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Ex-Canucks prospect Connauton embraces chance to start afresh as star in Texas

Posted on May 14, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — It seems Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis is not the only guy reaching for the reset button.

Former Canucks prospect Kevin Connauton has already pressed his.

Initially shocked by the trade early last month that sent him to the Dallas Stars as part of the deal that brought Derek Roy to Vancouver, Connauton now thinks it may have been the best thing that has happened to him in his pro hockey career.

“Coming here was really a positive thing, it was a fresh start,” Connauton, now playing in the American Hockey League playoffs for the Texas Stars, said Tuesday. “I was able to hit the reset button and it’s been nothing but positives since I got here.”

Connauton’s improved play with the Stars is not making that Roy trade look any better for the Canucks, who also sent a second-round pick to Dallas.

The 23-year-old defenceman finished the regular season with Texas, accumulating two goals and six points in nine...

Canucks still looking for an AHL home

Posted on May 13, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks have been given 30 days by the American Hockey League to decide what they are going to do with their AHL franchise.

The Canucks received that extension at an AHL board of governors meeting Monday in Springfield, Mass. Canuck assistant general manager Laurence Gilman attended that meeting but refused interview requests.

The Canucks really have two choices to make regarding the Peoria Rivermen franchise they purchased earlier this year. After deciding against leaving the team in Peoria for the 2013-14 season, they must either find a new home for the team or they can pay the AHL a $150,000 fee and have the league declare the franchise dormant for one year.

That latter option is the least palatable one for the Canucks as it would mean the team would have to scatter its prospects around the AHL and have them playing under a variety of different systems and coaches, outside their sphere of influence.

That clearly is...

Canucks’ Keith Ballard hopes to ‘make most of opportunity’

Posted on May 9, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — It's probably a safe bet that Keith Ballard has already figured out that two-thirds of $8.4 million is $5.59 million.

The Canuck defenceman has heard the suggestions that the team will buy out the remaining two years on his contract this summer.

"I don't know," Ballard said Thursday when asked if he expected to remain a Canuck. "I have got two years left on my deal. If I am, I am. if I'm not, I'm not. I'll make the most of an opportunity here or if I end up somewhere else."

With next year's NHL salary cap being cut by nearly 10 per cent, the Canucks face some significant payroll challenges and it is widely assumed that they will likely use both of their compliance buyouts this summer.

Ballard and winger David Booth seem the likely candidates.

Ballard has two years at $4.2 million a season left on his deal. Under terms of the new CBA, veteran players like Ballard can...

Roberto Luongo says goodbye again; hopes he’s not saying hello next fall

Posted on May 9, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — This time, Roberto Luongo really does hope it's goodbye. Of course, he said so long last year at this time and we all know what happened.

But on Thursday, when he joined the rest of the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena for a final team get-together, Luongo made it clear that he does think it's time to move on. Actually, way past time.

"I have made that statement before," Luongo said as he leaned against a wall outside the team dressing room. "I feel like I am in a stage of my life where I want to play. Whether that's here or somewhere else remains to be seen. But what has happened over the course of the last two years suggests that maybe it's not my place to be the starter here anymore. That being said, things change so, who knows."

If Luongo learned anything this past season, it's to expect the unexpected. He didn't think he'd start...

Canucks swept out of playoffs by Sharks, with likely sweeping changes to come

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. — There’s no need to embellish how bad the Vancouver Canucks have been in the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup Final two years ago.

They have now lost 10 of their last 11 playoff games and for the second straight year have made an early first-round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

This time they were swept.

The San Jose Sharks beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime Tuesday night at the HP Pavilion to take the series 4-0.

Patrick Marleau scored at 13:18 of overtime, tapping in a loose puck in the Vancouver crease, to give the Sharks the win.

A first-round sweep figures to lead to sweeping changes, both on and off the ice, for the Canucks.

• PHOTOS: Canucks fall to Sharks in overtime

The jobs of head coach Alain Vigneault and his staff are most certainly on the line and general manager Mike Gillis is going to face some uncomfortable questions from ownership over the team's...

