DeSmith is an efficient teammate, has a resume that proves he can play 25-to-35 video games a season so Demko stays sharp, rested and wholesome
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Good morning. It’s espresso time.
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We’ve got three distinctive servings which have every little thing to do with excellence, enduring journey troubles and a particular friendship. Sip and savour. It’s a frank and humorous have a look at what it’s prefer to play the sport and attempting to get to the place it’s good to go.
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We may dwell on what went flawed for the Vancouver Canucks on Monday afternoon in Columbus.
We may rant and rave about free protection, unhealthy penalties and missed alternatives — Brock Boeser had 5 first-period photographs and a Grade A backhand try that sailed excessive over the crossbar — throughout a 4-3 shootout loss to cap an arduous seven-game, 13-day sojourn.
The Canucks have been operating on fumes and gutted it out to get some extent and end a telling journey with a outstanding 5-1-1 report. They beat the Devils, Rangers and Islanders in succession for a Triple Crown highway run that had by no means been completed in franchise historical past.
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So sit again, sip, and skim on. Right here we go:
FIRST SERVING: ‘Casey was unreal, may have been worse’
J.T. Miller will at all times lower to the chase.
The loud-and-proud centre seldom misses the mark in the case of reward or concern about the place his membership is at and the place it’s going. He does know this a lot: with two Stanley Cup convention closing Sport 7 losses on his resume, he is aware of the worth of fine goaltending.
Canucks starter Thatcher Demko is on a Vezina Trophy trajectory with a .919 saves share that’s solely bettered by Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets at .924, amongst stoppers who’ve performed at the very least 30 video games. And Canucks backup Casey DeSmith is a decent 7-4-3 with a saves share of .916.
He was a smart acquisition from the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of the present hockey ops group knew the amiable DeSmith was a superb teammate, knew his place and had a resume that proved he can play 25-to-35 video games a season so the starter stays sharp, rested and wholesome.
Canucks Report
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On Monday, DeSmith stored the Canucks in a sport that was drifting away and made 38 saves via regulation and extra time.
“We simply didn’t play nicely at present, however I beloved that we acquired some extent and that Casey was unreal,” stated Miller. “It may have been manner worse than it was.”
The Canucks have eight unrestricted free brokers, together with DeSmith, who’s on the ultimate 12 months of a two-year extension that carries a US$1.8 million cap hit. He’s additionally 32.
You possibly can argue that it’s time to advertise Arturs Silovs, 22, from the AHL in Abbotsford, or trip a man who meshes so nicely with Demko. DeSmith will in all probability need time period and the Canucks may chunk on a brief one. Or not.
A sworn statement to how gamers really feel about DeSmith got here from Sidney Crosby. In a post-COVID observe group, the Penguins captain needed DeSmith between the pipes.
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“Sid was at all times an unbelievable captain and teammate to me,” DeSmith instructed Postmedia. “I really can’t say sufficient nice issues about him as an individual and simply the instance he units for everybody. I beloved going towards him in observe. I miss him as a result of he would convey it day-after-day.”
SECOND SERVING: They discovered a strategy to CBJ, I discovered Raleigh
You may get there from right here.
When a howling blizzard continued to engulf Buffalo all through Saturday evening, the Canucks acquired inventive Sunday afternoon and located a strategy to Columbus.
It went like this after Vancouver was knowledgeable it couldn’t depart Buffalo on Saturday as a result of the blizzard, a journey ban and security considerations: Right here’s what occurred Sunday (all instances Japanese).
— 1 p.m. Staff made journey plan to first head to Toronto.
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— 3 p.m. Left Buffalo lodge by bus to cross the border.
— 5:30 p.m. Arrived at Pearson Airport (gear cleared at Scotiabank Area)
— 7:30 p.m. Took off from Pearson Airport.
— 9:30 p.m. Arrived at Columbus lodge.
Which brings up one other journey story of notice involving this reporter.
It wasn’t a climate drawback. It was a delayed flight that was a cancellation and an journey as a result of all direct flights have been booked on that fateful Jan. 15, 2016 day.
It was a zigzag, game-day odyssey that began within the morning from Washington, D.C., to LaGuardia Airport in Queens, N.Y., to Pittsburgh and eventually Raleigh, N.C. And as soon as we landed in a driving rainstorm, I listened to the primary interval and finally dragged my baggage on to press row early within the second.
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It was simply as Bo Horvat scored towards the Hurricanes earlier than he would ship once more in extra time for a 3-2 victory that got here with a silver lining. The Canucks have been off the subsequent day in New York Metropolis and I had a Horvat characteristic already within the can.
Couldn’t be higher, however it could worsen.
We one way or the other acquired kicked off press row by safety whereas writing our closing sport tales that included locker-room and coach quotes. I completed scribbling on a hallway desk and awaited the automobile I booked for a 15-kilometre trip to the lodge in Raleigh. The automobile by no means confirmed.
A TV crew took got here to the rescue and I acquired to the lodge in time for 3 hours sleep earlier than an early flight. I then had hassle getting a cab, however acquired the wave to share a City Automotive with a Boston-based sports activities fanatic, who couldn’t cease speaking Bruins and Purple Sox.
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I used to be entertained and he picked up the journey tab. What a day. What a gig.
THIRD SERVING: Blueger has particular bond with Merzlikins
Elvis Merzlikins had some further oomph in his post-game victory dance Monday.
The Blue Jackets stopper made 27 saves, and all 4 within the shootout, to show he nonetheless has loads of sport. Nonetheless, the Latvian was a wholesome scratch in three earlier video games and 4 of the previous 5.
He has requested a commerce as a result of his final begin was Dec. 29 and he has slid down the depth chart behind Daniil Tarasov and former Canucks stopper Spencer Martin. It’s why Monday’s win meant greater than traditional.
“This was superior. I actually respect [my teammates],” he stated. “It wasn’t a simple sport for me and so they made me really feel simpler.”
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Canucks centre Teddy Blueger can also be Latvian and has at all times made his countryman really feel comfy. They’ve performed collectively on a number of nationwide groups, their households are tight and the heritage provides one other stage of help.
On Monday, Blueger did some first-period spade work within the nook, spun and fed Conor Garland within the slot to present the Canucks a 2-1 lead. Had Blueger scored, the celebration might have been extra muted.
Blueger didn’t have fun a breakaway aim towards Merzlikins within the 2019-20 season whereas with the Penguins and it was comprehensible.
“He was going via an evening (7-2 loss with Blue Jackets) and in video games like that, it’s the way in which you deal with your self,” Blueger instructed Postmedia. “So there was no celebration.”
Simply help.
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