I’m getting a little tardy with these writeups. I apologize. I’m in the process of moving and I’ve come down with some sort of stomach bug which made viewing last night’s game hilariously fun. If I start babbling about pink elephants that’s why.

Anyway.

Critics of the Vancouver Canucks are going to be hard pressed to find fault with last night’s game. All the wonky calls, strange occurrences and other mishaps that have plagued their games for the past week and a half were nowhere to be seen Thursday night as they squared off against the Dallas Stars. For once, there was simply a hockey game to be played.
A nice break, to be certain, although I do have a bit of a problem with how prepared the Canucks were. I thought the Canucks came out looking a little flat against the Stars, although they didn’t take as long to get into the swing of things as they did the previous night against the Oilers. After giving up a godawful shorthanded goal to Toby Petersen on a shot that Roberto Luongo should have made the save on, the Canucks came back with Alex Burrows taking advantage of a miscue by Alex Auld and buried a shorthanded opportunity. Neither shorthanded attempt was a particularly glorious, highlight reel goal, but it was the Dallas Stars who became tenative as the Canucks started to turn the screws, including a gorgeous goal scored by Christian Ehrhoff off of a passing play from the Sedins.

What’s great is that the Canucks had a readymade excuse built into tonight’s game, but they didn’t have to use it. Sami Salo going down with an injury and Brad Lukowich missing a quarter of the third period due to equipment problems meant that the Canucks, who were already dealing with Kevin Bieksa and Willie Mitchell out of the lineup, had a severely depleted blueline on their hands. Christian Ehrhoff shouldered a great deal of the load and the rest of the Canucks rose to the occasion. I know that the Sharks were dumping salary with him, but I am so bloody glad that Mike Gillis was able to swing a deal to get him on the team. Ehrhoff rules.

How about Mason Raymond, too? I said that he was playing some lights out hockey last night and he continued his solid play, winding up with a goal for his efforts. It’s strange and bewildering, this sense of offensive depth, but I kinda like it.

Although Brad Lukowich isn’t going to be a serious contender for the Norris, nor will he ever win any ‘underrated defenseman’ polls or anything like that, I’m liking his mostly reliable, solid play. He brings Cup experience, a veteran presence and being a BC boy who is happy to be on the club an enthusiasm that you wouldn’t necessarily see with the likes of Aaron Rome, gear woes aside.

Edler had a huge night last night, striking iron several times. He’s been relatively quiet lately so it would be nice to see if the recent spate of injuries leads to him rising up to the challenge and coming up big for the club.

Only 1 point from Henrik Sedin on the night. Alain Vigneault should look into benching him if he continues to underachieve like that…kidding, kidding.

Canucks are set to square off against the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. No idea what wonderful tutorials we’ll be getting from the hands of Ron MacLean prior to the matchup.