Category Archives: Hockey

World Cup Here We Come…

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It’s true that the World Cup of Hockey does not have the same hype as the Olympics but it will feature some incredible hockey by some of the world’s best players. The pre-tournament games have come to a close and the competition is set to begin when the puck drops in Toronto on Saturday, September 17.

An international hockey tournament that means watching hockey a few weeks earlier than usual? Sign me up! If the tune up games were any indication, we are in for some great hockey no matter who ends up winning the event. Will you be joining fans from around the world as the games begin?

Eight teams: Canada, United States of America, North America, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic and Europe. Much like the Olympics, World Juniors, and World Championships; teammates become rivals and rivals become teammates. Each team will face it’s own pressure in the competition.

Team Canada has the weight of an entire country on its back to win a championship on Canadian soil once more. Canada may a favourite in the tournament and have incredible depth on their roster but they will need to play disciplined if they want to win on home ice.

Team USA would love to steal Canada’s thunder on Canadian soil. Lots of talent on the USA roster that under John Tortorella’s coaching will put an aggressive effort every night. The USA is a team not to be taken lightly as they go into the tournament as one of the major contenders.

Team Russia has the pressure of winning after missing out on hockey medals at each of the previous two Olympics. With players like Ovechkin and Malkin at their helm, Russia will aim to get back on top of the hockey world.

Team Sweden has the pressure winning another international championship.Will the Sedins and Eriksson be able to continue shaping their line chemistry? Will Henrik Lundqvist find his form or will another goalie emerge as Sweden’s star?

Team Finland though no longer having Teemu Selanne on their roster, but they do have the young Patrick Laine. Finland is still a team to never be counted out, they are feisty and always have fight left until the end.

Team North America may be comprised of a youthful roster, but they are team that will put the pressure on every team they face and could just surprise everyone. They should not be overlooked. Question: if they do go on to win, would both Canadian and USA hockey fans be happy to share the victory?)

Team Europe is a team that may be overlooked by many as a contender in this format but once the tournament begins, anything can happen.

Team Czech Republic is always up for a good challenge and the same will true going in to the World Cup games.

When the puck drops, who will you be rooting for when the puck drops on September 17th? Leave a comment below to cheer on your team!

Tournament Games Schedule:

September 17: Team USA vs. Team Europe.// Team Czech Republic vs. Team Canada.

September 18: Team Sweden vs. Team Russia.// Team North America vs. Team Finland.

September 19: Team Europe vs. Team Czech Republic.// Team Russia vs. Team North America.

September 20: Team Finland vs. Team Sweden. // Team Canada vs. Team USA.

September 21: Team North America vs. Team Sweden. // Team Europe vs. Team Canada.

September 22: Team Finland vs. Team Russia. // Team USA vs. Team Czech Republic.

SEMIFINALS (Single Elimination Games):

September 24: Semifinal #1

September 25: Semifinal #2.

FINALS (Best of Three):

September 27: Game #1.

September 29: Game #2.

October 1: *Game #3. (*if necessary)

Hockey is BACK and it feels GOOD. Here’s to an exciting few weeks of hockey before the NHL gears into full swing come October!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Great (Low) Expectations?

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54 games down, 28 games remaining and expectations: low.

It is no secret that the Vancouver Canucks have A LOT of work cut out for them if they would like to be playoff bound come April. So, yes perhaps the expectations for the Canucks are incredibly low moving towards the finish line of the 2015-16 season but perhaps that’s for the best. Low expectations leave little room for disappointment and instead leave open the opportunity to enjoy every moment as it comes.

I’ve never been a huge believer that everything comes down to the odds. Yes, the odds are factors that will and do influence parts of a season but they do not tell the entire story. If you were to ask any of the experts right now, if they thought the Canucks had a chance for the playoffs, most would say not even close.

28 games remain on the regular season schedule. 28 chances to change their fate to that of which many do not think possible. 28 opportunities to make the unpredictable possible. How they play these final 28 games will be up to them every time they step on the ice for a shift. Perhaps they can use their recent road trip success with their mothers in attendance as their inspiration for these final 28 games.

54 games down, 28 games to go and expectations low. Anything can happen, are you ready for whatever that might be? Here’s to wherever these final 28 games lead the Canucks down the final stretch drive of the season!

Fun fact: Did you know that after playing in his 1140th NHL game in Arizona on February 10, Henrik Sedin has tied Trevor Linden for most games played in a Canucks uniform. He will become the all-time leader in games played for the franchise on February 13 when the Canucks take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. If you ask me, that sounds like the PERFECT evening for Sedinery to be on display.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

What are the Odds?

