In case any NHL coaches read perb I thought I'd offer 10 suggestions of how to beat the Canucks in the playoffs.
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1. ferocious forechecking. The Canucks are given way too much time to set up. Rush them and they make mistakes.
2. Don't take stupid penalties. The strong Canuck PP will kill, even with tighter playoff checking.
3. Don't let the Sedins set up behind the net. gretzky was the king of setting up "in the office" behind the net, but The Sedins are also given too much space and time back there.
4. Stop the first line and you negate 80% of the Canucks scoring threat. Easier said than done, but Burrows is weak, so it's just The Sedins and defencemen stepping up yu really have to worry about.
5. More traffic in front of Luongo. With the nets being so small relative to the giant goalies like Luongo you are essentially trying to score against a plywood board with a couple of holes in it. The bigger goalies barely have to move. Screening and tips are the best way to score.
6.Getting Luongo off his game. Again, standing on him and blocking im, but without taking penalties. Degree of difficulty - 9.2.
7. Goad the dummies - draw retaliation penalties from the dumber players like Burrows, Lapierre and Samuelsson.
8. Stretch passes. Chicago has killed the Canucks with break-out strtch passes.
9. Adjusting during the game. depending on the team, the edge should usually go to the opponent. Vigneault has been outcoached every playoff series.
10. Hit the Bastards - This is the big one. The Caucks aren't big or tough. Pounding them tenderizes them. Again, the trick is not to take dumb penalties, but in the playoffs there is usually more tolerance and fewer calls.
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1. ferocious forechecking. The Canucks are given way too much time to set up. Rush them and they make mistakes.
2. Don't take stupid penalties. The strong Canuck PP will kill, even with tighter playoff checking.
3. Don't let the Sedins set up behind the net. gretzky was the king of setting up "in the office" behind the net, but The Sedins are also given too much space and time back there.
4. Stop the first line and you negate 80% of the Canucks scoring threat. Easier said than done, but Burrows is weak, so it's just The Sedins and defencemen stepping up yu really have to worry about.
5. More traffic in front of Luongo. With the nets being so small relative to the giant goalies like Luongo you are essentially trying to score against a plywood board with a couple of holes in it. The bigger goalies barely have to move. Screening and tips are the best way to score.
6.Getting Luongo off his game. Again, standing on him and blocking im, but without taking penalties. Degree of difficulty - 9.2.
7. Goad the dummies - draw retaliation penalties from the dumber players like Burrows, Lapierre and Samuelsson.
8. Stretch passes. Chicago has killed the Canucks with break-out strtch passes.
9. Adjusting during the game. depending on the team, the edge should usually go to the opponent. Vigneault has been outcoached every playoff series.
10. Hit the Bastards - This is the big one. The Caucks aren't big or tough. Pounding them tenderizes them. Again, the trick is not to take dumb penalties, but in the playoffs there is usually more tolerance and fewer calls.