Talk about feeding your opposition a taste of their own medicine.

Let’s see. What is Minnesota’s one and only way to play the game of hockey?

1. Get the first goal.
2. Check the hell out of the other team.
3. Trap like crazy by clogging up the neutral zone.
4. Have your goaltender stop everything.
5. Frustrate your opponent by getting a late goal to wrap up the night.

Well, the Canucks decided to stick it to Minnesota tonight using this formula and defeated them 2-0.

By winning tonight, they also are the leaders on top of the Northwest Divsion.

Sami Salo scored early in the first period on the power play and Daniel Sedin scored a late goal in the third period on a partial breakaway to seal the deal and have GM Place erupt with a standing ovation.

Although GM Place went nuts when Daniel Sedin scored, the best part was when the clock was winding down in the third and the fans performed a countdown for the team’s captain, Roberto Luongo, as he recorded his third shutout in a row this week.

After 15 games the team has played this season, Roberto Luongo has 5 shutouts with the games he has played.

This was no easy night for him though. The stops he made not only required razor sharp focus but absolute perfect anticipation of where the shots from the Wild were going to come from. Honestly, some of the stops looked painful to watch as he stretched and moved so fast and from one extreme to another.

After the game Luongo commented in an interview that he was going to rest tomorrow and watch some football before he returns to practice with the team on Monday.

Roberto, have a nice day off. You deserve it buddy.

Next Game: Colorado Avalanche versus Vancouver Canucks, Wednesday November 12 2008 at 7:00pm PST

On a night where most of the world was focused on the 44th Presidential Election in the United States of America where history was made with Barack Obama elected as the first African-American President in the country’s history, there were a small band of Canuck fans, say 18,000 or so, who went to GM Place in Vancouver to cheer on their Canucks team.

It was a night of many important events that made this game special, where the Vancouver Canucks shutout the Nashville Predators 4-0.

To summarize, there were five main triumphant cheers tonight at GM Place for these main events.

1. Congratulatory applause for the new President of the United States.
2. The Predator’s coach, Barry Trotz, applauded for his 750th game coached.
3. The excellent performance by the game’s first star, Kyle Wellwood.
4. Roberto Luongo achieving his third shoutout of this young season.
5. The Canucks winning the game 4-0.

First Period >> Getting Synchronized
The first period started with both teams playing very tentatively. The Predators were keeping things simple and the Canuckswere a little out of sync. Although both side had their chances, the goalies, Roberto Luongo and Dan Ellis, were sharp. The period ended tied 0-0.

Second Period >> Taking the Lead
The Canucks started to come on this period. I think they got mad, which can be a good thing.

Martin Erat gave his old teammate, Darcy Hordichuk, a cheap shot in front of the Predator’s bench and got a penalty for it putting the Canucks on the power play.

It was on this power play where a “garbage or bang away in the goal mouth crease” goal put the Canucks on the board. The Sedin twins managed to get the puck to Kyle Wellwood on this power play where he banged the puck home for his 5th goal of the season. Canucks were up 1-0.

This made the Predator’s upset, so Nick Tarnasky decided to drop the gloves with Shane O’Brien and duke it out. It was a good fight with both players landing good punches to one another.

There was feeling coming into the game.

Third Period >> Finishing the Predators Off
The third period is where the  found their scoring touch again. Mason Raymond scored his fifth of the season on another one of Vancouver’s power plays when a point shot from Kevin Bieksa made it to the net with Steve Bernier banging at the puck on one side of the net and Mason Raymond on the other. The Canucks were now up 2-0.

But wait, there’s more.

There was a faceoff in the Predator’s zone around the six minute mark. The Canucks win the faceoff with the puck ending up on Taylor Pyatt’s stick. He manages to find Kyle Wellwood alone in front of the net, where he put three or so moves on the Predator’s netminder, Dan Ellis, and scored the Canuck’s third goal on the night.

For a guy that people were questioning in the past, he was now receiving cheers and applause. In fact, right after the goal, the whole stadium chanted “Wellwood”, “Wellwood”, “Wellwood” for about 10-15 seconds to congratulate him for his efforts and that he leads the team with 6 goals on the season. In certain cases, there are specialty players in the league. They may not be flashy, but they have good hockey sense and know where to be at the right time. Kyle Wellwood is one of these players.

Daniel Sedin wrapped up the night with his fourth goal of the season, in a similar fashion to Wellwood’s first goal of the game, banging away in the crease for the loose puck. This is a great sign. If the Sedins are willing to pay the price to try to score goals in the “dangerous” areas, they will have elevated their game to have more grit.

Next Game: Vancouver Canucks versus Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday November 6 2008 at 7:00pm PST

There was so much discouragement from Canucks fans after the lost to Boston. In some sense, it was panic city when they lost 1-0 on Tuesday. The Sedins were criticized, Kyle Wellwood was ragged on again, Taylor Pyatt is not producing, etc. Yes, there are still areas that the team needs to improve upon, but the sign of a good team is when they rebound from a disappointing loss, especially from the fans point of view.

