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HEAD COACH
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Mike Keenan
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ROSTER
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C - Mark Messier, Peter Zezel, Dave Scatchard, Brandon
Convery, Matt Cooke, Josh Holden. LW - Todd Bertuzzi, Brad May,
Markus Naslund, Donald Brashear, Bert Robertsson, Peter Schaefer.
RW - Alexander Mogilny, Bill Muckalt, Trent Klatt, Steve Staios. D
- Adrian Aucoin, Murray Baron, Bret Hedican, Jamie Huscroft, Dana
Murzyn, Mattias Ohlund, Jason Strudwick. G - Garth Snow, Corey
Hirsch.
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INJURIES
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Brad May, lw (groin pull, indefinite); Todd Bertuzzi, lw
(broken leg, indefinite).
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TRANSACTIONS
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Recalled Josh Holden, c, from Syracuse (AHL), recalled
Peter Schaefer, lw, from Syracuse, assigned Chris McAllister, d, to
Syracuse on two-week conditioning assignment, placed Brad May, lw,
and Todd Bertuzzi, lw, on IR.
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GAME RESULTS
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10/27 at Nashville L 5-4
10/30 Pittsburgh T 2-2
11/01 Washington W 4-1
11/02 at Edmonton L 5-3
11/07 Nashville W 5-3
11/09 Los Angeles L 4-3
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STANDINGS
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Northwest Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Edmonton 13 8 5 0 16 46 34
Vancouver 13 6 6 1 13 40 34
Calgary 13 5 6 2 12 34 36
Colorado 13 4 8 1 9 32 44
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TEAM NEWS
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by Jeff Dubois, Vancouver Correspondent
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If you are a Vancouver Canucks fan who has been able to predict how
the team will perform on a nightly basis, raise your hand. I thought
not. After returning from an eastern swing that saw the Canucks level
out at 4-4, the team has been consistently inconsistent, and
certainly unpredictable.
Following a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the injury-riddled Los Angeles
Kings, the Canucks' record stands at 6-6-1. Under the circumstances,
most Canucks fans would have been quite pleased with a .500 effort
through a month of play, but there is still a feeling that points
have been slipping away.
The absence of Pavel Bure and Bryan McCabe have left the Canucks
short-handed, but the additional loss of Todd Bertuzzi and Brad May
have left the Canucks without depth. The Canucks continue to be in
most every game, but, without the aforementioned forwards, have
lacked the game-breaker to rely on near the end of a close contest.
The next two weeks should begin to indicate where the team is
headed, as it should become clear whether the now heavily rumoured
Bure deal is in fact imminent.
The Canucks have so far done nothing to distinguish themselves from
other Western Conference teams, but they may soon do so. LCS Hockey
has given our psychic friend, Christopher Walken, another chance
and he has predicted that Bryan McCabe should be flying home from
his stint with the Canadian national team to sign a contract by
press time. Don Cherry, long referred to as "Hockey God" around a
certain reporter's dinner table has predicted the Pavel Bure trade
to go down within the next week. Christopher figures that the next
month is a more likely prospect.
Until these pressing matters are resolved, Brian Burke will be one
busy boy. In the meantime, he has left Mike Keenan with a depth
chart that is young and unproven, but full of potential. Adrian
Aucoin has joined Mattias Ohlund as offensive threats on the blue
line. Aucoin has already collected five goals through 13 games of
play and is one of the key reasons why the Canucks' power play is
near the top of the league.
Rookie Bill Muckalt continues to dazzle. He has been joined by
fellow freshmen Josh Holden and Peter Schaefer on the team's depleted
roster. Holden and Schaefer have both played solid hockey, and hope
to stick even after the injured players return. Brandon Convery and
Markus Naslund have also been effective, and have joined with Muckalt
to form what is acting as the Canucks' current second line. Garth
Snow and Corey Hirsch have continued to impress, Hirsch having
finally seen action while Snow lost three games to injury. Hirsch
acquitted himself quite nicely, but Keenan believes that he doesn't
have the stamina and conditioning to hold the starter's job.
This was one of the shorter reports you'll see, but with the
potential for signings and trades over the next couple of weeks,
and the continued reluctance on the part of Brian Burke to speak to
me (in a box or with a fox, in a house or with a mouse) there
should be much to talk about when LCS Hockey's love train rolls
into the station on Nov. 25. Thanks to those who e-mailed me re:
the last column (I can count you on one hand) and please continue
sending praise to: canucks_eh@hotmail.com.
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