-§&

oi Ts.

© Canucks corner

(5.

By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

he Vancouver Canucks

suffered their first loss

in regulation in ages
last Thursday night against the
New York Rangers in an all but
entertaining match that ended in
a 1-0 decision in favour of the
Rangers. It was the Canucks’ first
loss in regulation since December
fifth against the St. Louis Blues
in a 3-2 match and their very first
game this season that they’ve been
shutout from an opposing team.

* This particular game has been
marked on my calendar as a classic
to watch for a while now and it was
definitely anything but, a total bust
with barely any quality scoring
chances. But what are you going to
do... you win some you lose some.
Even with the loss however, it has
still been quite a successful long
haul between the Blues and the
Rangers upsets that has a 14-0-3
record to show for it...not so bad for
the number one team in the league.
Vancouver is still the leader of
the pack from the rest of the NHL
with a 29-9-6 record and 64 points
heading into this past Sundays game
against Minnesota.

Back-up goaltender Cory
Schneider was between the pipes

16

ee

against Marian Gaborik’s Rangers
and was handed his first regulation
loss of the season as well. He was
instrumental however, with terrific
saves throughout the night but

not terrific enough to stop Wojtek
Wolski’s beautiful wrist shot on a
breakaway which ended up being
the only goal in the game. Hernik
Lundqvist was handed his sixth
shutout of the season which places
him first overall in that category for
the 31 save effort.

Coach Alain Vigneault hasn’t
been afraid to start Schneider this
past month because he’s been
playing so well and it seems almost
as though number 35 is getting
to start every third game lately.
Schneider now holds an 8-1-2
record, a .929 SV% and a 2.21
GAA compared to Roberto Luongo
who boasts a 21-8-4 record, a
922 SV% and a 2.33 GAA. With
those numbers you know that their
goaltender tandem isn’t going to last
very much longer. Whether it is next
month, the end of this season, or the
end of next season, there’s going to
be some sort of change. Schneider’s
increasing his stock value and will

- be huge trade bait towards the trade

deadline in February if the Canucks
need to add anything to their
already all-star roster or perhaps

if an injury occurs. But at the same
time when the post season creeps up
on the Canucks front door it’s a nice
insurance policy to have two grade
A goaltenders backing up the team

on the last line of defence. It will be
interesting to see what changes or if
any GM Mike Gillis will make come
trade deadline day.

 

 

 

 

  

karmavore

THE VEGAN SHOP

 

vegan!

s 604-527-4212

610 Columbia Street,
New Westminster