Kevin Bieksa, don’t ever change. Apparently Bieksa’s teammates bet him to find a way to say “milk hot dogs” during his interview with Dan Murphy the other day. Bieksa won $300. Watch the video here.

Don Cherry did something that he rarely does on Coach’s Corner yesterday, he talked about the Vancouver Canucks. Cherry said the Canucks weren’t paying the price (actually he said ‘playing the price’, but we know what you meant Don). He also said that people were unfairly pointing the finger at Roberto Luongo (actually, he said Lulongo… he said Bieska too in case you’re wondering), that the Canucks need to block more shots and that they need to stop whining. And you know what? He’s right… Mostly.

Skip ahead to the 5:15 mark for Cherry’s Canucks rant:

So are the Canucks ‘paying the price’ enough? No, I don’t think they are. I don’t necessarily think that this is something people should be overly concerned about yet, it’s still early after all, but they’re not playing up to their potential yet. I don’t say this because for statistical reasons, I say this because I watch the games. Their effort could be better, and I expect that to improve.

What Cherry is out to lunch on was using the blocked shots stat as an indicator of a team’s desire to win. Blocked shots can depend on a whole host of factors. A team will have more blocked shots when they give up more shots against, are shorthanded a lot or play a tight defensive system that allows shots from the outside, but not many odd man rushes. It’s also a poor indicator when you consider that the Canucks were ranked 25th in blocked shots last season, and the Stanley Cup champion Bruins were ranked 15th. The New York Islanders led the league in blocked shots last season, and the Maple Leafs were second. Both of those teams missed the playoffs.

And what about Cherry’s assertion that the Canucks are whiners, and that’s one of the reason that everyone hates Vancouver? I’m not sure that the Canucks have a lot more whiners on their team than other teams in the league (Chris Pronger whines all the time, but never gets called a whiner), but that’s definitely the perception. To borrow a phrase from David Pratt, in this case, ‘perception is reality’. It doesn’t matter if the Canucks do a lot of whining, if that’s the perception, it won’t help their case with the referees.

The Canucks have a reputation as being whiners and divers and that needs to stop. Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and Maxim Lapierre don’t and won’t get the benefit of the doubt on borderline calls. It’s part of the reason they didn’t get calls in the Stanley Cup final. It’s also the same thing that happened to former Canucks Todd Bertuzzi and Jarkko Ruutu. Bertuzzi was perceived as a whiner (probably because he complained about EVERY penalty and offside call against him) and Ruutu was perceived as a diver. I don’t think the current Canucks are as bad as those two, but the perception is as such.

What the Canucks need to do is be squeaky clean in the area of diving and complaining to the refs. Cut out every bit of nonsense, because any shred of diving or whining will get magnified. If the Canucks can shred that reputation, it’ll help them win games come playoff time.

Radio, print and Twitter was abuzz the day after this hit by Marc Methot of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Canucks captain Henrik Sedin:

So cue the debate: are the Canucks tough enough? This debate is of course in response to the fact that the Canucks did not engage Marc Methot in a fight and were roughed up in the Stanley Cup final last June. So are the Canucks tough enough? The answer is: sort of.

The Response to Methot

The Canucks didn’t lose their minds after Henrik was hit, which I think is a good thing. Methot was challenged to fight by Kevin Bieksa and Aaron Volpatti, but declined.  I didn’t think that Methot’s hit was malicious enough for the Canucks to risk taking an instigator penalty, but they did need to get in Methot’s face and give him a few shoves and maybe a face wash. That’s exactly what Alex Burrows attempted to do immediately after the hit.

Some will argue that the Canucks needed to fight Methot, instigator penalty or not, but I disagree. That kind of mentality simply doesn’t mesh with the way the Canucks are built. I would also argue that it doesn’t make their star players much safer (if at all). The Pittsburgh Penguins were second in fighting majors last year and still had their star player run at. The Canucks are emulating the Detroit Red Wings model, which I suggest is a pretty effective model. Pavel Datsyuk was on the receiving end of a big Andrew Alberts bodycheck last season and the Red Wings didn’t feel it necessary to pummel Alberts.

