Canucks' Offense Disappears Into a Trap

Open the papers today and you’ll see comments about how the Vancouver Canucks have not hit their stride yet:

“We haven’t seen the Canucks play their A game in this series.” – Vancouver Sun Sports Section.

Others offer criticism of certain players by stating that the Sedins or Alex Burrows have been invisible.

Well Mr. MacIntyre, Mr. Average Fan, what, to you, would constitute the Canucks hitting their stride? Here’s the answer: the Canucks play their best when they’re dominating the offensive boards, forechecking hard, and containing the puck in the opposite team’s end. This type of game plays directly into the hands of the Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, and probably most of the Canucks forwards. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to see it because the coaching staff has been so focused on their trap.

Thus far in the Canucks second round series with the Chicago Blackhaws, this has been the game plan: obtain the lead, shut down the hawks, win the game. Sending one man past Chicago’s blueline and keeping the other two high is not an up-tempo fore-checking scheme. More often than not, it will not lead to more goals for the trapping team. Pointing out that the Canucks have underperformed or not shown up only displays a lack of hockey understanding from the analyst, because in reality, the Canucks have done quite well at trapping. In fact, before game 6, the Canucks have held a lead 90% of the time in this series.

The problem? Chicago can score in bunches in a very short time period. The answer? Keep trying to score! Build up as big a lead as possible and count on an attempted comeback, because you can be sure it will come. And trust in the best goalie in the league to step up and make the key save.

I have a feeling that whatever the coaching staff says tonight, the Canucks will be too jacked-up to play shut down hockey. Roberto Luongo will be too dialed in, facing elimination, to allow anything past him. It’s going to be a good one. Get ready.