OPORTS Don't Call it a Comeback. By Brian McLennon, Sports Editor After overcoming a 13-point deficit in the first half of Saturday night’s victory over the nationally ranked Langara Falcons (8), the women’s basketball team is not calling their performance a comeback, but rather an expectation. “That’s the level of intensity that is expected every time we step on the floor,” said Head Coach, Ed Lunn. “This is what the coaching staff has been preaching from the start of the season.” After dealing with bouts of complacency and a lack of intensity for much of the season, the Royals have picked up their play. They now sit in fifth place with a 4-3 record. However, the biggest challenge for this promising squad has been self-motivation. ..especially in the first half. mclennonb@douglas.be.ca 50 loss to Langara, the same was true again as the Royals couldn’t overcome a 14 point first-half deficit despite outscoring the Falcons in the second half of the game. However, on Saturday night the comeback effort started early as the Royals found their groove late in the first, which led to 4-0 run to end the half and a 12-0 run to start the second. Led by third-year guard Tara McNeill, who scored 15 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, the offensive assault against the Falcons resulted in 42 sec- ond-half points. Other top scorers for the Royals were Naa Sheeka Riby-Williams with 14 points and Bridget O’Brien, who chipped in with 12 points. More impres- sive than the offensive onslaught was that the Royals connected for 19 of 25 shots from the free throw line In five out of seven league games, the Royals have in the second half to lock in the win. trailed their opponents at the half. In Friday night’s 58- The Canucks This Wee By Steph Smith, OP Defensive Line Todd Bertuzzi. Everyone loves to hate him. At every arena the Canucks play in, he is booed every time he steps onto the ice and every time he touches the puck. This, of course, stems from the March 8 Steve Moore incident, and while it is a thing of the past, it has taken a rather visible toll on the big forward. Bertuzzi has had a rather slow start this season, amassing a mere two goals in the first 15 games. One of which was an empty netter; the other, a funny bounce. After the second goal, he didn’t pot another one for nine games. Then, November 7, against Carolina he gets one; his first real goal of the season. The next game, November 10, against Colorado, he manages another. Follow that up with a hat trick against Detroit and anyone can see that Todd Bertuzzi is back. After the slow start he is now second on the team for points, with 23 (8 goals, 15 assists). The thing that was so frustrating about Bertuzzi’s slump was his performance in previous years has always been so good. In 2002-2003, he had 97 points, and in 2003-2004, it was 60. Less goals to be sure, but considering the suspension, he still did well. I said earlier that if Bertuzzi can pull himself out of his slump, the Canucks will be almost unstoppable, and I stick by my words. Though Bertuzzi was not the only one hit by a slump. Line mate Brenden Morrison has also started off slowly. Though after the last Colorado game, I have a feeling he will be okay. That was a beauty of a goal, eh? The Canucks have one of the league’s more solid top lines. While many teams are trying to find a way to fit the players they have together, Vancouver’s top two lines have barely changed since the last season. The Naslund, Morrison, Bertuzzi line (known in the OP offices as “The Snazzy Mortuxzis’—Ed.) is not only a good line in terms of scoring, they have established chemistry together. The second line of the Sedins and Anson Carter is also one of the more solid lines around. They are all excellent at cycling the puck and putting themselves in front of the net to open scoring opportu- nities. The only thing that is troubling me at the moment is the goaltending situation. Dan Cloutier, due to injury, has played a mere 13 games this season and back-up goaltender Alex Auld has had 15 with more on the way. While Auld has put up impressive numbers, he does worry me a bit. He is slow to get up after a save, and is often out of position as a result. On top of that, after him the depth seems a bit...lacking. Rob McVicar has absolutely no NHL experience. If Clouts can remain healthy and un-injured, the Canucks will do wonderful things, but without him in goal, I fear for how far the team will make it post-season. It happened last year (and no, I am not blaming Auld for the loss to Calgary) and if nothing changes it can happen this year. That being said, something must have hap- pened recently because not only did the Canucks come back from that horrible 6-2 loss to the Avalanche, but they came back in style.