NEXT GENERATION
Third- line centre connects for two goals in another star- worthy performance
Henrik and Daniel Sedin watch with their kids during the Vancouver Canucks’ annual Super Skills competition at Rogers Arena on Sunday. The Sedins were shut out of the top events as Keith Ballard won the fastest skater event, Sami Salo won hardest shot and Alex Burrows took home top prize in the shooting accuracy competition.
Cody Hodgson is turning the conversation about his ice time into one about his candidacy for National Hockey League rookie of the year.
The 21- year- old Vancouver Canuck freshman netted another winning goal Saturday, leading the Canucks past the San Jose Sharks 4- 3 in a frantic and entertaining finish at Rogers Arena.
Hodgson’s goal, his second of the game, was admittedly a fluke as his pass attempt to linemate Mason Raymond glanced off Shark forward Michal Handzus before slithering past Antti Niemi with 4: 17 remaining in the game.
“A lucky bounce,” Hodgson said modestly. “I knew Mason was going to the other side of the net and I just tried to throw it there as quickly as possible. It worked out okay.”
Two weeks earlier, Hodgson netted a far prettier goal when he ripped an unscreened slapper past Vezina Trophy winning goalie Tim Thomas in Boston. A month ago in Montreal, he scored once in regulation plus the shootout winner on Carey Price. In all three games, he was named first star.
Hodgson now has 29 points, and based on Sunday’s stats, he stood fourth in rookie scoring behind injured Edmonton Oiler Ryan Nugent- Hopkins, New Jersey’s Adam Henrique and Philadelphia’s Matt Read. Granted, The Nuge was running away with the Calder Trophy until his shoulder injury but part of being successful is being durable.
Hodgson, for all his back woes of two seasons ago, hasn’t missed a game this season and has settled nicely into his role as Vancouver’s third- line centre and second- unit power play pivot. He has nine points in the month of January with two games remaining, the next one Tuesday against the Oilers.
“Cody has definitely stepped up his game,” said Raymond, who assisted on both Hodgson goals. “He definitely deserves to be here and I hope he continues to have really good success.”
Hodgson’s contribution was sorely needed Saturday as the Sedin line with Alex Burrows had another mediocre outing and was blanked by the Sharks. Second- liners Ryan Kesler and David Booth also stepped into the fray, each scoring once. Kesler’s was a beauty rush down the left wing.
“That’s part of being able to win in such a competitive league,” said Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault. “You need contributions from all sources and, when Hank’s line isn’t able to produce, you have to get it from somewhere else, whether it’s the back end or the other three lines.
“With Cody, when the season started, I think our whole group felt we had a young player with a tremendous amount of upside. He’s worked real hard. His attitude, his understanding of the game and his understanding of where he needs to be better is what is going to get him to be the best player he can be.”
Saturday’s victory ended the Canucks’ two- game winless slide and was also the 212th for netminder Roberto Luongo in a Vancouver uniform, which eclipsed Kirk Mclean’s franchise mark for regular- season triumphs. Luongo is in his sixth season with the Canucks. Mclean played 10 ½ years.
“We’ve had some pretty good teams since I’ve been here,” Luongo said. “Hopefully there will be many more wins.”
Another notable happening Saturday was the continuing emergence of Battlin’ Keith Ballard, who dropped the gloves for the second straight game. Hardly a heavyweight at 5- 11, Ballard stayed in his size class and went with the Sharks’ Joe Pavelski. He fought Colin Fraser of the L. A. Kings last Tuesday. In both bouts, Ballard earned the decision.
He shrugged off the suggestion he was merely fighting to stay in the lineup as the Canucks will have three extra defencemen once Sami Salo returns from his concussion.
“I don’t know if I’m tough enough to make a statement if I fight,” Ballard said. “Sometimes it happens, right? Both were different situations.
“The other night, there wasn’t much going on in the game and we were pretty flat and the guy asked me to fight earlier. This one was a heat of the moment kind of thing. Sometimes things boil over. Pavelski was upset and asked me to fight.
“For me, it’s not necessarily fighting but getting them a little bit irritated. Then if you have to fight, you have to fight.”
Ballard’s best punch was a left uppercut that shook Pavelski. He denied the left was a secret weapon.
“He grabbed my right so I used my left,” Ballard smiled. “I have to try to get both of them in there and at least pretend I know what I’m doing.”
The only downer Saturday was Canuck special teams. The power play was a miserable looking 0- for- 4 and allowed Logan Couture to score shorthanded. The penalty killing was tested just once and failed to get the job done with Couture scoring there, too.