Canucks Explosion of Scoring

Canucks Explosion of Scoring

The Vancouver Canucks, somehow, managed 5 goals tonight at home against Mike Smith and the Phoenix Coyotes, a team chasing them for a playoff spot in the NHL's Western Conference.  This comes on the heels of a run of games that has seen the team's scoring drying up of late, further exacerbated by injuries to Henrik Sedin and Mike Santorelli -courtesy of Martin Hanzal of these same Phoenix Coyotes.  

Though none of the Canucks players risked a $5000 fine (the penalty that the NHL levied on Hanzal for committing stick fouls on 3 Canucks players in one game shaking up one and seriously injuring two) to go after Hanzal or his teammates in earnest, they did exact some revenge by beating them on the score sheet with a 5-4 overtime win, albeit in overtime.  The Canucks once again gave up a 3rd period lead, something that has plagued them this season especially of late, but managed to get it together in time to pull 2 points out of the fire courtesy of a Kevin Bieksa overtime goal.  Bieksa had two on the night doubling his season total.

The team faces another division rival tomorrow, the lowly Edmonton Oilers before battling the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.

Khalif Mitchell Might Need to Rethink Some Decisions

The latest from the outspoken Khalif Mitchell came in the form of a televised sit-down interview with Craig McEwen on Rogers Sportsnet. In the interview, Mitchell re-affirmed his stance that he took when he was traded by the BC Lions to the Toronto Argonauts, stating that he would not report to Toronto and would like to be released from his contract.
He cited his love of the west-coast lifestyle and an apparently lucrative business arrangement with a west-coast beverage company.
Khalif Mitchell has always been, what one might describe, a free-thinker. One need not look any further than his twitter account @Truthwillfree96 for evidence of that. In his Twitter bio he
describes himself as, among other things, a "Believer in TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE CONCEPT". I think it will take a lot more than that to set him free from his contract, and truth is he is either getting bad advice or he needs to grow up a little.
I think he is a fantastic player and from all accounts a great guy and truly unique and gifted person. As a season ticket holder I've shaken his hands after games a few times and he has signed autographs for me and countless other fans. From what I've seen, he has always made a point of greeting fans after games on the way to the dressing room and will sign for anyone who asks.

Khalif Mitchell still has 1 year left on his contract with the Argos and it would probably be in his best interest to honour it, go play for a year for them and make a good impression and either take a crack at playing again down south in the NFL or get on with another CFL team, of his choosing, as a free agent.  Then he will truly be free...and that's the TRUTH!

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