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It has been a while since my last post, but guess who’s back? Yep, you got it, ME.

This post goes out to all Canucks fans,

We all share a common bond, a passion for the game and a passion for this team. We are a passionate bunch, no matter if we are new fans, or if we have been fans for many years. We have seen it all from terrible seasons to near perfect seasons that were ONE game from perfection and everything in between. We feel the anticipation of every game, every goal, and every save. We feel the excitement from every win and the disappointment from every loss. In the span of one season or even within one game we can go from absolutely heartbroken to overjoyed and vice versa dependent on the outcome. We feel every emotion good or bad that comes with being a hockey fan and we would not want it any other way.

This season is one that has been far from perfect thus far but it also has not been as bad as some have suggested. According to some, the Canucks should pack it in now and go for the TANK in order to acquire a high draft pick come June. Why would anyone encourage their team to NOT play their best regardless of how the season might end? Why not hope for the best for each game rather than expect the worst? Should they strive to be the worst or is it better for them to thrive to be their best despite what the outsiders say? No one said the 82-game journey would be an easy one or a fun one all the time. It’s a battle from start to finish with 29 other teams all vying for the same thing. The odds are that despite all the predictions made one way or another, some will be proven right and some will be proven wrong. Why not enjoy every step of the journey, wherever it leads despite the odds?

Odds are a funny thing that most often are unpredictable, no matter how much math becomes involved. Every season all the experts, bloggers, stats gatherers, and fans calculate the odds that their favourite team and players will have a good or bad season. Sometimes the odds are easy to predict. Star players will put on a show and other star players will struggle before finding their groove. Predicting where a team will finish based on prior performance should be simple enough BUT when every team in one division struggles out of the gate, it changes the odds game. Look at the how Pacific Division was dominated in every way by Anaheim last season and YET this season that is not the case. Every team in the Pacific has struggled at various points this season with only ONE team(LA) having a positive goal differential at the midway mark of the season.

Lots of hockey remains to be played and the divisional standings are anyone’s guess for how they will look at season’s end in the Pacific. Toss the odds out the window and hold on folks, we are in for a wild ride to the finish whether you are rooting for a tank or a triumph…things are about to get interesting as the trade deadline looms around the bend. Are you ready?

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Nov-SEDINERY-ember.

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The Sedins are old. The Sedins play making days are long behind them. The Sedins are on the cusp of the end of their respective careers. The Sedins should pack it in and retire or request a trade out of Vancouver. Canucks fans have heard it all. Maybe some of them even started to believe it to be true that this is the beginning of the end and maybe it is exactly that. Maybe these are the twilight years of their respective careers, but who says they have to take the decline route? The Sedins may be thirty-five but that does not mean they are finished.

Sure, November was not exactly the most memorable month for the Vancouver Canucks in the win column, BUT Sedinery had it’s mark in nearly every game. The twins put on a showcase all month long, amassing a combined thirty-five points over fourteen games.

Henrik: 6 goals, 11 assists (17 points)

Daniel: 8 goals, 10 assists (18 points)

Here’s a few examples of the artistry that was November Sedinery:

Some kind of pass from Daniel to set up Hansen:

Just when you thought the Blackhawks were going to break our hearts on home ice, the twins took over the game, scoring the first of three late insurance goals:

Game tying goal versus Torts:

Or back to the Chicago game…when Daniel notched his 900th career point as he set up his brother for the first tying goal of the game:

Nov-Sedinery-ember was fun to witness and gave rise to hope that the twins are not done yet. Thirty-five years old and they still continue to take the hockey world by surprise. They may be approaching the tail end of their careers but they are doing so in style and and adding to their one day legendary status. The day will come when the Sedins decide to hang up their skates and Canucks fans will never be the same having witnessed the entire career of two incredibly uniquely gifted players. For now, I say, let’s enjoy every moment of Sedinery that was, and is yet to be.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

 

Canucks’ 2015 Hock-tober

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The kids are ALRIGHT! Last year it was Bo Horvat winning over the team and fans…this year it’s Jake Virtanen and Jared McCann.  It is officially official as the Vancouver Canucks have announced that BOTH Virtanen and McCann have made the team and will not being going back to junior.  Welcome to the NHL, boys!

McCann we dig it, Canucks fans? Yes, yes we can.

October has come and gone and with it the Vancouver Canucks have eleven games in the book with seventy-one more to go. Let’s take a closer look at the October that was for first month of the team’s 2015-16 season.

