Canuck notes: Vancouver plays power keepaway with Dallas

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun

DALLAS -- It will go into the books as a failed power-play opportunity, but in reality it was a thing of beauty.

Awarded a power play with 2:01 left in the third period and nursing a 4-3 lead over the Dallas Stars, the Canucks weren't going to take any chances.

So once they got possession of the puck, they kept it. They literally passed the puck around the Dallas zone for the full two minutes, never attempting a shot.

It was textbook.

The Stars couldn't touch the puck and their penalty-killers grew exhausted from chasing it around the zone as the Sedins, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler and Alex Edler played a game of keep-away.

"We won the faceoff and when I saw Henrik hanging onto it I knew exactly what he was trying to do," Burrows said. "We just wanted to hang onto the puck and make sure they were getting tired on the PK.

"Once you pass that first minute those PKers, they have been starting and stopping and they get tired, and we were able to spend all two minutes in there."

"We were pretty spread out so it's easy to keep it along the boards," added Daniel Sedin. "There was no reason for us to take any chances there. It was nice."

FIVE'S A CROWD: The Canuck goal-scoring lead is now shared by five players who each have five goals.

Burrows and Kevin Bieksa scored Thursday night to join Daniel Sedin, Zack Kassian and Mason Raymond with five goals.

Bieksa's goal was his fourth in his last six games. The Canuck defenceman has always been a streaky scorer.

"Yeah, well that's the way it goes, I guess," he said of his current streak. "You ride the wave while it's hot and pretty soon it turns into an iceberg. So we'll ride it for a while."

Bieksa's five goals has him alone in second place among NHL defencemen. He trails Ottawa's Erik Karlsson, who has six but is gone for the season after suffering a skate cut to his Achilles tendon.

Biekaa is within three goals of matching his total output of eight last season. He scored a career-high 12 back in 2006-07.

WHAT THE H?: His real name is Cristopher Nihlstorp. But the 29-year-old Swede, who started in goal Thursday night for the Dallas Stars, has become Cristopher Nilstrop in the NHL. So what happened to the H?

Well, the H was apparently dropped on some documentation he used to get into the U.S. and NHL rules stipulate the name on his contract has to match those documents. So in the NHL, he's known as Nilstorp.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: It's almost the one-year anniversary of Vernon Fiddler's 'Bieksa face' but the Dallas forward doesn't plan to reprise the impersonation.

"No, that was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of of thing," Fiddler said after Thursday's game-day skate.

It was Feb. 26 of last year, in Dallas, when Fiddler cracked up Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault with his on-ice impression of a grumpy-faced Bieksa.

Fiddler played junior with the Kelowna Rockets and was not drafted. And after playing as a 20-year-old with Medicine Hat, the Edmonton native almost gave up on a pro hockey life.

"I was going to go to the University of Alberta, go back home and work for my dad," said Fiddler, who makes his off-season home in Kelowna. "Then one thing just started happening after another. I got a couple of good opportunities and here I am 500-and-something (NHL) games later."

ICE CHIP: With Rick Ball on Hockey Night in Canada duty this weekend in Calgary, Joey Kenward will call the radio play-by--play on Team 1040 for games Friday night in Nashville and Sunday in Detroit.

Vancouver Canucks Big D too much for Dallas Stars

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun

DALLAS -- The defence most certainly did not rest Thursday for the Vancouver Canucks — it went on the offensive.

The Canucks got goals from defencemen Kevin Bieksa and Jason Garrison and Alex Burrows tipped in a shot by another defenceman, Alex Edler, as Vancouver snapped a three-game National Hockey League losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center.

It was a bounce-back game that the Canucks‘ defence sorely needed after being exposed by the Chicago Blackhawks two nights earlier.

―We pride ourselves on being really good defensively and we obviously gave up way too many chances against Chicago,‖ Bieksa said. ―We looked at the film, we watched all the breakdowns and I thought we were a lot better tonight.‖

But it was on offence where the Canuck defencemen really made their mark Thursday. When the Canucks are at their best, their defence is chipping in consistently on offence. Thursday‘s game served as a perfect example of just that.

―You need that,‖ said Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault. ―If you are going to score more than a couple of goals a game, it‘s going to come on some nights from your third and fourth line and on some other nights it‘s going to come from your back end. And tonight we got a big goal from Kevin, a couple of good shots from Jason that led to a goal and you need that if you expect to score more than a couple of goals in such a tough league.‖

―I‘ve said it before,‖ added Bieksa. ―When we are getting goals and contributions from our defencemen we are a tough team to beat. We have got a lot of skill up front and when we chip in back there it takes some pressure off them and they can play their game.‖

The Canucks won it with two quick goals early in the third period. Garrison scored his second of the season at the 2:32 mark when he beat Dallas goaltender Cristopher Nilstorp from the left point to give Vancouver a 3-2 lead. Less than two minutes later, captain Henrik Sedin finished off a two-on-one rush with Burrows to put the Canucks up by two goals.

This time they hung on to the lead. But just barely.

Dallas captain Brenden Morrow stripped the puck off Vancouver centre Ryan Kesler at the edge of the crease and scored to make it 4-3 at 6:07 of the third. The Canucks had to weather some anxious moments down the stretch.

The win was a payback of sorts for the Canucks. Last Friday, the Stars came from two goals down and beat Vancouver 4-3 at Rogers Arena.

―It was nice to sort of return the favour and come back a couple of times against them in their building,‖ said Vancouver goalie Cory Schneider, who faced 25 Dallas shots.

The game could not have started any worse for the Canucks. They had a horrible shift to open the contest and paid for it. Victoria native Jamie Benn gave Dallas a 1-0 lead 35 seconds into the game, beating Schneider short side from a sharp angle.

