This and That: O'Brien, Defensive Defensemen, Brodeur

So the Canucks begin December with a little eastern roadtrip starting off in New Jersey. It begins 15 games in 30 days for the month of December which includes one back to back game (on the road) and one 10:30am PT start time (in Carolina).

Wednesday's game against the Devils will be on TSN, while Thursday's game against the Flyers will be PPV. Strangely enough, two of the Christmas shopping days for ticket holders fall on those days where they have a game. It's kind of lame of the Canucks to make us choose to either watch the game or take a photo with Santa Fin instead.

Anyways, links about Canuck related things:

• O'Brien should get to play soon, either on Wednesday or Thursday because of the back to back games, with Schneider sitting out the game against the Flyers maybe? AV said to the press that O'Brien needs to play like Douglas Murray of the Sharks "There's a guy who, when he was on the ice, our guys knew it. He was physical, he was hard to play against. He was a guy, who if something happens on the ice you know he's going to be in there and he's going to defend his teammates," -AV to The Province
• Mirtle put together a list of the top 25 defensive defencemen in the NHL so far (a little past the quarter mark of the season). Christian Ehrhoff and Willie Mitchell come in on that list at #22 and #25 respectively.
• Brodeur was just named this past week's NHL second star of the week. Tommorrow's game could be great to watch for the goaltending alone. Brodeur and Luongo face each other in net on Wednesday for what is going to be the matchup of the starter and backup for Team Canada (with Fleury taking the 3rd goalie spot) (barring any crazy injuries or terrible play for either player).
  
• Even though New Jersey had a coaching change this past summer, don't expect their games to have gotten any more interesting to watch. Their new coach is former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire. Yes, the hated defensive style Minnesota coach. Does this help Brodeur look better in net? Oh maybe. Though what Brodeur has going for him on his resume that Luongo does not is Stanley Cups and lots and lots of playoff experience
• Brodeur just became an American citizen, actually dual citizen, but don't worry, he'll still play for Team Canada
  
• Jeff Vinnick is on the road with the Canucks to capture their Eastern roadtrip, check out his first set of photos here. I love the candid one of the Sedins having lunch (click to enlarge, photo from Canucks.com). Feel free to throw captions in the comments.
  

Shane O'Brien pokes Avery with stick, gets suspended

You knew it was coming. You knew that Shane was gonna get just for getting involved. You knew that Shane couldn't hold back from getting involved.

But is was great to watch non?

So Shane will miss the 1st game in Minnesota of the 5 game roadtrip that the Canucks have left on.

Sometimes when I see him getting involved I just have to shake my head. I don't want him to end up in AV's doghouse again, but he just can't help himself. He was already sequestered to glue his ass to the bench after taking a double-minor penalty late in the second period. Then, he thought it would be a good idea to poke Avery with his hockey stick from his bench! Aaaaah! And on the video, you see AV having to restrain him from jumping off the bench.

"You never want to be suspended and I don't think it deserves one, but I'll take my punishment," said O'Brien, who won't be eligible to play Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild.

"I got sucked in a little bit. Avery was chirping and he cross-checked me in the first period for no reason.

"He was saying stuff to [Darcy] Hordichuk on the bench before it happened and I just felt that was over the line. I just let my emotions take over. It was a heated point of the game and it was getting a little physical." -The Province

He crossed the line because Avery was saying something about Hordichuck??? Seriously?!?!?!

Oh, it really doesn't stop there. O'Brien was like a quote machine today.

"I know there was part of me that wanted to hop the boards and get in it," said O'Brien. "And I know Hordi did too and Ryp [Rick Rypien] was licking his chops. But you've got to be controlled."-The Province

I just keep picturing Rypien licking his chops, can you?

Anyways, the Rangers have been fined $10 000 and Dane Byers (who picked a fight with Tanner Glass in the last 5 minutes of the game) has been suspended 1 game as well.

Quick contract stuff about O'Brien, Raycroft and Wellwood

Sorry for the lack of stuff going on here....I spent an amazing 3 days up in the Okanagan this weekend with no internet. This weekend had great friends, campfires, lots and lots of wine tasting...oh and sun! Just a few quick things today, since my brain is not functioning properly from my exhaustion.



