Well, these Canucks who were criticized came through for the team in a big way tonight.

The Vancouver Canucks won in Los Angeles tonight by shutting out the Kings 4-0.

First Period >> Getting the Lead and Protecting It
The Canucks came ready to play. So, Who scores the first goal of the game? Daniel Sedin with his third of the season on the power play. This was the one thing they needed to shake off the loss from Tusday night. During the play, Alexander Frolov from the Kings was awarded a penalty shot that our captain, Roberto Luongo, stopped. This is what a captain does for his team, he comes through when they need him. This boosted the Canucks which would allow one of our top assets, Mason Raymond to score his fourth goal of the season with helpers from the other two Canuck futures, Alex Edler and Janik Hansen. This allowed the Canucks to end the first period up 2-0 on the road.

Second Period >> Building on the Lead and Not Sitting Back
This period had end to end action. But as all Canuck fans know, a 2-0 lead is still not safe. Who adds the cushion the team needed? Kyle Wellwood does by scoring his third goal of the season which was set up by the Sedin twins on the power play. Canucks had their extra insurance marker now up 3-0. Steve Bernier had almost increased the score to 4-0, but unfortunately scored right after the period ended. Upon review, the officials disallowed the goal. (We Canuck fans can pretend it counts.)

Third Period >> Capping the Win
The last period was played to get Roberto Luongo the shutout and not make any mistakes. Well, the Canucks did it and they managed to add an extra insurance goal from Taylor Pyatt. The Canucks were up 4-0 at this point.

The Kings did have their chances during the game as there were many times where they hit the post or crossbar, but with all the poor luck the team had on Tuesday, some puck luck came to the Canucks in this game.

Positives from the Game

1. Taylor Pyatt scores is first goal. Hopefully this will take the pressure off of him and allow him to play the game better for the team.

2. Kyle Wellwood connecting with the twins. Wellwood could be a good power play companion for the twins. He has good hockey sense.

3. The twins having two points each. The produce against a Kings team where last year they could not.

4. The power play was 2 for 4 and the penalty killing was 100%. Special teams looking come through.

5. Roberto Luongo was perfect. Records his 2nd shutout of the season and his 40th shutout of his career.

Next Game : Vancouver Canucks versus the Anahiem Ducks on Friday October 31 2008 at 7:00pm PST

I remember not so long ago, in the pre-season, in a galaxy far, far away, the Canucks defeated the Flames 6-1. What did people say about that game? Hmm, oh yeah, I remember, it’s only the pre-season, it means nothing, Calgary did not bring their full lineup, Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Cammalleri were not playing.

OK, what happened tonight? I’ll tell you.

The Canucks kicked the crap out of Flames 6-0 to open the regular season by beating the Flames in a game that means something, beating the Flames with their full lineup and beating the Flames with Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Cammalleri. Actually, the Flames should have left Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Cammalleri home. They might have at least scored a goal

This game was simple awesome.

Remember the grit, toughness and attacking the net from the pre-season? It is continuing into the regular season.

First Period >> Captain Saves the Day
After a very touching ceremony to honour Luc Bourdon, the Canucks had a slow start to the game in the first period. They even ran into penalty trouble. They were down two men around the half way point of the first period when our leader, our captain, Roberto Luongo did what a captain does best, help his team out of a jam. The saves Luongo made were simply awesome. After the penalty kill, the Canucks seemed to settle down and then the twins struck. How? You guessed it, driving to the net and not giving up on the play. As a result, Hendrik Sedin scores his first goal. Todd Bertuzzi was being booed more than cheered during this period. Bertuzzi became Bootuzzi as the fans yelled at him.

Second Period >> Driving to the Net and Scoring
The Canucks simply exploded on the Flames. Two goals in this period from Steve Bernier on a setup from the twins and one from Alexander Burrows. Mattias Ohlund made a huge hit on Todd Bertuzzi at the Canucks blueline during the period which electrified the fans at the game.

Third Period >> Grit, Determination and Character
This period saw goals from Alexander Burrows, Mattias Ohlund and Rick Rypien (short-handed). The goals were beautifully executed but there were two events in the period that demonstrated to the fans what this team is about. Daymond Langkow was in Roberto Luongo’s face during a Flames scoring chance. He punches Luongo in the head. Who comes in to settle the score? Janik Hansen. A guy who is not designated as an enforcer on the team. Awesome.

Late in the period, there was an errand hit on Hendrik Sedin in the Flames zone. In the past there might have been some pushing and shoving afterwards, but nothing to make a statement to the other team on not to take liberties on the Canucks. This time, after the hit, Steve Bernier, again not an enforcer, flies in out of nowhere and takes on Dion Phaneuf and manages to stand his ground with the big defenseman. Outstanding.

Next Game: Canucks Against the Flames on October 11 2008 at 7:00pm in Calgary