―I am really happy with the way we responded,‖ Vigneault said. ―They came out on that first shift and capitalized on a couple of our puck decisions and made it 1-0 early. But we were able to stick to the plan and after two periods we had a tie game.‖

Burrows made it 1-1 at 8:29 of the first when he tipped home Edler‘s shot on a Vancouver power play. But the Canucks had to chase from behind again in the second when Michael Ryder beat Schneider with a backhand at the 2:39 mark.

Bieksa tied it five minutes later during four-on-four play when he blew by Stars‘ defenceman Philip Larsen and put a backhand shot through Nilstorp‘s legs.

―It was four-on-four, so you are looking for puck possession,‖ he said. ―We won the draw and Dan (Hamhuis) made a good move to beat the first guy so I just tried to get open for him. He hit me with a great pass and I put one on net.‖

After Tuesday‘s debacle in Chicago, Vigneault shook up all three of his defensive pairings Thursday. Bieksa was reunited with Hamhuis, Edler was paired with Chris Tanev and Garrison joined Keith Ballard.

Garrison‘s goal seemed to turn the game in Vancouver‘s favour.

―One of their wingers went down and I had a great screen in front by (Chris) Higgins and fortunately I found the back of the net,‖ Garrison said.

He acknowledged that there was some soul-searching by the Canuck defence after Tuesday‘s shootout loss in Chicago.

―In general, we needed to be better, for sure,‖ he said. ―We had a good meeting and guys knew that we needed to bounce back with a better defensive game and be more complete.‖

―I think it was more of a complete effort from us for sure tonight,‖ added Bieksa. ―I don‘t know what else to say. It wasn‘t the prettiest game at times, but it was a hard-fought game, a lot of board battles, a lot of blocked shots, a lot of diving plays and a lot of big saves.‖

And some redemption of sorts for a beleaguered Vancouver defence corps.

ICE CHIPS: With Jannik Hansen serving his one-game suspension, Aaron Volpatti returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch Tuesday in Chicago ... Zack Kassian and Roussel tangled in a spirited second-period scrap. Both players landed several hard punches ... Attendance was 17,393 ... The Canucks chartered post-game to Nashville, where they meet the Predators on Friday night. Vancouver completes its four-game road trip Sunday afternoon (2 p.m., Sportsnet) in Detroit.

Canucks‘ Jannik Hansen concerned about stain on his record due to suspension

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun

DALLAS — He‘s got a record now, and that's what most bothers Jannik Hansen.

Through 129 AHL and 286 NHL games, the Vancouver Canucks winger liked to think he had earned a reputation as a hard-working, honest player who played the game the right way.

So Hansen was more than a little disappointed about the one-game suspension he served Thursday night for his hit two nights earlier on Chicago forward Marian Hossa.

Sure, the $7,297.30 Hansen forfeited for sitting out Thursday night's game hit him right in the wallet, but Hansen said he's more concerned about having that mark on his record.

"Of course, you know that you are a repeat offender now if something happens again," he said after participating in Thursday's optional game-day skate at American Airlines Center. "You are trying to play an honest game and play the right way and not step too far over the line and it's unfortunate. But that's the way it is right now."

Other than the video that the NHL posted on its website, Hansen said he received no further explanation for the suspension.

"I got no explanation other than the stuff you guys have seen from the video," he said. "I got an email saying one-game suspension and then I could see the video a little later."

Hansen and Canucks coach Alain Vigneault clearly disagree with the decision, but both chose their words carefully on Thursday.

"I think I pretty much said what I had to say about it yesterday," Vigneault said. "But that being said, I did look this morning at the explanation on the NHL site and got a little chuckle out of the explanation. So I think we'll just leave it at that for now."

After Tuesday's game, Vigneault had said there was "no chance" that Hansen would receive supplemental discipline and suggested the hit did not even deserve a penalty. Hansen was assessed a two-minute roughing penalty after the hit.

Hansen also didn't want to comment directly on the decision or the reasons given for it.

"Again, the safety department made their decision and it's not up to me how they are doing their job," he said. "They saw it the way they see it and they are going to rule it that way."

Hansen was adamant that he won't let the suspension affect the way he plays.

"It bothers me that you have that on your record now," he said. "Not that it makes any difference, I am not going to change my game in any way. I am still going to play the same way that I have always, but you have that on you now and if something happens in the future you are repeat offender."

Hossa, meanwhile, practised with the Hawks on Thursday and could play Friday night against San Jose.

"Doesn't surprise me," Hansen said of Hossa's quick return.

When asked to expand upon that remark, Hansen said: "I should probably stay out of that one."

Hossa told reporters in Chicago that he did not suffer a concussion after the hit early in the third period on Tuesday night and felt better after a day off on Wednesday.

"Right after, I was shaky," Hossa said. "That‘s why I didn‘t return. I had the day off, so it‘s settled down and this morning I felt much better. He hit me pretty hard in the back of the head. More than anything, he just surprised me with the punch from behind. I didn‘t feel like myself for the first half hour after the hit.‖

As for Hansen's one-game suspension, Hossa said: "That‘s up to the league. They make decisions. I‘m glad it‘s at least one game. Hopefully guys learn from it. He said he was reaching for the puck. I didn‘t buy it. When you reach for the puck you don‘t hit someone that hard in the head.‖

Tanev‘s audition late last season showed he‘s ready for prime time

Jim Jamieson, The Province

Alain Vigneault finally made the move that some have been waiting for since early in this weird, truncated season.

He‘s moving Chris Tanev into a top-four spot on his defence, with the highly talented but sometimes erratic Alex Edler.