Do the Canucks Need an Enforcer?

The answer to this question is simple: absolutely not. Enforcers rarely have much of an effect on the game in my opinion, unless they can play a regular shift. The Bruins’ Shawn Thornton is an example of a useful enforcer, and the exception to the rule.

Team Toughness

The Canucks don’t need fighters, rather they need team toughness. Do they have enough of this? At this moment, I don’t believe so. I don’t think that is a major problem, but it should be fixed before the playoffs begin in April. Mike Gillis would be well advised to add some muscle on his second or third line, or else the team will be vulnerable to tougher/bigger teams in a seven game series.

So for the moment, relax everybody. The Canucks are fine and their response to Marc Methot was appropriate.

This Friday is one of the most exciting days of the year for hockey fans, July 1st, the start of free agent season! Only trade deadline day and the draft (especially this year with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards getting traded) can come close to matching the intrigue of July 1st. Last year Mike Gillis signed Dan Hamhuis, Manny Malhotra and Jeff Tambellini on the first day of free agency. The previous year Gillis re-signed Daniel and Henrik Sedin, just hours before July 1st.

This year probably won’t be as eventful for the Canucks. Kevin Bieksa signed a five year deal today, worth $4.6 million per season. Core players such as Christian Ehrhoff and Sami Salo are all still unsigned as of this moment. Depth players such as Andrew Alberts, Raffi Torres, Chris Higgins, Tanner Glass and Jeff Tambellini are also set to be unrestricted free agents on July 1st. Some are more likely to return than others, and it will be a balancing act for GM Mike Gillis. Ehrhoff, Salo, Torres and Higgins could go either way, and I think the rest will not be returning.

With all of that said, Gillis is likely to have a little bit of spending room (especially if they are able to unload Keith Ballard and his $4.2 million cap hit), and should be active on the free agent front. I believe that Gillis will be in the market to get tougher on the fourth line, get depth on defense (especially if he isn’t able to re-sign Christian Ehrhoff and Sami Salo), and improve scoring from the second line. The likely result on defense will be the return of at least two of Ehrhoff, Salo and Ballard.

With that in mind, here are the players that GM Mike Gillis should have on his free agent wish list:

Simon Gagne

Age: 31

2010-11 Salary: $5.25 million

2010-11 Statistics: GP: 63, G: 17, A: 23, Pts: 40

2010-11 Playoff Statistics: GP: 15, G: 5, A: 7, Pts: 12

The most talented free agent forward not named Brad Richards, one might think that Simon Gagne will probably get overpaid this offseason. But with his concussion history, maybe not. Gagne is not the player he once was, but he is still very effective, offensively and defensively. He would slide into the Canucks system seemlessly and would help out Ryan Kesler tremendously on the second line. He is a gold medal winner, and has been to a Stanley Cup final. Gagne likely won’t duplicate his career year from 2005-06 (47 goals and 79 points), but he could easily put up a 30 goal/60 point season (if healthy). But with Gagne, health is always the number one concern. If the Canucks decide to sign him, it’ll be a gamble. If Mike Gillis can convince him to sign a short term deal for $3 million, I think Gagne is worth the risk.

Erik Cole

Age: 32

2010-11 Salary: $2.9 million

2010-11 Statistics: GP: 82, G: 26, A: 26, Pts: 52

2010-11 Playoff Statistics: n/a

A gritty power forward with a scoring touch, Erik Cole could be a nice fit with on the Canucks second line. He has a Stanley Cup ring and has been a consistent 20-30 goal scorer. But he does not come without risk. Firstly, he has a long injury history. Secondly, his heart seems to be in Carolina. He played his entire career in Carolina, save for one disappointing year in Edmonton. But he might be worth the risk. If they can get him for $2.75 million on a 1-2 year deal, I say roll the dice.

