’t skate. They
have lost 13 straight.
3. GOOD MORNING, LATVIA
Vancouver Canucks
January 30, 2015. 11:25 pm
Jason Botchford
BEST LINE
With injuries to centre Brad Richardson (foot) and winger Derek Dorsett
(upper body injury), the Canucks have called up left winger Ronalds Kenins
from their AHL Utica Comets team.
His throat was swollen, and he was having problems breathing, but leaving
behind the hockey game to recover never entered Henrik Sedin’s mind.
Kenins, 23, who is billed as a grinder type, has five goals, 12 points and a
plus-six rating in 36 games with Utica so far.
“No, no. I heard we got a power play right away, so I had to get back out
there,” Henrik quipped.
He’s a native of Riga, Latvia, and, by playing the Sabres in his NHL debut,
he gets to go up against noted countryman Zemgus Girgensons, 21, a
centre. Buffalo coach Ted Nolan also coached Latvia at 2014 Sochi
Olympics.
His voice still hoarse after the game, and his throat scarlet red, indicating
how disquieting it really was when Torrey Mitchell swung his stick back,
thwacking the Canucks captain across his Adam’s apple.
Kenins had no points in five games in Sochi.
It was the kind of reckless stick swing which got Zack Kassian suspended
for break Sam Gagner’s jaw.
Riga is 10 hours ahead of Vancouver time, but the game will have interest
there, considering how Latvia rallied around Girgensons with all-star voting.
“I tried to go on the outside and he swung around his stick in the wrong
spot,” Henrik said. “I think he was trying to stop me with his hand.
“It’s a little more nervous for me, because I want to show them that I can
play at this level,” Kenins said of facing Girgensons and Nolan.
“It was tough to get my breath back. That was what was frightening.”
4. RICHARDSON STILL AILING
Richardson will miss his fourth straight game tonight. Desjardins hinted
that’s not close to returning, explaining, “for some reason, it’s coming
slower than we thought.”
“I thought he’d be back after the (all-star) break,” Desjardins said. “Our
medical guys are on top of it.”
Asked if it was a hairline fracture, Desjardins replied: “No, I don’t think
there’s anything showing.”
As for Dorsett, Desjardins said, “I think he’s getting close. We’ll keep
monitoring that.”
5. AIMS FOR ADAM
New defenceman Adam Clendening wasn’t at the rink for the morning
skate. Desjardins said the plan is to give him “a chance to meet the guys,
probably learn a little bit of our systems stuff,” before putting him in the lineup.
There was no penalty. A ref, it seems, was overheard suggesting Henrik
was embellishing.
It may have been why the officials started setting up the faceoff in the other
end before Henrik had picked himself up to get off the ice.
“They didn’t see it,” Henrik said.
“It was a little tough to get my breath back after shifts. But other than that, it
was fine.”
BEST COMPARISON
“Hank went down and started moving like a curling stone,” Burrows
recalled.
“We were worried, because at first you think it’s just a high stick but then he
stays down. You think it’s more serious.
“It must have been an accident. No one would do that on purpose.”
BEST GAME
No, no, you can not.
Clendening, 22, came over from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for
Swedish defence prospect Gustav Forsling, 18 in Thursday trade.
The Sabres are awful.
Desjardins said that he had seen Clendening play a bit in the AHL, but had
not “gotten a real good look at him.”
But if acquiring Adam Clendening was a message, Weber at least looked
like someone who received it.
“I know he’s a good puck-moving d-man. He’s got a good shot. He’ s the
type of guy who could run a power play. I think there’s lots of really good
things about him,’ said Desjardins.
He was asked about just that after the game.
Clendening, who’s from Niagara Falls, N.Y., is a Boston University product
and a second-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2011, one selection before
Columbus grabbed centre Boone Jenner and two before Anaheim nabbed
goalie John Gibson.
OK, just looked like you did, then.
“I don’t need extra motivation,” Weber said.
Weber had seven shot attempts and skated as well as he has all season.
Again, Buffalo.
Forsling, 18, was Vancouver’s fifth-round pick last summer.
“They want me to skate a lot and I think if I move my legs early in the game,
it sets me up for the game,” Weber said. “I was able to create a lot. It’s
always nice to have one of those games.”
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.31.2015
BEST FAKE FOWARD
He has four NHL games under his belt.
Funny to hear 6-foot Ronalds Kenins describe himself as a power forward.
Seems HockeyDB got the message, because they’ve decided to list him at
6-foot-4.
Screen Shot 2015-01-30 at 10.26.55 PM
BEST REAL POWER FORWARD
Shawn Matthias had himself a game. He just pulverized the first period. It
took a great save one play and a poke check on another by Matt Hackett to
keep Matthias from scoring two goals early.
On the poke check, Matthias found himself not the right side, which allowed
him to carry the puck to the net on his backhand. He loves that play, and
licked the gun doing it.
“He was unbelievable in that period,” Horvat marvelled. “He was driving the
net, creating energy and chances for us.
BEST REALITY
“That’s what got us going. He took charge and we all fed off of it.”