Clearly, the Canucks head coach had to do something after the fiasco in his team‘s end against Chicago on Tuesday. It meant breaking up what has been arguably his most consistent pair, in Tanev and Keith Ballard.

And, by putting the disappointing Jason Garrison with Ballard, you wonder how that‘s going to turn out, with Ballard having to switch to the less-than-ideal right side.

But Tanev, 23, an unheralded free agent signing three years ago who has turned out to be the equivalent of an extra first-round draft pick, has already shown he can handle top-four minutes and face the opposition‘s top offensive lines.

Down the stretch last season, Tanev was paired with Dan Hamhuis in a shutdown role. The two were deployed together for nine of the final 13 regular-season games.

The result?

As a duo, Tanev and Hamhuis were on the ice for exactly zero even-strength goals against over that span, as the team went 8-1-0, with Tanev logging as much as 23:03 in ice-time.

They weren‘t scored on even-strength in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Kings, either, but Tanev was switched to the third pairing (with the in-coming Ballard) following the 4-2 loss.

Evidently, the coach wanted a different look.

He‘ll get one tonight in Dallas and we suspect that putting the right-shot Tanev with Edler will allow the big Swede to be more comfortable on his usual left side and give the coach some much-needed balance in his top four.

Hansen on Hossa turns into a joke

Jason Botchford, The Province

Canucks don‘t seem too worried about Jannik Hansen‘s one-game suspension for the injury to Marian Hossa.

Neither do the Blackhawks.

Two days after crumpling to the ice in a hit that left him unconscious, Hossa was back on the ice skating with teammates.

That‘s some concussion protocol.

This is the same organization that had Dave Bolland playing in 2011 playoff games after a concussion, despite him still complaining to the media about ―fuzziness.‖

―Doesn‘t surprise me,‖ Jannik Hansen said.

He didn‘t elaborate.

It does seem like a joke. That‘s how Alain Vigneault took it when he watched Brendan Shanahan‘s explanation for the one-game suspension.

―This morning I looked at the explanation and I got a little chuckle out of it,‖ Vigneault said.

―It wasn‘t a hockey play. It was a puck up in the air and Jannik had position.

―I basically said everything I got to say about that.‖

To be fair, it doesn‘t take much to make Vigneault crack up. Doesn‘t take much to rile him up either. Just tell him Jason Garrison is struggling.

Hansen wasn‘t laughing though. He‘s concerned about his record. Just imagine if he had a a previous suspension when Shanahan got a hold of this case?

What, he‘d be out a week?

―You‘re trying to play an honest game and play the right way and not step too far over the line,‖ Hansen said.

―I‘ve never been suspended. I‘ve never had any incidents. I‘ve played here for five or six years. I didn‘t have anything in the minors.

―It bothers me you have that on your record now. I‘m not going to change my game in any way. I‘m still going to play the same way as always.

―But again, I have that on there now. They can look back at it if something happens in the future.‖

Canucks best power play was all about playing keep-away

By Jason Botchford, The Province

DALLAS— On the Canucks‘ best power play of the game, they didn‘t even score.

Instead, they danced with the puck in what may be the most arresting, mesmerizing shift you will see this season.

When dominant football teams get the ball late in the game, often they will run it up the gut of the defence, four or five yards at a time. The defence is helpless.

That‘s how the Dallas Stars looked after Derek Roy took a penalty with 2:01 left.

The Canucks power play got a hold of the puck, and never let it go. They passed it. They froze the puck. They twisted and turned. They were relaxed and in complete control. What they didn‘t do was shoot. Instead they essentially kneeled the game out in victory formation.

"It was fun to watch," Jason Garrison said. "I‘m kind of speechless.

"I don‘t even know what to say.

"That‘s how good the players are. That‘s how much they can control the game. They made the game look really easy. It‘s definitely not as easy as it looks. They did a great job of achieving that."

With four forwards, including Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, and the Sedins, and one defencmean, Alex Edler, it was an unusual lineup head coach Alain Vigneault opted to use.

"Normally, he likes to have two D-men to make sure there‘s nothing happening, but he sent us four forwards and Eddie," Burrows said. "Once we won the faceoff and I saw Henrik holding on to it, I knew exactly what he was trying to do. Hold on to the puck, and make sure they were getting tired on the PK.

"Once you are past that first minute, those PKers have been starting and stopping and they get tired a little bit."

The Canucks group put in a shift that lasted 2:01 and they didn‘t lose possession until the last second of the game. It was fascinating to watch. It also helped Burrows redeem himself for a couple of miscues in the game.

Burrows is looking increasingly comfortable on the first-unit power play. He‘s been taking Kesler‘s spot as the net front presence and it has helped spread out Vancouver‘s look.

"It‘s a different look, it‘s not an overload power play," Burrows said. "It‘s more of a spread power play. We have Kes‘s big shot from one side, and Eddie‘s big shot up top. Hank is then able to make plays with Danny through the middle.

"It keeps the PK guessing on a lot of plays. We‘re able to get pucks toward the net and we have guys converging toward the net which can create odd-man rushes on those rebounds. Normally it‘s a 3-on-2 or a 4-on-2.

"You can get some bounces going your way."

Burrows scored his fifth of the season when he tipped in a Edler blast 8:29 into the game. It‘s the third time in three games the Canucks have scored with Burrows screening the goalie.

But with Burrows‘ good, came some bad. Twice in the game he took the Canucks off the power play by taking penalties of his own.

"I have to be smarter at the end of the day," Burrows said. "I can‘t take two penalties like I did tonight. It kills our momentum on the power play. It takes away from scoring chances.

"It puts us on our heels again on the PK. I have to make sure it‘s a little more legal or find ways that I don‘t get caught.