Ville Leino

Age: 27

2010-11 Salary: $0.8 million

2010-11 Statistics: GP: 81, G: 19, A: 34, Pts: 53

2010-11 Playoff Statistics: GP: 11, G: 3, A: 2, Pts: 5

One of the Flyers playoff heroes from 2010 (21 points in 19 playoff games), Leino is a candidate to play with play a scoring role on the Canucks second line. He has proven that he can produce at a second line level, and more importantly he has proven that he can do it come playoff time. He’ll be in the market for a new contract worth probably in the neighbourhood of $2.5-3 million.

Chad LaRose

Age: 29

2010-11 Salary: $1.7 million

2010-11 Statistics: GP: 82, G: 16, A: 15, Pts: 31

2010-11 Playoff Statistics: n/a

Chad Larose would be a good fit for the Canucks third line. He’s a gritty player that will likely put up 15 goals while delivering bodychecks (he was 4th on the Hurricanes in hits) and killing penalties. If they can add Larose for about $1.75 million, it would be a good find.

Joel Ward

Age: 30

2010-11 Salary: $1.5 million

2010-11 Statistics: GP: 80, G: 10, A: 19, Pts: 29

2010-11 Playoff Statistics: GP: 12, G: 7, A: 6, Pts: 13

Joel Ward was an absolute force in this year’s playoffs, but whoever signs him this offseason should not expect that same player for 82 regular season games. Ward has size and a scoring touch, but he has never put up more than 35 points in a regular season. He would fit onto the Canucks 2nd or 3rd line and the hope would be that he would be able to elevate his game in the playoffs. Sign him for under $2 million and you’ve got a bargain.

Honourable Mentions

Maxime Talbot: A gritty player with a Stanley Cup ring, Talbot is loved by his teammates. He also finds a way to step up in big games. He scored both of the Penguins goals in game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in 2009. His regular season numbers are a little underwhelming, never putting up more than 26 points in a season. It is in the playoffs where he has made his reputation. He has 33 points in 66 playoff games.

Mike Grier: At age 36, his best days are clearly behind him, but Mike Grier would provide experience and physical play, likely in a fourth line role.

Ben Eager: He’s not exactly the most popular player among Canucks fans, but Eager would give the Canucks a lot of things they don’t have right now. He is a big bodychecker and a good fighter. He has championship experience and even a bit of a scoring touch. He scored 11 goals for the Blackhawks in 2008-09, and had 7 last season.

Michael Rupp: Another player with championship pedigree (notice a trend here?), Rupp would be a nice fit on the Canucks fourth line. At 6’5″ and 230 lbs he is a big man with the ability to pop in the odd goal. He had 9 goals last year and 11 the year before.

Due to the Canucks long playoff run, the team is in for a very short offseason. The NHL entry draft is in four days and free agency begins in only eleven days. Mike Gillis has some work to do, as all GMs do. Luckily for the Canucks, most of their core is locked up long term, but there are a few key players that will become restricted free agents. Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff, Sami Salo, Andrew Alberts, Raffi Torres, Chris Higgins, Tanner Glass and Jeff Tambellini are all unrestricted free agents on July 1st. Maxim Lapierre, Jannik Hansen, Victor Oreskovich and Alex Bolduc are all restricted free agents.

While who Mike Gillis decides to sign and not sign will affect the look of the 2011-12 Vancouver Canucks, he may also be in the market to make a trade or two. He might need to make a move to free up cap space, or to find the missing piece of the puzzle.

Today we will look at the Canucks’ goaltenders and defencemen. Later in the week I will look in depth at their forwards and before July 1st I will look into who the Canucks can go out and sign from elsewhere.

Lets start with the most polarizing figure on the team, Roberto Luongo:

Roberto Luongo

Despite his critics, he is still one of the premiere goaltenders in the NHL. There’s no doubting his skill, and he has done everything short of winning a Vezina and winning a Stanley Cup. But despite this, you can’t argue that he has had a strange propensity of getting into slumps at inopportune times. His play in game 4, 5, and 6 of the Chicago series left some room for concern. He gave up some bizzare goals against Nashville. And in the Stanley Cup finals he had four sub-par games. One could argue that he was outplayed in 3 of the 4 series. It seems strange to say, because when he was good, he was VERY good. But unfortunately the good does not erase the bad. Despite all of this, I believe Luongo is an excellent goalie that can win a Stanley Cup. And because he has a no trade clause, he won’t be going anywhere.