The Canucks closed out October with a respectable 5-2-4 record and fourteen points. Through eleven games, we have seen a little bit of everything: from three rookies continuing to impress to a few third period collapses to beating the best team in the league on home ice to Miller playing with an edge and enduring just TWO regulation losses.

Infuse the lineup with youth they said. Let the kids play they said. Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann and Ben Hutton showed up to training camp with one aim in mind: make the Canucks roster out of camp and maintain that spot. All three have accomplished that goal. Jake Virtanen leads the team in hits and starting to find his offensive stride, Jared McCann leads the team in goals with five and Ben Hutton is dependable in just about every area of the ice. Sure there have been some growing pains through the games they have all played, but the positives have more than outweighed the negatives proving that there is so much more to come from these three rookies over time.

Ryan Miller is not good enough some said. Ryan Miller is too old and too expensive many others said. Ryan Miller would need to be better than last year, they all said. Through ten games, though yes he has let in a bad goal or two, most nights he has been one of the Canucks best players on the ice.  Miller is boasting some impressive numbers through ten games: a 2.16 goals against average, one shutout and a 0.923 save percentage. He’s been playing with a edge that gives the team a chance to win every game.

Perhaps the most frustrating stat of the season is the fact that it took 6 games on home ice before the Canucks got their first victory in Vancouver. Or the multiple third period leads that ended up as overtime losses. The overtime losses were not ideal BUT the team still picked up points in those games and every single point counts when the team’s aim is to be playoff bound. Impressively, the team has lost just twice in regulation. Perhaps their most impressive games have been against the California teams on the road AND that first victory at home when they took on the league’s top team, Montreal. Another impressive stat through eleven games? The team has a 90% penalty kill success rate and 20% powerplay success rate.

Are there things they can improve on in the remaining 71 games? Absolutely, no matter how well a team is or is not playing, there are always ways for them to keep improving. The Canucks have their work cut out for them if they want to be playoff bound come April, but they are off to a respectable start towards that goal. Next up the Canucks will battle the state of Pennsylvania as they face-off against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh on home ice. Here’s to two strong games before the team is back on the road for 7 straight games!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

True Blue 2015 (Part TWO)

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TRUE BLUE continues! Just like last year, it’s time to put the spot light on my favourite part of hockey: the fans and their stories! Hockey is so much more than a game in a rink, it is a passion that unites fans across the globe. There is still time to have your story featured, – if you are interested in finding out more details, simply send an e-mail to nucksaid@gmail.com with the subject line: TRUE BLUE 2015.

Without further ado, please meet: Oscar de Kunder from the Netherlands(pictured below in his Canucks Jersey). This is his TRUE BLUE story in his own words:

OscarDKHello, Canucks fans!

This is my story:

I follow the sport of hockey all year round and did so for many years as a radio technician and TV camera man following the Dutch Hockey League for many local radio and TV stations in the Netherlands. My old co-worker, Tonny explained all of the rules of hockey to me and helped me understand the game.

But some years ago, I met my good friend, Felicia from Amsterdam, and she told me to try the NHL app so that you can watch hockey games from the U.S. and Canada. The app is how I first saw an NHL game streaming online. It was an amazing feeling that I never felt or saw while watching the Dutch hockey games.

First, I was for the Pittsburgh Penguins BUT my friend, Felicia told me to watch a Vancouver Canucks game. Since that first Vancouver game, I was sold and now follow EACH Canucks game during the season which many times means I must wake up in the middle of the night or 4:00 AM local Netherlands time when the Canucks are on TV. Due to the work week, and the early hour time of the Canucks games, I am able to finish the games by 7:00 AM, before I have to go to work. My family said that it’s not good for me to wake up in the middle of the night to watch all of the Canucks games BUT I still do!

Last season, I bought a Canucks jersey AND a Hockey Canada jersey. I had them both framed hanging on my walls to make my house a hockey haven. Also, I joined a Game Day Canucks fan group on Facebook where I have made many new friends that I get to cheer with every game! My plan is to in a few years travel to Vancouver, BC to watch a LIVE  Canucks game in Rogers Arena.

My favourite moment from our Canucks last season was Eddie Lack doing a great job whenever he was called upon. I believe that the management team is doing a good job so far even if I do not necessarily agree with them trading Eddie. I have a very good feeling about the 2015-16 season and that it’s possible that they may hold on longer in the playoffs this season. I believe anything is possible in the new season! My game day rituals include sleeping, waking up by 4:00 AM and putting on my jersey to support the team before puck drop. I spend a lot of time during the season talking about the Canucks with friends and planning a trip one day to Canada to see a live hockey game. I cannot wait until October for the NHL and Canucks season to begin, I am counting down the days.