"But we‘re battling out front. Sometimes it‘s going to go my way, sometimes it won‘t."

The Provies Nightly Awards

By Jason Botchford, The Province

BEST RELIEF

"The goal feels really good. Definitely."

— Jason Garrison

BEST REALITY

Ryan Kesler ended up with two assists but he‘s been dragging since his first game. When he‘s on, he doesn‘t fumble the puck in front of his own net, a turnover that led directly to Brenden Morrow‘s goal 6:07 into the third. Thursday was not his night.

"I think we‘re going to have show some patience. Our whole team," Alain Vigneault said. "Both (Booth and Kesler) are coming back from injury. You‘ve got to think it‘s going to be a good nine to 10 games before they feel their rhythm and find their legs."

Booth missed the net by about three feet in the third period with a point-blank wrist shot. At least his shot is in mid-season form.

BEST REVENGE

You knew there had to be some hard feelings after Vigneault and Aaron Rome split up. Maybe that‘s why Rome shot a puck into the Canucks bench right at his old coach. "I don‘t know about that. He was laughing. Everyone was laughing. So, I‘m taking it in stride," Vigneault said.

BEST STORY

Got to like Zack Kassian. A demotion to the fourth line and less than 10 minutes in playing time wasn‘t getting him down. He was laughing at the end of the game about his fight with Antoine Roussel.

"I kept telling him, let‘s take our helmets off, but he wouldn‘t listen. He just charged me," he said.

Canucks 4 Stars 3: Revamped Vancouver D redeems itself

By Jason Botchford, The Province

DALLAS -- Say what you want about the Canucks blue-line, and many people have this week.

Most of the commentary has included censored, four-letter words.

And with good reason. The Canucks defence, the highly paid foundation of the team, has been off-balance this season. Even at its best, it has looked awkward. Like the honour student who didn‘t study for his mid-term. Oh, they can fake their way through

an English essay, or the Northwest division, especially with that goaltending. But throw a quantum mechanics exam at them and watch them wilt.

There was no faking against the Blackhawks. The Canucks deep blue line, which some believe is among the best in hockey, was flat out exposed. And maybe the annual beat down by Chicago was the best thing which could have happened. They didn‘t just want to bounce back against the Dallas Stars Thursday. They needed to.

―They are a very proud group, which is very talented and skilled,‖ Cory Schneider said. ―The game against Chicago wasn‘t the best, for everyone.

―(Against Dallas), they scored some big goals for us. They joined the rush. Defensively, they blocked a ton of shots. They made big plays at the end of the game with their sticks taking away backdoors there.

―I think they were really working hard.‖

It showed. By the end of Thursday‘s 4-3 win, Canucks defencemen had two impressive goals, and nearly a third. Alex Burrows had tipped in an Alex Edler blast to start the scoring.

―We take a lot of pride in our own end. We pride ourselves on being really good defensively,‖ Kevin Bieksa said. ―We obviously gave up way too many chances against Chicago. We looked at the film. We watched all the breakdowns.

―I thought we were a lot better.‖

It didn‘t start that way. After a breathtakingly awful performance against the Hawks, head coach Alain Vigneault revamped his blue-line, changing all of the pairings. But the new group looked just like the old one. Bieksa chased the puck from behind. Dan Hamhuis fell, and went for a swim. Both gave Jamie Benn all the time he needed to sit back, twirl his way through the slot, and hit a bullseye over Schneider‘s shoulder.

Just like that, 35 seconds in, appropriately enough, the Stars had a 1-0 lead.

―They came at us hard, and we couldn‘t get the puck out along the wall,‖ Bieksa said. ―Give (Benn) credit, he made a one-in-a-hundred shot. I don‘t know if he could do that again.‖

Bieksa‘s goal later in the game was the most impressive. He was shockingly explosive as he jetted by Stars defenceman Philip Larsen, before nudging a backhand under goalie Chris Nilstorp, who looked as stunned as everybody else.

Jason Garrison‘s goal was the most important. And the sweetest. It was Garrison who took the brunt of the defensive shakeup. He was moved to the third pairing with Keith Ballard. It worked. They had their down moments, but overall it‘s as comfortable as Garrison has been on the ice this year. Asked about it later, he said it helped that he had played with Ballard in Florida.

Garrison‘s stinger put the Canucks up 3-2 at the 2:36 mark of the third. The Canucks would not have that lead, however, without Schneider getting some payback on Benn.

The shift after Bieksa went electric and tied it 2-2, near the mid-point of the second, Schneider made the save of the game.

Morrow had picked Bieksa‘s pocket at the top of the slot and found Benn all alone to the right of Schneider. Benn made a slick move, going to his backhand, and reached across the crease. Schneider stayed with him, stretching out. His save was was flat out robbery.

―I thought he was going to tip it, but sure enough he pulls it,‖ Schneider said. ―Somehow, I swung my leg around and got a toe on it. It was a little bit of luck but I was able to stay with him.‖

The Canucks did get a two-goal lead, which is generally white knuckle time. You just knew once Alex Burrows and the Sedins connected on a tic-tac-toe goal to put Vancouver up 4-2 in the third they were in trouble.

Sure enough, Morrow scored less than two minutes later after he stripped Ryan Kesler of the puck. But after Morrow‘s goal, the Stars managed just two shots on net. That‘s with a power play. Doing that in the final 13:47 against a team which is at home, desperate and down by one was the most impressive performance of the night.

―I think it was important for our team to put in a better two-way effort,‖ Vigneault said. ―I think we did that, even though we started out on our heels. I thought the guys responded after that. They [Stars] got a break on that third goal, or it would have been a 4-2 game.‖

Canucks: No jets, but sky‘s the limit for Gaunce

By Jim Jamieson, The Province

Call him Ryan Kesler without the afterburners.

