Sharks Keep Biting...

Game Recap:

-1 week later: same score, same results.  After winning three straight games, the Canucks fell short to the San Jose Sharks.  This has nothing to do with Tort's new system.  This has to do with the personnel that is on the rink which I will get to in a bit...

-The Sharks defense was very good.  They did not give the Canucks forwards much room on the ice.  They contested most of the Canucks shots and did not give them really many great scoring chances.  They were able to keep the Canucks big three (Sedins, Kesler) scoreless.

-John Tortorella said in his postgame press conference that he thought the team "reacted slowly" and that "we're too slow and we do not react defensively".  This was especially true on the third Sharks goal scored by Patrick Marleau.  The Sedin line got stuck in the defensive zone and Marleau found a little soft spot at the top of the circle to fire a laser at the net.  Henrik Sedin was too late to try and get his stick on the puck.

Concerns:

-There were very few shots on goal by the Canucks and very few good quality scoring chances.  The Canucks only had 8 shots in the 2nd period, followed by 6 shots in the third period.  Antti Niemi really only got tested a couple of times in the 1st period and made the key saves the Sharks needed at that point.  The Canucks are not going to win very many hockey games with less than 30 shots on goal.

-Personnel issues: I like Chris Higgins a lot.  I think he is a tremendous hard worker and battles every shift.  He is not a prolific goal scorer and does not generate too much of his own offense.  He only has 1 point in the last 14 games for the Canucks.  I do not feel he should be playing in our top six.  Higgins needs to be playing in a defensive checking role on the third line.  This applies to Jannik Hansen too.

-Ryan Kesler: everyone can tell he is frustrated.  This was evident in his postgame press conference last night: "I can't say what I really think. It's frustrating. I'm sick of it."  He is not playing with any confidence.  I think there could be two reasons why: first, he is not getting any help from his linemates.  I think Kesler thinks that he has to go out there and do everything for the 2nd line.

-Mike Santorelli: thank goodness he has been lighting it up for the Canucks recently.  He played a whopping 23 minutes of ice time and managed to tally the Canucks only goal.  John Tortorella said he was not crazy about giving him that much ice time, but Santorelli has been one of the only forwards going for the Canucks.  This is not good if Mike Santorelli has to get 23 minutes of ice time and it is also not good if Santorelli is the only one consistently scoring in the Canucks top six.

Canucks Three Stars:

1. Mike Santorelli
2. Roberto Luongo
3. Daniel Sedin

Alex Edler Hit on Tomas Hertl

-I do not think this was as serious as what most people thought.  I do not think this is worth any kind of suspension, but I believe Edler will get suspended anyway due to history.

-As the video shows, Edler is skating hard toward the puck, not toward Hertl's body.  Edler skates in a standstill almost, while Hertl leans his head down and runs in to Edler's body.  Edler does not stick out his elbow in any kind of way and barely grazes Hertl's head with his shoulder.  I do believe that the defenseless player has to have some kind of responsibility in hits like this.  When a skater keeps his head down and leans forward on the ice, only bad things can happen.

-Shanahan will probably give Edler a 4-5 game ban since he is a repeat offender.  I do not believe this is suspension worthy since Hertl skated right in to Edler's body, but the NHL is becoming a softer league as the days go on.

Update: Edler suspended 3 games.

That's a wrap.  Next up is the Habs on Saturday.  Until next time, stay classy! -George