CANUCKS-FLAMES PLAYOFF COVERAGE IN SPORTS
The Canucks are feeling the pinch down 3-1 in the series against the Flames
CALGARY — On Tuesday night, the Calgary Flames took a 3-1 series lead with another comprehensive beat-down.
Eddie Lack was driven from the Vancouver net in the first period and the Canucks left Calgary looking like a defeated, disheartened crew.
The only way this day could have got any worse is if, say, it started at the morning skate with Alex Burrows being stretchered out of the Canucks locker-room to an ambulance and taken to a local hospital, but how could that ever happen? What’s that? Never mind then. The Canucks, who came into Calgary with the series tied 1-1 and eager to capitalize on their veteran poise and savvy, demonstrated neither quality as the younger, hungrier, more physical, more talented, more — OK, you get the picture — Flames de-pantsed Willie Desjardins’ team for the second straight game.
The Canucks fell behind 3-1 in the opening 20 minutes as the Flames scored two power-play goals but Sam Bennett’s goal late in the frame was the real kidney punch to the Canucks. It also led to Lack’s termination on this night.
Ryan Miller came on and kept the score at 3-1 but the two teams could still be playing and the Canucks would still be trying to solve the Flames defence. The Canucks produced 29 shots on Flames goalie Jonas Hiller and never put a dent in the home team’s confidence.
Game 5 is set for Vancouver on Thursday night, but let’s look at the bright side. At least there’s a whole day of goalie questions to look forward to now.
Come to think of it, the Canucks and Desjardins face more than a few lineup issues in this series, which has become a second-guesser’s delight. For Game 4, or maybe that should be Game Fore, the Canucks called up Sven Baertschi from Utica, then sat him in the press box as Brandon McMillan took Burrows’ place in the lineup and Linden Vey subbed in for Brad Richardson. Neither player had the desired effect but the Canucks’ issues run so much deeper than who plays on their third and fourth lines.
Their blue-line, for example, is a four-man fire drill once you get past the first pairing of Alex Edler and Chris Tanev, and Kevin Bieksa has been an ongoing liability this series.
The second line has also dried up like a prune with Radim Vrbata fading into oblivion.
As for the team game, the Canucks can’t keep up with the Flames’ speed. They can’t handle their physicality. And their offence is non-existent.
On the other hand, the Sedins’ ice time was back over 18 minutes and Miller did stop all 15 shots.
Burrows, meanwhile, appears to have suffered a fractured rib, an injury that was known to the Canucks, which makes him unlikely for Game 5. Game 6, you ask? It’s scheduled for Calgary on Saturday night if, as they say, it’s necessary.