Josh Martin

Editor
yan Kesler of the Vancouver
R cmss has finally arrived full
flight in the post-season. His
power surge of nine points in his past four
games has tied him up with Tampa Bay
Lightning star Martin St. Louis for 13
points and first overall in scoring so far in
the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Can this guy play or what? After
going scoreless in the entire series with
the Chicago Blackhawks and then the first
two games in the Nashville series, he has
been on fire, snapping his cold streak with

  

 

five goals in his past three games.
Playing like a trooper, Kesler has
been sensational to say the least with not
only scoring goals but playing all three
zones consistently on a nightly basis.
Perhaps he can lend his secret to the
twins, captain Henrik Sedin and Art Ross
winner Daniel Sedin, who have both been
criticized for not showing up on the score
sheet in this Nashville series. Daniel has
just two assists and is a minus five in the
set while Henrik isn’t doing much better
with just thrée points and a minus three
rating. Sure, you can defend them and say
they’re not doing well because they’re
being shut down by the top Nashville
defensive pairing or the checking line and
that Pekka Rinne is standing on his head,

which he is, but at the end of the day
the top players have to perform like top
players; no excuses.

Now, with that being said, in the last
game on Saturday night, there were some
flashes of their old dominating selves with
great shifts loaded with scoring chances.
However, with Rinne in net those scoring
chances were just mere chances and
nothing more. With a different goalie
between the pipes there’s a completely
different story.

The absent presence of the Sedins
has forced others to step their games
up, which has been a somewhat of
a success, with most notably Kesler
taking the leadership role. He has been
playing so well that even the topic of

 

the Conn Smythe trophy has come into
consideration already, which is the most
valuable player of the playoffs. Kevin
Bieksa had a few words to say about his
teammate, stating that if they were to give
the trophy at the half way point during the
playoffs, Kesler would receive the honour
no doubt.

Kesler came out of the starting gates
in full speed with a wicked wrist shot and
hasn’t looked back since, scoring a career
high of 41 goals and 73 points this regular
season. If the Canucks come out of this
series on top and advance to the Western
Conference finals, look for the American
born, Michigan native to lead the way...
especially if the Sedins continue to not
show up in games.

17