Cory Schneider

I believe in Roberto Luongo, but I also believe in Cory Schneider. Schneider is unproven of course, and it would remain to be seen if he could carry the mail as a number one netminder. In a perfect world, the Canucks would trade Luongo, clear cap space and go with the younger/cheaper Schneider. That would give them approximately $4 million more to play with. Because of Luongo’s no-trade clause, that would be a risky proposition, given that he could say no and then you have a rift in the relationship between your top goalie and management. They could also choose to trade Schneider and find a journeyman goalie to backup Luongo. While that could possibly fetch them a good second line winger to play with Ryan Kesler, but Mike Gillis will likely play it safe and keep both of his goalies for at least one more year. He stays.

Dan Hamhuis

No doubt here, he stays. He was their best offseason acquisition and is their best shutdown defenceman.

Kevin Bieksa

He is an unrestricted free agent and will surely get a raise on the $3.75 million he made last season. On the open market, he would command over $5 million for sure, but it seems like he might be willing to take less to stay in Vancouver. If the Canucks could convince him to sign for the same as Hamhuis ($4.5 million), it would be a steal. I think he stays.

Christian Ehrhoff

Like Bieksa, Ehrhoff is an unrestricted free agent. Like Bieksa, he will command over $5 million on the open market. He says that he might take less to play in Vancouver, but I don’t think he will as much as Bieksa. Ehrhoff is their most talented offensive defenceman and he is one of the most important players on their potent power play. The Canucks would be wise to re-sign him, but it might not fit in their salary structure. If he doesn’t stay, then a likely destination for him would be Detroit. Without Brian Rafalski, Ehrhoff would be a fine replacement. It’s probably 50/50, but I think he goes.

Alex Edler

He isn’t going anywhere, and if the Canucks are unable to re-sign Christian Ehrhoff, his role as an offensive force will likely expand.

Sami Salo

It will be very interesting to see what happens with Sami Salo. One of the longest serving current Canucks, Salo made $3.5 million last season. As you might be aware of, he is quite injury prone. He has also lost a step and is also 36 years old. I can’t imagine the Canucks locking him up for more than one year, and if they do, what will be the price? He played well after returning from injury, but I don’t think the Canucks can afford to pay him big money given his lack of reliability due to injuries. If he accepts a one year, $2 million deal, I think it would work. Otherwise, he leaves. I think Salo stays.

Aaron Rome

Rome has one more year left on his contract at a very affordable $750,000 cap hit. He is a favourite of Alain Vigneault, and we found out why after he was suspended in the Stanley Cup final. The team missed his reliability and grit. He is a dependable depth defenceman, and will be back next season.

Andrew Alberts

Alberts had a strong season and the Canucks would probably like to have him back, but I’m betting that he will want more playing time and will sign elsewhere.

Keith Ballard

The most intriguing decision that Mike Gillis will make this offseason will probably be with Keith Ballard. To say he had a disappointing season is putting it nicely. He has four more years left on a deal that pays him $4.2 million per season. That likely means that his contract is impossible to trade. Gillis can decide to keep him and hope he has a bounce-back season, or dump him in the minors in order to re-sign Christian Ehrhoff. The problem with dumping in the minors is that it likely won’t please Francesco Aquilini, who would be on the hook for paying Ballard $16.8 million dollars for a minor leaguer! My best guess is that he stays and has a bounce-back season, but it’s a toss-up.

Chris Tanev

Chris Tanev has all but locked up a spot on next year’s roster, given his strong play in the Stanley Cup Final. His calm, cool demeanor was great to see. Having a good, young, cheap defenceman is a nice thing to have in a salary cap system. He makes just $900,000 next year.