Of course, if Brendan Gaunce had Kesler‘s jets he wouldn‘t have been around last June when the Canucks took him 26th overall. Nonetheless, the Markham, Ont., native has all the markings of a blue-chip prospect, a player whose balanced, two-way game should transition nicely to the pros.

Like the Canucks‘ all-purpose Kesler, Gaunce is an excellent penalty killer, plays on the power play and is matched up against the opponents‘ top offensive line. He also the captain of his OHL club, the Belleville Bulls, and oozes maturity.

―He‘s our captain and our leader and he sets the table in terms of his work ethic and compete level,‖ Bulls GM and coach George Burnett said Thursday.

―He expects a lot from himself. He wants to be out there in all the critical situations, and when things don‘t go well, he looks at himself.‖

Gaunce, at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, already has an NHL frame, but he hit a big pothole early this season when he suffered a second-degree separation to his left shoulder on Oct. 17. It cost him nearly a month — but has come back strongly in the second half.

―We were in Sudbury and I just went into the corner awkward and got rubbed out weird,‖ said Gaunce, 18.

―I thought it was my (trapezius) at first, but when I came back out and tried to take a draw and it didn‘t go too well.‖

Gaunce admits he came back early and the injury continued to nag him, but he‘s picked it up offensively since Christmas.

He‘s currently on a three-game goal-scoring streak, with five goals in that span along with one assist. Gaunce has 26-20-48 in 48 games. Last season, his second after being selected second overall in the OHL Priority Draft by Belleville (behind Alex Galchenyuk), he had 28-48-68 in 68 games.

Belleville, which is amongst the OHL‘s elite this season, made two key acquisitions in early January: centres Tyler Graovac and Alan Quine. The ripple effects saw Burnett put Gaunce on left wing with Graovac for the first three weeks following the trade, but he‘s now back at centre.

Gaunce prefers the dynamics of centre, but he also knows that making it as a pro is a lot about being versatile.

―I played wing a bit when I played for Canada a few times,‖ said Gaunce. ―I think I played two or three weeks here and I think I got pretty used to it. Whatever I‘m told to do, if I‘m playing in the NHL, I would do. If they asked me to play D, I would try to play D.‖

Gaunce is an intriguing package, but concerns about his foot speed have top-end projections stalled at third-line centre at the NHL level. But Burnett thinks that‘s shortsighted.

―Is he the best skater? No, but he‘s a big-frame, big-body guy,‖ said Burnett. ―I think he‘s learning how to play with a big frame. We play on an Olympic-size ice, so you can‘t hide. His skating has never been an issue. Everybody can get a little quicker off the mark or in a change of direction, but as his fitness and strength continue to develop as he moves into the pro game he‘ll get a little quicker. I don‘t see it as something that will keep him from being a successful pro.‖

Hansen hit on Hossa: Vigneault ‗got a chuckle‘ out of suspension for suddenly dastardly Dane

By JASON BOTCHFORD, The Province

DALLAS — Although Marian Hossa may play his next game, Jannik Hansen will not.

The Dane is out tonight in Dallas with a one-game suspension, a decision head coach Alain Vigneault essentially called a joke.

Vigneault said he ―got a chuckle‖ watching Brendan Shanahan‘s explanation. In other words, he‘s laughing at you, NHL.

The NHL‘s suspension, however, does suggest the league is taking head shots seriously. Sometimes, anyway.

Hossa being back on the ice today, of course, suggests otherwise. Sure seems reckless, dangerous and careless that he‘s back so soon after being knocked unconscious. More careless than Hansen‘s hit?

But maybe Hossa breezed through his concussion protocol in a couple of days, instead of a week.

―Doesn‘t surprise me,‖ Hansen said of Hossa being back. ―I should probably stay out of that one.‖

The biggest issue for Hansen is his sullied record. He would now be viewed as a repeat offender.

―You‘re trying to play an honest game and play the right way and not step too far over the line,‖ Hansen said.

―I‘ve never been suspended. I‘ve never had any incidents. I‘ve played here for five or six years. I didn‘t have anything in the minors.

―It bothers me you have that on your record now. I‘m not going to change my game in any way. I‘m still going to play the same way as always.

―But again, I have that on there now. They can look back at it if something happens in the future.‖

Hansen said he got no special explanation, just an email, and he saw the video Shanahan produced.

Taking Hansen‘s place on the second line will be Zack Kassian, who is looking to bounce back after a string of games in which he played like he was on an all-inclusive vacation in Cancun.

It was Kassian who just stopped playing in Vancouver Friday when the Stars‘ Brenden Dillon glided by him and scored the winner for Dallas.

Kassian said he‘s excited about the opportunity to play on the second line again. He was set to start on the fourth. The Canucks are hoping that excitement means he‘ll actually skate in this one.

―The huge thing for me is I have to be good defensively. There‘s been a couple of defensive miscues for me,‖ Kassian said. ―I have to get back to refocusing.

―Obviously, that [game winner against] Dallas, I‘d like back. And there‘s been some turnovers for me at the blueline. It seems like when you‘re struggling and not scoring, you make those mistakes and they end up in your net.‖

Kassian laughed at the suggestion Hansen would intentionally try to hit Hossa, which was the gist of Shanahan‘s explanation, though he didn‘t come out and say it.

―We all know Jannik. He couldn‘t hurt a fly if you laid it out there for him,‖ Kassian said. ―He‘s not a very aggressive person. He‘s tenacious on the ice, but he never means to hurt anyone.‖

After a sensational game against the Blackhawks, Cory Schneider returns to the net. He gave up those two brutal first goals against Dallas in Vancouver Friday. Vancouver has now lost three in a row.