Regards,

Oscar de Kunder – (Canucks fan from Nijmegen, The Netherlands).”

Thank-you, Oscar for sharing your Canucks story with me and everyone else! That is so cool that you worked behind the scenes as a camera man and on the radio! I love hearing how fans learned about the game and how it captivated them.  I understand not being a fan of the Eddie Lack trade, that was a tough one and unfortunately it was one of the very tough choices that had to be made. That being said, I am most definitely cautiously optimistic about the changes made moving forward and look forward to the seeing what transpires when that puck finally drops on October 7th.

Keep your eyes peeled for more True Blue stories as we continue to count down to the new season just around the bend!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

It Never Gets Easier…

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Do you remember the first time that hockey fully grabbed your attention and completely stole your heart for this game that is so much more than a game? Perhaps it was a past Stanley Cup final, the Winter Olympics, World Championship, an AHL affiliate game or perhaps even a local minor hockey team that simply captured you in a way that only hockey can and once it did, there was no looking back. I can remember the first that game I really watched from start to finish completely enraptured by this game and every sound from the cheers in the stands to the skates on the ice to the final buzzer. There is one thing that prior to really embracing a my Canucks that I never understood or was prepared for, the emotional component. Yes, it’s true that there is an emotional component to being a sports fan that goes beyond grief with the refs or players on the opponents’ team.

There are the emotions that come with every win and every loss in the regular season but also those in the post season. There is the anticipation and excitement that builds as a new season inches closer around the corner. There is anguish of seeing players sidelined indefinitely with an injury and cautious excitement when that same player returns for their first game back. There is exhilaration when your team scores that big goal that leads to the next round and absolute heartbreak when you are on the other side watching your team’s season come to an end. There is the anxiety that kicks in around second overtime when you witness two teams battle for every inch of the ice in the post season. There is a veteran retiring from the game and watching him skate one last loop around the rink for the fans to say good-bye. There are the unexpected moments off the ice that unite the players once on the ice and prove that hockey is much, much, much more than JUST a game.

There is the attachment that grows with watching players develop from a prospect to becoming a veteran franchise leader. There is the sorrow that comes when those franchise players get traded, leave to play elsewhere or retire. Trades and changes are an inevitable part of the game but that never gets easier to embrace no matter how often they happen over the course of a player’s career.

Today was not a BIEKSALLENT day for this hockey fan. Today, the Vancouver Canucks and franchise player, Kevin Bieksa parted ways via a trade. There was no bitterness or anger on either side, just appreciation and respect for ten dedicated years. I understand that moves like this one have to happen and that it’s a part of the game but it NEVER gets any easier to see players that have become cornerstones leave. Players like Bieksa are not easy to replace for more than just his on-ice leadership contributions…he was a class act off the ice with the fans and many of the Canucks charities over ten years. Perhaps one of his greatest achievements OFF of the ice was his work in helping to shine a light on the importance of Mental Health Awarenss (Mindcheck) in honour of his friend, Rick Rypien.

Juice, Vancouver will never forget everything you did over ten incredible years, and thank-you, just does not seem even close to enough but it is what we have to offer…THANK-YOU. You gave this city incredible moments from the beginning to the end while fully embracing what it meant to have the heart of a Canuck on and off the ice. From getting under the skin of the opponents to interview gold to that beyond amazing stanchion goal to your work with CFKF, Canuck Place and Mindcheck…you gave this team and this city more than we deserved. It truly was an honour seeing you play for the Canucks all this time and while I may never root for Anaheim, I do wish you the best over there, KB!

IMG_0927#ThankYouJuice for this picture and the many Canucks memories!

More than ten years into being a hockey fan and it still never gets any easier. Nope, it never gets any easier to see franchise players leave the team that developed them from prospect to veteran. The emotional component makes it hard to be a fan sometimes but it is also what makes being a fan so great. Hockey is so much more than JUST a game. On and off the ice, there are highs and lows that go hand in hand with being a hockey fan and it’s pretty incredible to be on the sidelines to see every step of each 82-game journey no matter the outcome.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

 

 

UTICAAAAAAAA…can you hear us?

