Tuesday January 6 - Vancouver Canucks 3 - New York Islanders 2
Given what happened last year when the Canucks got a lead at home against the New York Islanders, last night's game was a nail-biter down to the final buzzer.
But as long as it's not a California team, this group can pretty much drive it home in the third period. Here are your highlights of Tuesday's win:
The game didn't have the same intensity as the previous two contests against the Kings and the Red Wings, but there was still a pretty solid crowd on hand and the energy in the building was pretty good. The wave was making its way around the building by the late stages of the second period, and Nick Bonino commented in his post-game interview that it's "loud" in the building. I haven't heard anybody say that for a looooong time.
Though Radim Vrbata's debut as a member of the second line was postponed thanks to a bout of the flu, Willie Desjardins' line-juggling turned out just fine in the end.
Even Nick Bonino wondered after the game if Vrbata's absence was a form of protest against his new duties:
Canucks Nick Bonino on Vrbata missing game with illness. "When he found out he was on our line I think he decided he would be sick." #NHL
— Jim Morris (@jememorris) January 7, 2015After being scratched against Detroit on Saturday, Linden Vey stepped back in where Vrbata should have been, and may have played his best game as a Canuck.
Vey played 14:31 with Bonino and Chris Higgins, finished the night as a plus-two, and scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway late in the second period. Bonino also bumped his slump, scoring his first goal in eight games and first point in six. The second line was the difference on Tuesday.
Coach Willie talked at the beginning of the season about how he wanted players competing for roster spots. That situation seems to be working as motivation—definitely for Vey and possibly for the enigmatic Zack Kassian.
In yesterday's Provies, Vey tells Jason Botchford flat out, "I don’t want to sit out. I did my fair share last year. Sitting out that one game just made me that much more hungry tonight. For me, I don’t want to be taken out of the lineup again. I will do everything I can to earn my spot."
That attitude definitely showed in Vey's play last night. If he can keep it up, he'll be more than welcome to stick around.
Of course, this does create questions about who will be scratched tomorrow night against Florida. Desjardins said after the game that Vrbata should be ready to go, as well as Brad Richardson, who missed the second half of Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury. He may have caught a puck off the side of the knee when blocking a shot in the second period but didn't look too badly banged up after the game.
Only a very slight limp as #canucks center Brad Richardson leaves rink before locker room opens post game
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) January 7, 2015Maybe it makes sense to give Richardson a "maintenance game" on Thursday if he's not feeling 110 percent.
Luongo Returns
For a guy whose relationship with the local media was frosty at times during his tenure with the Canucks, Roberto Luongo certainly seemed to enjoy soaking up all the attention on Tuesday afternoon during his first return to Rogers Arena since last year's trade. He was joking about wanting to pick up tickets behind the bench to last night's game, and flat-out said that if he'd gotten the start in the Heritage Classic, he might still be a Canuck today.
Roberto Luongo says he might still be a #Vancouver #Canuck if he had started Heritage Classic. http://t.co/Ix7jBn4wPi pic.twitter.com/cL48Ap8Sj3
— The Vancouver Sun (@VancouverSun) January 6, 2015With the Canucks and Panthers both in the playoff hunt, it's easy to presume all's well that ends well as far as Luongo's trade. But just because CapGeek.com has ceased operations, that doesn't mean the cap recapture situation surrounding Luongo has also disappeared.
The Canucks will get hammered on their salary cap situation when Luongo decides to hang up his skates—and that moment will likely come without much warning. It'll be a very tough situation for Vancouver's capologists to work through in the years to come.
While I was at the game last night, I was trying to imagine how Luongo might have been able to sneak in undetected to enjoy the action. My best guess was that he might have commandeered the Fin suit, but I heard after the game that he was out on the town last night, grabbing dinner at one of his old haunts, but leaving after the first period.
Tomorrow night is gonna be a strange one. Luongo vs. Miller again, just like 2010, except we have to cheer for the American this time.
Another round of Luongo hugs at Rogers Arena this morning. #Canucks secret strategy to tire his arms out ahead of tomorrow's game
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) January 7, 2015Three Comets Named to AHL All-Star Team
Congratulations to Jacob Markstrom, Cal O'Reilly and Bobby Sanguinetti of the Utica Comets, who will be joining head coach Travis Green when Utica hosts AHL All-Star Weekend on January 25 and 26. That timing coincides with the NHL's All-Star break—and Dan Hamhuis is expected back in the Canucks lineup by then—so I'm sure Sanguinetti will be able to participate.