―We have sort of to right the ship and stop the slide we‘re on,‖ Schneider said. ―We have to stop talking and produce a full 60-minute effort.

―That top line they have is just fast and skilled, they seem to slow down the game to their speed. [Jaromir] is still so strong down low he can carry a couple of guys on his back. When they get going they‘re hard to stop.

―But last game it really was their depth which hurt us: The guys who were crashing the net, going for loose pucks and just putting pucks on net.‖

Kesler struggles but Canucks hold on for win over Stars

DAVID EBNER, The Globe and Mail

Ryan Kesler has been back on the ice for the Vancouver Canucks for four games, a week. It has been hardly a brilliant stretch of hockey for the team. Kesler has been burners on, yes, but erratically impressive, and at times not impressive at all.

In Dallas on Thursday night, with the Canucks leading 4-2 in the third period, after going into the period tied 2-2 with the Stars, Kesler bobbled the puck right in front of his own net, letting it slip away, and Brendan Morrow banged it in to get the Stars within one. Kesler saw the goal from his knees, his face lifted, frustrated.

Given that Kesler dealt with an extended convalescence to heal an injured left shoulder and wrist, starting with surgeries last summer – and missed the first quarter of this shortened season – missteps can be expected. He has been strong, too, often playing well defensively and eating up minutes against opponent‘s best players – and has three points in his four games back, including an assist on the Canucks‘ first goal on Thursday.

Against Dallas, Kesler‘s mistake was absolved, as the Canucks held on to win 4-3, sucking up the last two minutes on a keep-the-puck away on a power play. The win lifted their record to 9-3-4 and was the first W since Kesler‘s return.

Kesler‘s first game was last Friday in Vancouver, when the Canucks blew a 3-1 lead to the Stars, losing 4-3, with Kesler on the ice for the last two goals. Then there were two shootout losses, so Thursday night‘s win, for Kesler and the team, was a welcome salve for a short losing skid.

After the game, Kesler said he felt flashes of his old self percolate, and maybe even starting to coalesce, but it will take more time. And he was relieved his third-period mistake didn‘t cost his team.

―It was a tough bounce on that last one, completely my fault, bad luck, whatever you want to chalk it up to,‖ said Kelser in the locker room. ―But I thought tonight, on the

whole, my game‘s coming around. I felt -- I saw glimpses – I felt like I was coming into my own again.‖

For Dallas, it is the opposite, knocking the fledgling team to 8-8-1, and on Thursday the team again missed injured goaltender Kari Lehtonen, instead leaning Cristopher Nilstorp – playing his third NHL game. Nilstorp booked his third loss.

Vancouver, without Kesler, opened the year 8-2-2, but even if Kesler‘s return has been uneven, he has filled what was something of a gaping hole. One of the clearest indicators was the Sedin twins.

When Kesler plays, he is a defensive stalwart, generally taking on the best players the other team has to put on the ice, so the Sedins are free to ply their trade against weaker competition. When Kesler was gone, and the Sedins often had to take on other team‘s first lines, take a look: In 12 games, the Canucks fared well, but the Sedins were so-so. Daniel had 10 points in the dozen games, and Henrik eight, and not a single goal.

In the past four games, with Kesler on the ice, the Sedins have combined for 14 points. On Thursday, Henrik scored what proved to be the winner, a give-and-go with Alex Burrows, with Daniel booking the second assist. The play in this case came against the Stars‘ first line, so it‘s not as if the Sedins can‘t play against the best, but it helps the twins that Kesler is back.

Before the game, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said there has to be patience for Kesler, and also the newly returned David Booth, who played his second game Thursday. The two step into a season in full thrall.

―We‘re going to give them time to find their game,‖ Vigneault said.

But in a shortened season, time is tight. The win in Dallas buoys Vancouver, but it is the first of three games in four nights and is part of a four-games-in-six-nights roadtrip, which began with a whimper Tuesday in Chicago.

A bigger test than Dallas comes in Nashville Friday, and then there‘s Detroit on Sunday. Kesler will have to find his true form, fast.

Canucks fans in the Lone Star State

DAVID EBNER, The Globe and Mail

Njeri Sims is from Brooklyn. Vanessa Guadiana is from Detroit. The two young women live in Dallas. And they love – no, they are obsessed with – the Vancouver Canucks.

Sims has a Roberto Luongo jersey. Guadiana owns a Cory Schneider jersey. The two joke it makes sense, since Sims is 30, and Guadiana is 26. Guadiana first fell for the Canucks in 2007 when she saw Luongo‘s emotional reaction after giving up a playoff-series winning goal to Anaheim. Sims, a couple years later, came to love the vibe of the team, Luongo and the rest.

The two women forged a friendship over their shared love.

―We want coach‘s autograph,‖ said Sims of Canucks‗ chief Alain Vigneault, wearing her Canucks earrings at a rink in the Dallas suburbs where the two fans had followed their heroes to watch them practice on Wednesday afternoon. ―We love coach.‖

What the?

It was much the same question some of the Canucks wondered as they wandered in the Ritz-Carlton lobby midday Wednesday, ahead of practice, a day before a match against the Stars.

Winger Chris Higgins joked, ―Am I in Dallas?‖ Higgins and his teammates much more used to the cauldron of hockey fandom back in Vancouver. Road trips, while a grind of games across time zones crammed into short spans, provide something of a physic relief, the chance to go unrecognized and unnoticed.

But two fans is not two dozen – and the women were alone in their devotion. There was no crowd or crush of Canucks love in Dallas. Sims and Guadiana had the run of the place, at the hotel and the practice rink. They had their jerseys signed by the namesake goalies. They radiated in the proximity.