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Dear Utica Comets,

Do you have ANY idea just how insanely proud you have made not only your fans, but also Canucks fans and the entire Vancouver Canucks organization?! There are not enough words to fully express just how amazing it has been to watch the transition in Utica from last year to this year. There truly is something special happening in your city from the fans, to the players to the coaches and the will to win that you have all embraced from the start of the year.

Travis Green has done an impeccable job mentoring the players and instilling in them all what it means to play an unselfish game and never wavering in the belief that ANYTHING is possible if you give it your all. The players embraced the systems not only individually but collectively as a group, allowing them to play their best nearly every night. Goalie Jacob Markstrom had an incredible year despite what the doubters said prior to the year and has carried that impeccable play over into the post-season.

As for the fans…what can I say about the fans over there that have set an incredible precedent for what it means to be a hockey fan through thick and thin? Comets fans are truly, truly, truly special and believe me…UTICAAAAAAAA, we can hear you LOUD and CLEAR, every single game in Vancouver…can you hear us all in Canucks nation cheering with you? You are giving these young players an incredible gift of support as they continue to further develop their game, that they will never forget no matter where their careers take them.

There may be many or only a few miles that separate us all, but we are all on the same side when it comes to supporting the Utica Comets. No matter how this Calder Cup Final ends, please know that all around the globe, there are fans who are insanely proud of how far you have come and we will be here cheering you all the way. Here’s to an incredible atmosphere as the series shifts back to the AUD for the next three games! Go Comets Go! Canucks nation is on your side ALL THE WAY!!!

Sincerely, an insanely proud Canucks and Comets fan,

Sarah Laug

SUMMER SERIES Reminder: there is STILL time to sign up for the TRUE BLUE 2015 summer series featuring the best part of hockey: YOU the fans! Fan stories are the best hockey stories and there is room for ALL CANUCKS and COMETS fans alike… simply click the link:

https://nucksaid.com/2015/05/12/true-blue-2015/

OR e-mail me: nucksaid@gmail.com to find our more details!

From the Brink to SERIES ON!

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As quickly as the Vancouver Canucks found themselves on the brink of elimination on home ice, they found their way back into their first round series. Ryan Miller earned his first playoff victory as a Canuck. Yes, I know that THIS win does not mean the Canucks will come all the way back to win the series, but it certainly was encouraging to see them battle back with a massive team effort for 60 minutes that forced a sixth game.The pressure is mounting on both sides, both want that next win and no one wants their season to end. Bring on game six! There is no guarantee that the series will or will not end in Calgary on Saturday night. That’s the best part of the playoffs, the unpredictability on any given night. Game five was a keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and I have no doubts that game six will be the same.

Would I love to see the Canucks come ALL the way back in this series? Absolutely. Will I be disappointed should the series end before game seven? Selfishly I would absolutely LOVE a chance to see the Canucks play Anaheim in round 2 but I will not in ANY way be disappointed in the team. How can I be disappointed with the bounce back season that the team has had? I am beyond proud of the team’s comeback season after the tornado that was last season. Who would have predicted a season that saw them finish SECOND in the division with a 101 points while San Jose and LA were on the outside looking in? They found their way back to the post-season while their core all had bounce back seasons and their goal-tending was solid. Not many would have picked the Canucks OR the Flames to have season’s to remember rather focused on rebuilding. It has been fantastic to see both of these teams have success this season.

Now I ask you…are you ready for a wild finish over the next game or two? Do you believe? The Canucks believe as they have all year that they have a chance, perhaps it’s time that we do the same prior to puck drop in game six. One thing is certain, NO MATTER WHAT happens in game six, I will be cheering for the Canucks from puck drop to final buzzer. No matter what the result after the final buzzer of game six, I will remain as always a proud Vancouver Canucks fan.

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Round ONE, Here We Go!

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It is official, towel power will be back when the Vancouver Canucks open the first round of the 2015 NHL playoffs on home ice against the Calgary Flames. Both teams were on the outside looking in last year during the post-season. Both teams exceeded the expectations. Both teams have fought hard all season long to prove that they BOTH deserve to be playoff bound. Both teams are looking to extend their post-season beyond the opening round. Both teams are poised for an entertaining series from start to finish. Vancouver facing Calgary, is no easy task for either side. This match up is not about the past or even the regular season series. It all comes down to THIS series and who steps up each AND every game. There will be moments of absolute glee as heroes emerge and absolute heartbreak all within the span of ONE game! It’s a whole new season in which ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is possible for both sides.

Are you ready? The battle has already begun! Here’s to a great series!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

P.S. I’m calling Canucks in six games. What are your predictions? Leave yours in the comments!