Canucks looking for lost offence
Don't ask Todd Bertuzzi why Vancouver can't score lately, because he'll tell you: "I don't have an answer for the goal scoring." Fair enough.
(posted Apr. 11, 7:44PM EDT)
VANCOUVER -- A Saskatchewan winter night can be cold. So can a spring wind when it blows off the Pacific Ocean.
Neither had the chill of Todd Bertuzzi's stare when asked Friday why the Vancouver Canucks have gone seven periods without scoring a goal.
"I don't have an answer for the goal scoring," Bertuzzi snapped in a frosty tone. "It comes and it goes.
"Sometimes you get a lot of goals and sometimes you don't get any goals."
If the Canucks hope to stick around in the NHL playoffs, they'd better thaw out their frozen scoring touch.
The Canucks were iced 6-0 in their own building by the St. Louis Blues in Thursday's opening game of the Western Conference quarter-final series. They were also blanked 2-0 by the Los Angeles Kings in the regular-season finale.
Count back to the second period of a 3-3 tie with the Phoenix Coyotes nine days ago and the Canucks have gone roughly 156 minutes without a goal.
Captain Markus Naslund said the Canucks lost their composure when they found themselves down 2-0 against the Blues with the game just two minutes old.
"After that we forced it," he said. "For us to be successful we have to take a deep breath and do what we have been throughout the year when we've been successful."
Naslund, who was overtaken for the league scoring lead on the final day of the season, admitted nerves took their toll in Game 1.
"I felt myself forcing stuff," he said. "The puck was bouncing on my stick, stuff that usually doesn't happen.
"After that I was a little frustrated."
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Saturday (CBC, 10 p.m. EDT)
The Canucks finished the regular season with 264 goals, second only to Detroit's 269.
Naslund was second in the league with 48 goals while Bertuzzi was third with 46. Between them, the line of Naslund, Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison scored 119 goals.
Against the Blues the trio managed just four shots on goal. Naslund had three and Morrison one.
The Blues' strategy in Game 1 was to use speed and muscle to beat the Canucks.
The St. Louis defence drew a curtain in front of the net, limited shots and virtually eliminated any rebounds.
The forwards also clogged the lanes, denying the Canuck forwards both time and space.
It was a pretty thing to watch said Blues goaltender Chris Osgood.
"I think they were getting frustrated and that has to do with not just our defence," said Osgood, who has a career record of 13-1-4 against Vancouver. "Our forwards coming back doesn't allow them any time at our blue-line, doesn't allow them any space."
Coach Marc Crawford said Vancouver must unravel the St. Louis puzzle quickly Saturday.
"Right from the get-go we have to be getting pucks at the net, doing things that allow you to score," said Crawford. "We're a very good offensive club. "It's not that these talents aren't there. They are there. They just have to make sure they have the habits that will allow them to come forth."<
Bertuzzi has gone six games without a goal. Morrison hasn't had a point during that stretch.
Naslund said its no secret that line must begin producing if the Canucks hope to overcome the Blues.
"We know we have to pick our game up," he said. "There's no other way around it.
"You have to produce if you're an offence line. It is a challenge for us."
Morrison said down the stretch the line might have been concentrating too much on helping Naslund reach the 50-goal plateau.
"Maybe our game changed a little bit at the end of the year when we were trying to hit the 50-mark," he said. "Our job is to provide offence and we haven't been doing it the last couple of games.
"We have to really pick our game up."
The Blues were careful not to kick the Canucks while they were down.
"It's only one game," said defenceman Chris Pronger. "I'm sure they will come back with a better effort.
"We've got to be leery and make sure we pay attention to details and don't pick up bad habits. Just because it was a 6-0 game (Thursday) it doesn't mean tomorrow is going to be 6-0 again."
Vancouver's all-star defenceman Mattias Ohlund, out since Feb.27 with a knee injury, and cene Mats Lindgren, who has a bad back, both remain question marks for Saturday's game.
The series resumes Monday and Wednesday in St. Louis.