Guadiana is a truck driver and had a couple days off. Sims works as a saleswoman at a home remodelling company and booked the days off work. They have, obviously, tickets to the Thursday night game. Sims – the Luongo fan – has a sign ready, one that geographically references Vancouver, not Dallas: ―Stay.‖

Like most intense fans, it gets a bit nerdy. Guadiana, whose height does not far exceed five feet, doesn‘t look like a truck driver. She might not look like a hockey fan, either. She bought her Schneider jersey in Lloydminster, that town straddling the Alberta and Saskatchewan border.

And she, somewhat shyly, pulls out a NHL-branded coiled notebook with detailed rundowns of all the games, the scores, scorers, goals and assists, time of goals, and the like. She has a ―mascot,‖ too, dubbed Pierre, a stuffed toy moose in a Montreal Canadiens jersey. She watches all the games. ―Yeah, of course.‖

The pair‘s Dallas go-to is Christie's on McKinney Avenue, a street with a stretch of bars north of downtown. Frankie‘s has all the satellite channels and a bartender with a penchant to switch at least one TV over to Canada‘s west coast team when beseeched by two Dallas locals in Vancouver jerseys.

―My family is crazy about the Red Wings,‖ said Guadiana of her relations back home in Detroit. ―I love them too – but I love the Canucks.‖

Canucks escape Dallas with win By Sports Network

DALLAS - Henrik Sedin's goal in the third period proved to be the winner as Vancouver took a 4-3 win over Dallas on Thursday.

Kevin Bieksa, Jason Garrison and Alexandre Burrows each posted a goal for the Canucks, who snapped a three-game slide. Cory Schneider made 22 saves in the victory.

Brenden Morrow had a goal and an assist while Jamie Benn and Michael Ryder also scored for the Stars, who have lost three of their last four games. Cristopher Nilstorp gave up all four goals on 22 shots in the loss.

"I thought he made some good saves," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said of Nilstorp. "I think there was maybe one there that he would have played a little differently. He gave us a chance and I thought he was okay."

With the score tied in the third, Vancouver went ahead on Garrison's second goal of the year, a slapper from the left point that beat Nilstorp at the 2:32 mark.

Less than two minutes later, the Canucks made it a 4-2 game on a 2-on-1 break. Sedin and Burrows skated in on the break and went back and forth with the puck before Sedin tapped it in from the right side for his second of the season.

Dallas came right back to make it a one-goal game after Ryan Kesler lost the puck right in front of his net and Morrow slammed home the gift to make it a 4-3 game.

The Stars had a power play later in the third, but were unable to capitalize and the Canucks were able to kill off the final two minutes in the Dallas end after Derek Roy was whistled for hooking with 2:01 to play.

Dallas scored just 35 seconds in when Benn got the puck and danced through the slot before firing a shot from the low right side that banged off a post and went in.

Vancouver got it back on the power play at the 8:29 mark of the first when Alexander Edler sent a shot on net from the left point that Burrows tipped in.

The Stars again took a lead at the 2:39 mark of the second when Ryder backhanded a shot past Schneider from the slot for his fifth of the season.

Bieksa, though, tied it less than five minutes later on a breakaway that saw him skate behind the defense and sneak a low backhand between the pads of Nilstorp.

"Really happy with the way we responded," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said of his team coming from behind. "We were able to stick to the plan and after two periods we had a tie game. It was one of those hard fought games."

GAME NOTES

Dallas hosts San Jose on Saturday ... Vancouver plays in Nashville on Friday ... Dallas had taken a 4-3 win in Vancouver on Feb. 15 ... Vancouver went 1- for-5 on the power play while Dallas was 0-for-5.

THIRD-PERIOD GOALS SEND CANUCKS OVER STARS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS -- The Vancouver Canucks used a third-period rally to stop their losing streak.

Jason Garrison and Henrik Sedin scored third-period goals to help the Canucks overcome a 2-1 second-

period deficit en route to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Alex Burrows and Kevin Bieksa also scored for the Canucks, who ended a three-game losing streak (0-1-2),

including a 4-3 decision to the Stars in which they squandered a 3-1 lead in Vancouver on Feb. 15.

"I think it was important for our team to put together a better two-way effort and I thought we did that

tonight," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "Even though we started off on our heels a little bit, I thought

the guys responded after that."

And despite giving up the first goal just 35 seconds into the game, Cory Schneider bounced back and made

22 saves for the win.

"It's never good to give up a goal in the first minute of the game, so it was good to show some resilience

and we didn't crack under that," Schneider said. "It was nice to sort of return the favour and come back on

them a couple of times in their building."

Jamie Benn, Michael Ryder and Brenden Morrow scored for Dallas, which lost for the third time in its past

four games.

"I thought that we had chances to get ahead and maybe stay ahead, but we didn't convert," Dallas coach

Glen Gulutzan said. "But overall, I thought that our work ethic was strong tonight and we improved certainly

some of the things we've had for a couple of days in practice but it's a result-based business and we didn't

get the result."

Cristopher Nilstorp, who was recalled from AHL Texas on Sunday, stopped 18 shots.

"I think we played a really good game. The guys battled hard," said Nilstorp, who is 0-3-0 in his first three

NHL starts. "This is a game where you deserved points, but this is hockey and sometimes you play well but

you don't get the points, and this is one of those games. It's kind of frustrating."

The Canucks broke a 2-2 tie by scoring twice within a 1:46 span early in the third period.

Garrison snapped the tie at 2:32 when his slap shot from the left point beat a screened Nilstorp over the

blocker for his second goal of the season, giving the Canucks their first lead of the game.