Guess what happened today? Shane O'Brien agreed to a 1 year contract extension! Wooo! The contract is worth 1.6 million. There were a few times this season that I thought that SOB's time was over as a Canuck...such as when he was in Vigneault's doghouse or the times he was yapping to the media about his discontent. But the Canucks were patient and didn't trade him... and he even got his first goal as a Canuck!

The Canucks also signed Andrew Raycroft...so we shall see what this means for Cory Schneider, whether he'll be traded or competing with Raycroft to be the backup. Whatever happens, the contract was super cheap at $500, 000.

And, Wellwood has filed for salary arbitration.

Shane O'Brien and his sometimes yappy visage...

I missed this until today, but Tony Gallagher, who doesn't often praise people, instead doing a great job criticizing them, wrote this column about Shane O'Brien.

O'Brien has the edge Gillis wanted to see on show with a vengeance in the stunning first period of Game two, the 235-pounder throwing his body around like it was made of iron. In what was probably the finest period he’s ever played, O'Brien made hit after hit on every shift, punishing Blues forwards in what is going to turn into a war of attrition if the Blues can ever get anything past Luongo.

“Other than the two penalties, yeah, it probably was,” said O'Brien when asked if he’d just played the best game of his life despite the fact it was just over 10 minutes of action, only Rick Rypien getting less time. “That first period, that game was the best game I've ever been involved in really. I mean this is my first year here but that really something. The atmosphere was awesome. I mean you have to give it to the fans for that. All year the fans have been good but people have been telling me ‘wait until playoffs, wait until playoffs.’ Well they were right. The noise, just awesome.”

I have been a big fan of O'Brien since his trade from the Tampa to Vancouver. Even with being in AV's doghouse for the penalties and his beaking to the media, I like him on the team. When Gillis didn't trade/have AV bench him after he acquired Vaananen, it showed the management's confidence in him. He's still young and could use some time to mature, but he will be effective in this year's run for the cup.

Is there too many cheesy/awful Bud Light commercials?

Oh dear god. You know which commercial I'm talking about. There's two versions floating around there. One on the cheesy graphics and one about replays. I can only imagine the anger that commercial will summon by the time the Stanley Cup final series rolls around. I've seen it 12 times now, only 326 more to go.

I'm a little late with a recap, so there will be none. I'm trying to get caught up with life, but there's just SO MANY GAMES! 5 hours a day...glorious.














First of all, please enjoy this rather, well, I'm a little at loss for words to describe this photo of Shane O'Brien and Darcy Hordichuk. Davison and Vaananen also find this moment a little funny.

Few thoughts on the Canucks game
-Kesler was ridiculous - 6 hits, 4 blocked shots, 3 shots on net and lots of hustle
-Clearly too many penalties. There was no flow to the game because of it. Henrik Sedin's offensive-zone hooking penalty...you know that was gonna be a killer
-Roberto Luongo - great game, best save of the night came on the 5 on 3 PK on McDonald
-Refs calling too many penalties
-Bernier had a great game
-Wellwood made hits! Wooo
-Rick Rypien
-Sundin needs to do more
-the 5 on 3 PK known on canucks.com as "The Kill" was huge. The Blues had 5 forwards on the PP. If you notice on the PP later, the coach switched to 3 forwards and 2 defencemen, guess he didn't like what he saw from the first period.

Some Links
-KB - Tell's you about the Blues' mascot...and his blue b....
-Nucks Misconduct snipes this prank on Vaananen:
"Ossi Vaananen’s name plate in his locker stall had been replaced with former Canuck Esa Tikkanen. - via Canucks Report"
-PD has a story on how some fans were trying to write in TJ Oshie for mayor. And one actually wrote it on their ballot. And then took a photo of it. And is not in some legal trouble. For real.

Around the NHL
-The Calgary/Chicago game looked a like a regular season game. Did not have the same hustle that the Vancouver or San Jose/Anaheim game has
-the NHL suspended Carcillo for a game for the butt-ended hit on Talbot at the end of the game

1 win down. 15 to go.

Shane O'Brien scores....On his own net...

So apparently not everyone has seen this yet. There's not much to talk about here. The game had a weird vibe the entire night. Nothing went right.

Shane O'Brien get's his first goal as a Canuck. And like the title says, yet in his own net. Viktor Tikhonov get's credit for it, and is also the player going to the penalty box. This has never happened in hockey history before. Well at least it was momentous.



But Canuck fans, rest assured, this was not the worst own goal ever. No, that is reserved for Ryan O'Bryne's own goal which TIED the game for the other team.