You thought Willie was full of it. Miller went to bat for his old team after the
game, the same team that is almost a certainty.
Matthias certainly has shown flashes of the player he can be. When he was
peaking in December, he was derailed by the Robidas head shot.
“They competed really hard,” Miller said of the Sabres. “On this trip, they
jumped out against Calgary and Edmonton.
He’s a UFA at the end of the season, and more than a few people are
thinking this way:
“It’s just a lack of experience.
Even Matthias will tell you he has run hot and cold this season, while the
underlying metrics are not overwhelmingly positive.
The Canucks get 25.98 shots for every 60 minutes he plays. Only Horvat is
lower when it comes to shots-for-per-60.
Still, he showed more power forwarding tonight in 20 minutes than the big
guy has all season. The Canucks don’t have enough of that to let him walk,
imo.
“They will improve. I think they’ve improved greatly since the beginning of
the season.”
Really?
The Sabres have lost 14 in a row. They now play Montreal, St. Louis,
Dallas and the New York Islanders before they get to their next winnable
game, which is against the Senators on Feb. 10
BEST ANSWER
BEST HARDCORE
BEST FALL FROM GRACE
Mamma Lack was in town on her way back to Sweden after Scuba diving
her way through Asia.
It wasn’t that long ago, Cody Hodgson scored a big goal for the Vancouver
Canucks. As the media swept into the locker room, Roberto Luongo was
chanting “more minutes.”
Has Lack ever tried it?
“No way, I’m terrified of sharks.”
In a few short years, it has gone from “more minutes” to “some minutes” to
“any minutes?”
“Jaws. That movie ruined it for me.”
It’s still odd Nolan would scratch him in this game. Was he out late last
night? If you want to light a fire under him, wouldn’t it make more sense to
sit him for Edmonton game and let him go at his old team?
BEST STORY
Of course, getting the most out of his players may be top of mind for Nolan.
Sounded like lots of good times at Dice and Ice. None better than what
went down when a game of Heads Up broke out.
BEST CALL BACK
How do you get scared of sharks in Sweden?
Essentially, it’s charades were you try to guess the image which is on the
iPhone you’re holding to your head.
We’ll all always have Game 8.
BEST STAT
The movie Dumb and Dumber came up. A player provided this clue:
Remember when Hansen was on pace for 30 goals?
“Kass and Kass.”
He has two goals in 25 games.
They got it right away.
BEST TRADE
Screen Shot 2015-01-30 at 10.44.43 PM
The Clendening deal is pretty encouraging when it comes to the Canucks
2014 draft. Obviously, there are going to be a lot of debates surrounding
what may have been the most important draft in more than a decade.
BEST ANECDOTE
Couldn’t even believe it when I read the top to Kuze’s story today, catching
up with the Big Guy.
Was Virtanen the right pick? Or were they too focused on the Canadian?
Seems, the Big Guy got buried as one of the dealer’s at Dice and Ice.
Could they have done better than McCann? Did they get value late or were
they too seduced by size?
We started off good and ended up getting cleaned right out — we had no
chips left by the end of it,” said the mercurial Canucks winger.
“That was unbelievable.”
But there is no denying that taking a fifth round pick and turning it around
seven months later for a Clendening, a player who instantly becomes their
top defensive prospect, is a shrewd bit of asset management.
What percentage of losses do you think would be needed to take down the
house?
Benning knows Clendening inside out. When he was with the Bruins,
Benning scouted Clendening, who was attending Boston University.
Would love to see a 30 for 30 on the hands he played.
This is right in Benning’s wheel house. It’s the type of move the
organization hoped would provide a big payoff when they hired Benning.
And why am I never at a table when this happens?
BEST SUMMARY
BEST PHOTO SHAP
Screen Shot 2015-01-30 at 10.56.02 PM
This dude looks like he could be a villain in the next Avengers movie:
Screen Shot 2015-01-30 at 10.57.33 PM
BEST UPDATE
The Canucks GM spent two weeks on this one, starting negotiations not
long after Forlsing got on everyone’s radar at the World Juniors.
After the show Forsling put on, he went back to Sweden and struggled,
seeing his minutes diminish on his team there.
Did Benning sell high?
He doesn’t really see it that way.
He believes, if all goes right, Forsling will essentially be Clendening in a few
years.
Gino Odjick was at the game and doing well. Treatments have been
effective, which is very encouraging for his health not only this year but
next.
“They can be the same player,” Benning said.
BEST REACTION
“But we got the guy who is years ahead in his development.”
Word has been burning all week, the Canucks are close to another deal.
Now, the Canucks just need him to be able to translate. Most concern
seems to be about Clendening’s foot speed. They are going to have to
shelter him, but I’d put him on PP1 because Edler has done much there in
two months.
Sir Bennington got a huge smile talking about it.
“We’ll see,” he said.
BEST MAKES YOU THINK
He’s got a ways to go, but I’m listening.
They can be, I suppose.
Of course, I did ask Wille about that and he said.
It was tonight.
But, Sabres. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.31.2015

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