Canucks set to wrestle blue-collar Blues

On Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:09:31 -0400, "db" <...@hdtv.com

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/hockey/canucks-hockey/Canucks+wrestle+blue+co llar+Blues/1490264/story.html

The Vancouver Canucks can expect a tough, physical series when they take on
the St. Louis Blues in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The third-seeded Canucks open their seven-game series against the
sixth-seeded Blues on Wednesday at GM Place.

And it will be against a team that is hitting the ground running after
registering the best record in the NHL in the second half of the season.

The Blues finished up in Colorado on Sunday with a 1-0 win and to post a
record of

9-1-1 in their last 11 games.

While the Blues have come together like a band of brothers in the face of
long-term injuries to key players since mid-February, it will be up the
Canucks to solve goaltender Chris Mason.

It's the former backup's stellar play that kept the team on such a roll.
Mason earned his sixth shutout of the season against the Avs and the Blues'
run began almost at the same time that management made the decision to
elevate Mason to No. 1 and send incumbent Manny Legace to the minors.

Playing the last 38 consecutive St. Louis games, Mason has compiled a record
of 24-8-6.

It appears the Canucks may also have to worry about the boost a return of
winger Paul Kariya might give to the Blues' lineup.

The North Vancouver native has missed all but 11 games this season due to
labrum surgery on both hips, but has been skating and is reportedly on the
verge of being cleared to play.

Kariya was 2-11-13 before being sidelined, and could provide a boost to an
already good power play.

The only question is who comes out of this blue-collar lineup to accommodate
the change, a chemistry question that is more delicate than you might think.

As expected, on Sunday following the game in Colorado, the Blues made it
sound like they'd just drawn the 1956 Montreal Canadiens.

"I look at them . and I don't think they have a weakness in their game,"
Mason told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"They obviously have one of the best goaltenders in the world in net. And
they have one of the best defensive cores in the league. And they have
unbelievably talented forwards.

"So we're going to have our work cut out for us. But it's going to be a big
challenge."

St. Louis head coach Andy Murray, who'll no doubt have an interesting
line-matching competition with Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault, was also
suitably in awe.

"Vancouver's got a great team," said Murray.

"They're very well coached. They've got great defence. That's not even
talking about their goaltender. We all know how good he is.

"They've got great forwards. They've got [Alex] Burrows and [Ryan] Kesler
that have played just real well in their new roles.

"They've got grit, they've got a lot of different things and certainly they're
a formidable opponent."

Even the younger players were getting in on the act. "They're like way
better looking, well maybe except for the Sedins" said T.J. Oshie. David
Backes announced, "Why sakes alive, I'm afraid to even think about playing
them in the playoffs. I ain't sleepin' nights or nothin." Defenseman Jay
McKee offered, "Ah we shouldn't even be in the same fucking league. I mean
come on." And rugged forward Dan Hinote opined, "Their poop is better- not
as stinky as ours with better consistency."