The Canucks Playoff Chase As it Stands on Good Friday

The Canucks appear to be in good shape to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year after missing last year.  With 4 games to go in the regular season, the Canucks hold down 2nd place in the Pacific Division and sit 4 points up on 3rd place Calgary and 5 points clear of the 4th place Los Angeles Kings. However, last night's regulation loss to the Blackhawks couples with LA's win over Edmonton, makes things even more tricky for the Canucks.

The Canucks currently hold the 1st tie-breaker (ROWs) on both Calgary and LA.


The remaining schedule for Vancouver looks like this:

@Nashville (WIN 5-4 in shootout)
@Chicago (LOSS 3-1)
@Winnipeg
Los Angeles
Arizona
Edmonton

Compared to Calgary and LA, the Canucks have the toughest remaining schedule

Canucks Face Do or Die vs Arch Nemesis

Dating back to Round One of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the LA Kings have absolutely owned the Vancouver Canucks.

Yes, the Canucks have had difficulty with all of the California based teams in recent years, but the LA Kings it seems, have proved to be kryptonite to the Canucks Superman

Time To Channel Your Hated for the Sharks

Remember the Canucks 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Run? Of course you do.

1 game short.

Do you remember how much anger and hatred you (assuming you're a Canuck fan) felt towards those evil thug knuckle-dragging Boston Bruins?  Of course you do.

Everyone remembers

Canucks Smell Playoffs Around the Corner

The Vancouver Canucks extended their winning streak to 4 games and are now 10 - 2 in their last 12.  Pretty decent considering they haven't played any of those games without their full complement of starters.  In fact, the line-up they dressed in some of those games closer resembled an AHL team then the usual Canucks squad we've gotten used to.
Even with a full line-up, 10 - 2 is impressive.  To do it with a depleted roster is almost jaw-dropping.  I've been critical of Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault in the past, and I'm still not convinced he can fully get the job done, however, credit where credit is due.  He's managed to not only keep the team competitive while missing multiple starters, dealing with the 2 headed goalie "champagne problem" as well as rampant trade deadline speculation, he has kept them absolutely rolling.  So I lay bouquets at the feet of the coach.

                                                                         

Heard in Canucks dressing room during last year's playoffs...

ALAIN VIGNEAULT after 1st intermission of Rd 1 Gm 3 vs the LA Kings:

"OK, guys. We busted our ass, and totally outplayed them. We had them running around in their own zone and we got a hard-earned 1 goal lead...NOW, let's spend the next 2 periods in our own zone and hope they don't get one by us.
What's that Henrik? We're one of the highest scoring teams in the league and we've been very successful with our aggressive fore-check and our incredible puck possession game?

OK...let's just forget that and play 'dump-it-out, dump-it-in' the rest of the way and hope for the best."

Henrik Sedin: But, you've got the last 2 Art Ross trophy winners and a bunch of career 30 goal scorers up front and some decent offensive defensemen too! You're turning us into checkers?
You can play that style with Minnesota's roster...what do you need us for?"

ALAIN VIGNEAULT: "OK, MayRay...I'm gonna double-shift you for the rest of the game. Try to keep the falling-down-for-absolutely-no-reason down to 3 times per shift, k?
And if I catch ANY of you carrying the puck into the other team's zone, driving the puck to the net, or setting up in the offensive zone, you're getting benched the rest of the way.
Oh! And Scheids, expect to be under fire for the rest of the game, k?"

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