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Pushing the Canucks Panic Button
by Alanah McGinley on 10/20/08 at 09:21 PM ET
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Iain MacIntyre at the Vancouver Sun looks at the Canucks statistical realities, six games into the season:
They’re allowing 3.46 goals-against per game, nearly a full puck worse than last season. And the current GAA is skewed by Canucks’ 6-0 win in their season-opener. But Vigneault says it isn’t the speedier, more offensive game that troubles his team, but its inability so far to kill penalties or score on the power play.
As of Monday, Vancouver was 29th with the man-advantage (6.9 per cent success rate), 23rd shorthanded (75 per cent). Special teams are a grave problem.
General manager Mike Gillis calls the current situation “extraordinary circumstances” though I’m not sure I understand the reasoning. (Unless one considers 3.46 g.a.a. on Luongo’s team to be “extraordinary,” which I guess they might). But the situation is probably a bit predictable, too, given that there’s still a major gap in the offensive roster.
And does anyone consider Vancouver injury woes to be that extraordinary anymore? I think you could set your watch to them, myself.
So MacIntyre is certainly correct in pointing to the early problems Vancouver is having, but a bit over-the-top in suggesting these are already “grave” matters. Six games—more specifically, three bad games—does not make a season. Hell, it’s barely a dent. The Canucks opened with a tough schedule and they’re still bringing together a disparate group without a lot of experience together.
So I’ll reserve my panic for after this road trip.
On the other hand, if they get pounded by Edmonton this coming Saturday, then I might panic… 
Filed in: vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: mike+gillis, statistics,
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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Other Canucks Blogs
This team is still jellin’...give it time. For me, the youngins are looking good...from Burrows, to Raymond to Hansen...the guys are skating and working hard. Now...Demitra, ahem. He’s a problem.
But the rest of it...give it time. I can remember the Canucks when Viggy took over a couple years ago did nothing spectacular until Christmas...it took a while for the guys to figure each other out.
But I have to eat my words a bit...Viggy said he would play and uptempo game, and holy crap has he delivered. They may be on the losing end for half their games, but they are SO much more fun to watch (except the Washington game) than they were last year.
Posted by GZ Expat on 10/21/08 at 05:15 AM ET