Sharks’ Adam Burish says Canucks have no right to lecture on diving

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE -- If Kevin Bieksa's comments about embellishment were calculated to get a response from the San Jose Sharks, he partially succeeded.

San Jose forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, the "so-called Canadians" targeted by the Vancouver Canucks defenceman on Monday for their lack of integrity, took the high road and didn't have much to say following Tuesday morning's game-day skate.

But Adam Burish? Yeah, you guessed it, he had lots to say before Game 4 was played at the HP Pavilion.

Burish and the Canucks have something of a history going back to his days with the Chicago Blackhawks. So when a huge throng of reporters gathered around his dressing room stall, the Sharks' winger did not disappoint.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your tape recorders.

"To be honest, I don't think we're worrying about what he is saying," Burish said. "I guess if I was him while he is up on his soap box and trying to save the integrity of...

Game Day: Vigneault calls Cory Schneider the Canucks’ MVP and gives him Game 4 start

Posted on May 7, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Vancouver Canucks will be counting on a bounce-back game from goalie Cory Schneider tonight (7 p.m., TSN, Team 1040) when they try to extend their season by winning Game 4 of their best-of-seven playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.

Following Schneider's struggles in the third period of Game 3, there had been some debate about who coach Alain Vigneault would start tonight.

Vigneault suggested today it was not a difficult decision to make.

"Cory in my opinion is our MVP," Vigneault said after this morning's game-day skate at HP Pavilion. "He is one of the reasons why we got into the playoffs. He has had great bounce-back games and he has been outstanding this year and I think our group has total faith in both goaltenders.

"But they have a lot of faith in Cory and I have got a lot of faith in him. That's why we are going with him tonight."

Schneider surrendered three quick...

Bieksa targets Couture, Thornton as embellishers

Posted on May 6, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE -- Desperately seeking a way out of the 3-0 hole they have dug for themselves, the Vancouver Canucks played the embellishment card on Monday.

Defenceman Kevin Bieksa was the lead actor in this little drama that played out in the hallway of the HP Pavilion after Vancouver's optional practice.

Bieksa suggested San Jose's top two centres, Joe Thornton and Logan Couture, are not playing the game with integrity and accused them of using embellishment to draw penalties. He also referred to them as "so-called Canadians."

"Couture, you can't go near the guy, he snaps his head back, he flails," Bieksa told reporters. "You touch him after the whistle and he is going to jump off the ice and throw himself into the glass. These are hard calls for the officials to make and right now they are going against us.

"This isn’t my opinion. The evidence is in the video. . .Hank (Sedin) touches him off the faceoff, he...

Canucks chewed up 5-2 by Sharks in Game 3, face elimination on Tuesday

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dead Team Skating.

That pretty much describes the Vancouver Canucks, who for the second straight year find themselves down 3-0 in a first-round playoff series.

The San Jose Sharks struck for three quick goals early in the third period Sunday night to beat the Canucks 5-2 before a raucous crowd at the HP Pavilion.

It was Stinko de Mayo on Cinco de Mayo for the Canucks, who were awful. The Sharks will try and complete a four-game sweep here on Tuesday night (7 p.m., TSN, Team 1040). Based on what happened here Sunday night, you have to like their chances.

Cory Schneider, after a two-week absence due to an undisclosed injury, started in goal for the Canucks. But he didn't finish the game.

CANUCKS-SHARKS GAME 3 PHOTOS

Schneider was chased at 4:07 of the third when Logan Couture scored his second of the period. Earlier in the third, Couture and Patrick Marleau had scored goals nine seconds apart...

Canucks must like what they see in defenceman Frank Corrado

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

SAN JOSE — Wow, did that year ever fly by fast. Just like that, defenceman Frank Corrado has burned through the first year of his three-year entry level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Corrado played his sixth game with the Canucks on Sunday night and that means he now only has two years left on his contract.