Henrik Sedin got his second of the season at 4:18, completing a pretty passing play with Burrows on a 2-on-

1 rush with an easy tap-in into an open net to make it 4-2.

Dallas pulled within one at 6:07 of the third, when Morrow stripped the puck off Ryan Kesler's stick in front

of the Canucks' goal and quickly swept it past Schneider for his fourth goal.

"Obviously that was a tough bounce on that last one, it's completely my fault," said Kesler, who had two

assists. "Bad bounce, bad luck, whatever you want to chalk it up to, but I'll take credit for that one. I told

Schneids that one's on me."

The Stars had a late power-play opportunity when Bieksa was whistled for interference at 14:51, but Dallas

was unable to muster a shot on goal during the advantage.

A Derek Roy hooking penalty with 2:01 remaining effectively negated any chance Dallas had at mounting a

late comeback.

"Well, we just wanted to get that (equalizer)," said Benn, who has five goals in the past eight games.

"They're not easy to score, those goals. We kind of take a penalty in there and shoot ourselves in the foot."

Benn put the Stars on top just 35 seconds into the opening period with a spectacular goal, his fifth of the

season.

After picking up the puck at the left point, Benn stickhandled his way through four Canucks, working his way

to the right side of the crease before lifting a wrist shot through a tiny opening over Schneider's shoulder.

"He's such a dangerous player," Schneider said. "He's unpredictable, you don't know if he's going to shoot or

make a move like that."

Vancouver tied it at 1 on Burrows' power-play goal at 8:29. Seconds after Daniel Sedin clanked a one-timer

off the crossbar, Burrows camped out in front of the net and managed to deflect Alexander Edler's shot from

the left point past Nilstorp.

Ryder's fifth of the season -- and first in nine games -- pushed the Stars back in front at 2:39 of the second.

Just seconds after Nilstorp made a nice pad save on David Booth's wrist shot, the Stars raced down the

other end and Ryder wound up with the puck in the slot. His backhand found its way through a screen in

front and beat Schneider through the pads.

The Canucks tied it again at 7:05 when Bieksa notched his fifth goal. With the teams skating 4-on-4, Bieksa

beat the Stars' defence, held off a poke-check attempt from Philip Larsen and slid a backhand through

Nilstorp's pads.

"It was a bad goal, that second one. Everyone could see that," said Nilstorp. "But you have to move on and

focus on the next shot."

Each goaltender made outstanding saves later in the second to keep the game at 2-2. Schneider made a

nice skate save on Benn at 12:55 and Nilstorp denied Burrows' breakaway attempt at 17:35.

I saw him at the side, thought maybe he would tip it and sure enough, he pulls it," Schneider said.

"Somehow I swung my leg around and got a toe on it. It was a little bit of luck, but I was able to stay with

him."

Notes: Canucks LW Jannik Hansen served his one-game suspension for his roughing penalty that knocked

Chicago's Marian Hossa out of their game on Tuesday. ... Dallas outshot the Canucks 25-22, marking the

fifth time in its past six games Dallas outshot its opponent. The Stars had been outshot in each of their first

11 games. ... Former Dallas G Marty Turco was honoured before the game for being voted to the franchise's

all-time team and received a standing ovation.

CANUCKS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS AGAINST PREDATORS

The Sports Network

(Sports Network) - The Vancouver Canucks will hope to slow down Shea Weber and the Nashville Predators when they

travel to Music City for Friday's battle at Bridgestone Arena.

Vancouver was able to halt a three-game skid with a win Thursday in Dallas. The Canucks had been stuck in an 0-1-2

slump that came on the heels of a season-best six-game winning streak.

Henrik Sedin's goal in the third period proved to be the game-winner in Thursday's 4-3 decision over the Stars. The score

was tied at 2-2 heading into the third period, but Vancouver received goals from Jason Garrison and Sedin in the first five

minutes of the final stanza before holding on for the one- goal victory.

Kevin Bieksa and Alexandre Burrows each added a goal for the Canucks, while Cory Schneider made 22 saves in the

victory.

"Really happy with the way we responded," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said of his team coming from behind. "We were

able to stick to the plan and after two periods we had a tie game. It was one of those hard fought games."

Canucks forward Jannik Hansen sat out Thursday's contest due to a one-game suspension for hitting Chicago's

Marian Hossa with an elbow to the back of the head in Tuesday's 4-3 loss. Hansen, who has just four penalty minutes in 15

games this season, is eligible to return on Friday.

Vancouver is playing the third segment of a four-game road trip that's set to end Sunday in Detroit. The Canucks are 4-1-2

as the visiting team on the season.

The All-Star defenseman went without a goal in his first 14 games of the season before scoring in three straight contests.

Weber has three goals and two assists over that stretch and now has seven points on the season.

Weber helped Nashville end a two-game slide on Tuesday as he scored 44 seconds into overtime to give the Predators a 4-

3 victory over the visiting Detroit Red Wings.

"He's scored in three straight games here for us," said Nashville head coach Barry Trotz about Weber. "He's a great talent

for us and once he gets going it's really tough to stop him."

Weber added an assist on Craig Smith's first-period tally, while Colin Wilson recorded a pair of helpers to aid in the

Predators halting a two-game skid. Gabriel Bourque and Roman Josi also had goals for Nashville, which received 26 saves

out of goaltender Pekka Rinne as well.

The Predators played Tuesday without forward Paul Gaustad and he is expected to sit out Friday's contest as well.

The Preds have won four of the last seven meetings against the Canucks, but Vancouver has taken seven of the previous

10 encounters in Music City.

Nashville is 4-1-3 as the host this season.