I’m not one to use Canucks marketing campaign slogans on a regular basis (I’ve never said that ‘we are all Canucks’), but never has ‘this is what we live for‘ been more true. Game 7, Stanley Cup Final, at home. This IS what we live for. It’s what the players live for, it’s what the fans live for. Quite simply stated, it’s the biggest game in Canucks history. It’s bigger than 1994. There will probably never be a bigger game for this franchise. This is their time. They will become legends if they win, or be labeled as chokers should they come up short.

Making Sense of Game 6

If you’re like me, you were angry at the Canucks performance in game 6, then went into a deep depression for over 24 hours and it’s only now that you’re getting excited for game 7. So just what happened in game 6? As funny as it sounds, I don’t think the Canucks were that bad in game 6. Obviously they weren’t spectacular, but they needed a save from Roberto Luongo. With each goal let in, the Bruins received an enormous surge of momentum. The Canucks couldn’t weather the storm, and it became 4-0 very quick. In game 7, the Canucks will need their goaltending to be air tight, especially early.

Injuries

By now you’ve probably heard about Mason Raymond’s injury. He won’t be in the lineup for game 7, and the health of Andrew Alberts and Alex Edler are uncertain also (though I expect both to play). Ryan Kesler is banged up, as is Henrik Sedin, Chris Higgins and a whole host of others. I expect Jeff Tambellini to spot in for Mason Raymond, but the rest of the walking wounded will likely play, and will need to dig down deep for the game of their lives.

What worries me most about these injuries is that maybe the Canucks are no longer the better team on paper. With Dan Hamhuis injured and Christian Ehrhoff hobbled with a bad shoulder, their defense is in shambles. Their high end talent up front is severely banged up. Who is the better team right now?

Keys to Victory

1. Roberto Luongo. He has been spectacular at home and terrible on the road. He needs that to continue. Momentum has been so huge in this series, Luongo has to play the game of his life.

2. Goals. The Canucks haven’t scored enough in this series, and they need that to change (duh). The Canucks power play has to get it together. They need to solve Tim Thomas. I think the way to do that is to throw a whole lot of pucks on goal and hope they get a good bounce. If they get too picky, they will shoot themselves in the foot.

3. Sedins must show up. They’re the Canucks best players and it’s time for them to step up. I feel like the key for them is to quicken up their cycle. Because Hudson Bay rules seem to be in play during this series, if the Sedins spend too much time on the cycle, they will get crosschecked off the puck. Daniel Sedin predicted that the Canucks will win game 7, and now it’s time to back it up.

4. Don’t anger the hockey gods. Before game 6, the poll question on Team 1040 was “who will Henrik Sedin give the Cup to first?”. They can’t afford to think along those lines. The team that deals with the distraction of being one win away from the Stanley Cup the best will be best suited to actually winning it.

5. Heart. There’s not likely to be a lot of power plays and scoring chances, as is the case in most game 7s, so the Canucks will probably have to win this in the trenches. Who has more heart? We will find out.

As a longtime Canucks fan I just feel like ONLY the Canucks could put us on such an emotional roller coaster, such as this. To do what they did against Chicago in the first round and then have such a bizarre series against the Bruins, who’d have thunk it? But in a way, isn’t this how you knew it would be? If the Canucks were to lose this year, you know they would do it in absolutely the most painful way possible, just when you think they’ve got it won. But on the flip side, if they were to win the Stanley Cup, you just knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. One of two scenarios will play out on Wednesday night. This is what we live for.

The Vancouver Canucks will get a chance to scratch a 40 year itch if they can find a way to win game 6 in Boston tonight. The Stanley Cup is in the building, and for only the second time in franchise history, the Canucks have a chance to carry it home.

This journey the Canucks are on has been long and hard, proving once again that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in all of sports to win. They have played 106 games over eight months, including over two months of grueling playoff hockey. They dealt with adversity against the Blackhawks, injuries to Mikael Samuelsson and Manny Malhotra, and had Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler play through pain. They’ve had a great ride, but there’s still one more hill to climb.

To win the Cup, they need one more win, and it won’t be easy. Vancouver has been down right terrible in both games in Boston this series, and that will need to change. Boston has been a different team on home ice, they’ve been faster and have hit harder and more often than in Vancouver. The challenge for Alain Vigneault’s men will be to match that intensity, and not allow the Bruins to dominate physically. Their passes will need to be crisp and quick, in order to nullify the Boston forecheck.