He was allowed five freebies in this shortened season (including playoffs) before his contract status would be affected. The Canucks obviously like what they see and do not want to remove him from their playoff lineup.

Corrado, who split his season between the OHL's Sudbury Wolves and Kitchener Rangers, said his contract status was not on his mind as he prepared for Game 3 of the series with the San Jose Sharks.

"Obviously, that's not something I think about," Corrado said after Sunday's game-day skate. "That's their decision, not mine. I'm happy with whatever decision they make. I'm just happy to be in the lineup."

Corrado,...

Game Day: Schneider gets the start in goal as Canucks look to get back in series

Posted on May 5, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

CANUCKS AT SHARKS

GAME 3

TONIGHT, 7 PM, HP PAVILION

TV: TSN. RADIO: TEAM 1040.

SAN JOSE -- A lack of goals, not goaltending, has been the real problem for the Vancouver Canucks in their first-round playoff series with the San Jose Sharks.

But the Canucks clearly hope the return of goalie Cory Schneider in Game 3 tonight can help give the team a spark it desperately needs.

"Goaltending hasn't been the issue at all," coach Alain Vigneault acknowledged after this morning's game-day skate at the HP Pavilion. "But that being said, Cory lost the net to an injury and prior to his inury his play was real good. I think in 15 games he had something like four shutouts and there were six or seven games where he only gave up one goal.

"We were going to start with him in the playoffs, he is good to go now, so he is going to play tonight."

The Canucks trail the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final...

Canucks drop 3-2 overtime heartbreaker to Sharks

Posted on May 4, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — To put a new twist on an old song title, the Vancouver Canucks do know the way to San Jose.

It's just doesn't figure to be a fun trip.

The Canucks are heading to the Silicon Valley down 2-0 in their best-of-seven opening-round playoff series with the San Jose Sharks after a devastating 3-2 overtime loss Friday night at Rogers Arena.

Game 3 of the series goes Sunday night in San Jose (7 p.m., TSN, Team 1040) and the Canucks now have a very high mountain to climb. The Sharks lost only two games in regulation at home all season.

Former Canuck Raffi Torres scored the winner at 5:31 of extra time on a 2-on-1 rush with Brent Burns.

"Burns made an unbelievable play," said Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo. "He was holding it and faking it and I was trying to stay patient with him and he ended up just feeding it across for a one-timer and Raffi put it upstairs....

Canucks extend home-ice playoff losing streak in 3-1 series-opening setback to Sharks

Posted on May 2, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks seem to have a case of home-ice disadvantage in the playoffs.

Wednesday night's 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series opener was the Canucks' fifth straight playoff loss on home ice.

That streak needs to end now if Vancouver is to survive this series and make any kind of post-season run.

"That doesn't matter," defenceman Kevin Bieksa said in a quiet Vancouver dressing room after the game. "It's one straight (loss) in the playoffs. We have one more chance next game to get a split on home ice. That's what we concentrate on. We're a good team on home ice and we are going to use that to our advantage in our next game.”

Game 2 of the series goes Friday night at Rogers Arena and the Canucks will be under immense pressure to gain a split before the series shifts to San Jose for Games 3 and 4.

Defenceman Dan...

Canucks’ Cory Schneider ready, ‘wants to play,’ but coach Alain Vigneault will make final call

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin in Sun Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER — Cory Schneider insisted Tuesday he is ready to play, but some of his words seemed to suggest he may not be completely over the mysterious injury that forced him to sit out the Vancouver Canucks' final two regular-season games.

"No one is ever really 100 per cent in the playoffs at any point," Schneider said after his second straight day of practice on Tuesday. "I feel like I can contribute and be a difference-maker on this team and I want to do whatever I can to play. That's how I feel, I want to play in the playoffs. The trainers and the coaches may have a more long-term view of things, but for me the here and now is it's Game 1 and I'd like to play."

Asked if he felt better Tuesday than he did after Monday's practice, Schneider did not exactly make like Tony the Tiger and bellow "I feel greattttt!"

Instead, he offered up this: "I felt...