The Sports Corner

Temperatures rising between Blues and Canucks

If anyone phoned their local police detachment last night between 7 and 10 p.m. last night complaining about loud bangs, don’t be alarmed. 

It was actually the boards of General Motors Place, which are suffering from an undisclosed upper body injury, as the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues did battle in one of the most physical hockey games the fans of the Northwest Division champs have seen in a long, long time.  It started early with Shane O’Brien laying the hammer down on Dan Hinote, and it ended with a game-ending donnybrook as B.J. Combreen responded to a Kevin Bieksa trip with three seconds left by dropping his mitts and jumping the Canucks defenceman.

Within seconds, the ice in the corner of the Canucks end was littered with gloves, sticks, helmets and looked more like a scene from Slap Shot.  When the dust settled, the Canucks had a 3-0 win to cap off a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final.

Even Blues head coach Andy Murray went nuts at the Canucks bench following the third period melee, apparently not happy with the players Alain Vigneault had out to finish the game.  Ryan Johnson, Steve Bernier, Rick Rypien, Alex Edler and Bieksa finished the game for the series leaders.  Imagine his reaction if Kyle Wellwood and Mason Raymond had finished the game instead.

The Blues had Barret Jackman, Crombeen and Brad Winchester out there along with David Perron.  Heck, it was Perron who was the focus of Johnson after the talented young forward took a run at the Canucks veteran shot blocker in the final 45 seconds of the game that sparked the antics when the clock hit zero.

But no matter what Murray thinks of what happened last night, he has to get used to the fact that this is the Canucks.  They play with more bite, more edge and a lot more grit than they ever have.  Even the Sedin twins are initiating physical play and they’re not afraid to get involved in the little scuffles that seem to pop up every now and again after the whistle.

The Canucks can’t be intimidated this year, which is a sharp contrast from two years ago when their supposed tough guy was Jeff Cowan who now makes his living in the American Hockey League.

There is no doubt that the Canucks are tougher, and their game is suited to this kind of hockey.  And they’re going to need that because Game 3 and 4 in St. Louis will be just as physical, if not more, than Game 2 was. 

The likes of the Sedins, Alex Burrows, Roberto Luongo and Sami Salo are going to be pushed even harder by the Blues as they try to claw their way back into this series.  In order to be successful, the Canucks are going to have to collectively push back, something they have not had a problem doing in the regular season and the playoffs so far.

Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?