Keys to the game:

1. Move the puck. You always hear how teams want mobile ‘puck moving’ defencemen, and this is why. Chris Tanev showed how valuable that asset can be in game 5. He was so calm and cool with the puck, as Kevin Bieksa said, he looked like he could play with a cigarette in his mouth. If the Canucks can move the puck out of their zone onto the tape of their forwards instead of losing the puck off the Boston forecheck and/or dumping the puck out of the zone, it will go a long way to helping win the game. This is true in any game of course, but particularly with the Bruins, and particularly in Boston.

2. Another great game from Luongo. Roberto Luongo has been spectacular at home and terrible on the road in this series. That will need to change tonight, as the Bruins will be desperate and bound to throw a lot of pucks on net.

3. The power play. The Sedins and Ryan Kesler will need to find a way to get the power play working tonight. It hasn’t looked very good in this series, and there would be no better time for it to wake up than tonight.

Those are the three keys to the game, but of course there are many more. They’ll need to throw lots of pucks on Tim Thomas with traffic. They’ll need to clear rebounds for Luongo. They’ll need to play with desperation. They’ll need to want it more. In short, they’ll need to give it their all to win it all. And if they do, they’ll go down in Vancouver sports history, and will be legends forever.

What a game that was! The Canucks won game 2 by a score of 7-3 and looked like the powerhouse team that won the President’s Trophy during the regular season. That was the best the Canucks have played in the playoffs this year, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Their top three lines are all producing, and their defense is jumping into the play. Roberto Luongo is steady in between the pipes, and making the big save when he needs to (in both game 1 and 2, he made a key save in the third period while the Canucks were trailing or tied). And their defense, judged by many to be the best in the entire NHL, is looking like it. There’s still a long way to go, but they are firing on all cylinders right now.

But now to the real story of game 2…

The Flash

They’re now the most famous boobs in British Columbia, and brought a little more colour to this series. I’m not really sure what the reasoning for it was (it’s not exactly penalizing Ben Eager is it?), but I’m guessing the CBC is pining for the days of the Green Men’s handstands now. This young lady is now a Twitter sensation and numerous mainstream media outlets are trying to identify/interview her. Holly Conway from the Beat 94.5 spoke to her through email, apparently she was drunk (duh) and is a little embarrassed about it.

The Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Kevin Bieksa is playing amazing right now. This guy was one of my favourite players when he burst onto the scene a few years ago, but like many Canucks fans I absolutely hated the way he played the past two seasons. But Bieksa is an absolute stud right now. Yesterday he had a goal (and a breakaway at that), an assist and a fight against Patrick Marleau. What a beast.

War of Words

The San Jose Sharks are whining again. They were upset at the Canucks diving in game 1 and now Ben Eager is running his mouth. He said that Daniel Sedin turned on purpose before he hit him from behind (Daniel turned after he bobbled the puck), that his slough foot on Mason Raymond wasn’t the appropriate call and that Kevin Bieksa picks his spots. More from Eager on Bieksa:

He was a coward then, and that hasn’t changed

Calling Kevin Bieksa a spot picker is a little ridiculous. To start with, he fought Ben Eager two years ago. Secondly, Bieksa is not simply a fourth line goon, which means he’s allowed to be a spot picker! Did Mark Messier fight any old fool that asked him? How often did Brendan Shanahan turn down fights? I’m guessing quite often. Kevin Bieksa is a leading minute guy for the Canucks, so it makes sense that he would only fight another talented player. Further to that, Patrick Marleau dropped his gloves first!

Surprisingly, head coach Alain Vigneault has been the most outspoken Canuck, sarcastically referring to the Eager hit on Daniel Sedin as “embellishment” and placing some blame on Todd McLellan for Eager’s antics.

Ben Eager is trying to rile the Canucks up, and it’s not working. That sort of stuff carries a lot more weight and frustrates teams a lot more when you’re winning the series, not when you’re trailing.

