The West Wants In

So, true to my word, I've now watched (most of) a game featuring teams from the West. The Vancouver Canucks just lost to the Minnesota Wild in what turned out to be another of many heartbreakers to come this season for the 'Nucks.

As I expected, the game was fast paced and featured some great goaltending. Roberto Luongo was, once again, simply unconscious. Seeing him in a Vancouver uniform made me feel kinds sorry for him. He left Florida to play with a contender and so he wouldn't have to win games (almost) all by himself. Once again, he did everything in his power to keep his team in the game, but in the end, they didn't provide enough offence.

On another note, this is the fifth game I've watched this season and the third that has gone to a shootout. I never thought I would say this, but I'm beginning to like the shootout. Not that I've ever been a hockey "purist", but I've always been quite averse to settling what is essentially a team game using an individual skill competition. Yet, tonight, I found myself hoping that nobody would score in OT.

How did it go? Well, the Wild are loaded with offensively gifted players, so I gave them the edge in the beginning. Then, when I saw that Vigneault sent in Bulis as the fourth shooter, I pretty much knew it was over for the Canucks. Bulis didn't even try. Ballzov could have done better than that. Weak.

Just to rub it in, Lemaire sent in some unknown European defenseman to beat Luongo on the glove side. Done and done.

I like Vigneault, but that was a poor choice. Not that he has a tonne of players to choose from, but he could have gone with the other Sedin sister in the fourth spot.

Onward...