This series just got interesting.

It wasn’t a picture perfect win, but it was a win nonetheless Monday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Canucks limited the Predators chances, en route to a gritty 2-1 win.

Usually I’m not a big fan of sitting on a one goal lead for long periods of time, but if there ever was a time to do it, it was game 6 in Nashville. The ice surface was so poor that it was very difficult to make complete passes and hold pucks in the offensive zone. The puck looked like a bouncy ball out there, hopping and skipping around all over the place.

Game 6 was a story of the Canucks getting some slump busting performances from Daniel Sedin and Mason Raymond. Daniel Sedin hadn’t had a goal since game 6 versus Chicago, while Mason Raymond got his first of the playoffs. Game 6 was also a nice bounce back game for Alex Edler, who had been slumping of late as well.

Roberto Luongo let in one goofy goal, but that was it. He’s still getting criticized in this city, but if you look at his numbers in this series, they’re sparkling.

Two players that haven’t had a lot of press lately are Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis. They’ve flown under the radar, but they’ve been outstanding in these playoffs. They have been so steady, and game 6 was no exception.

And how about Ryan Kesler? I’m not sure what else can be said that hasn’t already been said, but he’s simply a man possessed out there. His will to win is outstanding and he put the team on his back numerous times during this series.

The plucky Preds put up a great fight and worked hard, but the Canucks’ talent was hard working too. It’s now onto the third round, with game 1 expected to start on Saturday or Sunday against either San Jose or Detroit.

Detroit or San Jose?

So who do you want to play? I think the Canucks match up better against the Red Wings than the Sharks, but if Detroit is the opponent, they will have just rattled off 4 wins in a row and will have great momentum on their side. Detroit is also more banged up than the Sharks, with Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk banged up. In any case, I’m sure all Canucks fans want it to go to a seventh game, preferably with lots of physical play!

There are a couple of ways to look at the Canucks 4-3 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night. On one hand, the Blackhawks finally found a way to get pucks past Roberto Luongo. Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg scored on Luongo, and they weren’t great goals. If the Blackhawks can get goals from their depth players on a regular basis, they will climb back in this series. Another way to look at it is that the Canucks were able to win game when they let the likes of Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg score and get an average game from Roberto Luongo.

And that’s the way I see it. In game 1 the Canucks got great goaltending and secondary scoring. Game 2 was about the Sedins stepping up. In both games the Canucks have been able to shutdown the Blackhawks top guns. Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Keith and Seabrook have combined for 1 point in the series.

Lineup changes

Raffi Torres is back from his two game suspension, as is Mikael Samuelsson, who sat out game 2 because he was sick (or at least that’s what the team was reporting). Samuelsson will play with Kesler and Higgins on the 2nd line, while Torres will play with Hansen and Raymond on the 3rd. That means that defenceman turned winger Aaron Rome will draw out of the lineup (thank god). Cody Hodgson will sit out as well.

For Chicago, John Scott draws into the lineup for the injured Bryan Bickell. It looks as though Tomas Kopecky and Dave Bolland still aren’t ready to return to the lineup either.

What to look for

Look for the 6’8″, 258 lbs of John Scott. He’ll likely be running around, trying to hit Canucks defencemen and bumping Roberto Luongo. He’s also said that he will be challenging Canucks players to fight. Kevin Bieksa doesn’t sound too concerned:

When a guy is 6-foot-8 that challenges you who can’t skate? Usually, you say no and go around him and score

Also look for some emotion from the Blackhawks who will undoubtedly be spurned on by the ‘Madhouse on Madison’. Hopefully we won’t hear too much of this song.

What the Canucks need to do

The Canucks will need to keep their composure and weather the storm early. The Blackhawks will probably be running around, and will get out of position and take dumb penalties. The Canucks need to let them do this, protect Luongo and capitalize on the power play. If the Blackhawks have any hopes of getting back in the series, it goes without saying that it will need to start with a win in game 3.

Yet another Canucks song

There are a million Canucks songs being produced lately, some good, some terrible. I’m not sure where this song fits in, but it’s worth a listen: