February 21, 2015
steve laidlaw
2015-02-21
Kassian on the top line, Malcolm Subban’s debut, Anaheim’s line shuffle and more…
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No Alexandre Burrows for the Canucks last night. He was absent with a lower-body injury. That meant a glorious opportunity for recent healthy scratch Zack Kassian. He skated just 13:47 but was on the top line with the hot Sedins. Two goals for Kassian as a result.
I'd love to sell you this as something to run with but I can't. I just don't believe in Kassian at this point. He's had cameos on the top line before and it's never stuck. Why would this time be different?
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Three assists for Adam Larsson last night. Last time I mentioned Larsson he was in the midst of a run with six points in eight games. He has scored in just two of 10 games since but has five points in those 10 games. Seems like consistency is still an issue here.
Don't get me wrong, I love the flashes we are seeing here. Larsson is seeing regular minutes and is putting up some solid numbers. I'm still waiting for the power play time to come consistently. I won't fully believe until that flips.
We are still waiting on Damon Severson to return from injury so a big part of me is skeptical that Larsson will ever get the consistent power play time he needs when there are players better suited for the job in house.
Another contender for those power play minutes is Eric Gelinas. He has mostly been a healthy scratch under Lou's three-headed monster of a coaching staff but has skated in the past four games. His ice time has been under 20 in all of those games but he has two power-play points to his name.
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15 GETZLAF,RYAN – 19 MAROON,PATRICK – 21 PALMIERI,KYLE
13.52%
EV
7 COGLIANO,ANDREW – 67 RAKELL,RICKARD – 33 SILFVERBERG,JAKOB
12.46%
EV
17 KESLER,RYAN – 10 PERRY,COREY – 12 SMITH-PELLY,DEVANTE
7.83%
EV
14 BOURQUE,RENE – 18 JACKMAN,TIM – 44 THOMPSON,NATE
6.76%
EV
14 BOURQUE,RENE – 17 KESLER,RYAN – 10 PERRY,COREY
4.98%
EV
18 JACKMAN,TIM – 12 SMITH-PELLY,DEVANTE – 44 THOMPSON,NATE
I don't hate it. Of course, Ryan Getzlaf–Corey Perry is a duo for the ages but if breaking them up gets multiple lines scoring again, then you do what you've got to do.
The trio of Patrick Maroon, Kyle Palmieri and Getzlaf was the Ducks' most productive line so keep an eye out for those three. It sure feels like Maroon has been productive any time he has been given top line minutes. Unfortunately, Bruce Boudreau is as fickle as they come with lineup changes so getting those opportunities has been sporadic for Maroon. Just not someone you can rely upon when the minutes aren't coming consistently.
One goal and seven shots for Palmieri is certainly notable as well.
The Ducks got Hampus Lindholm back after a brief hiatus. He only scored a goal and an assist and went plus-four on the night.
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Did Bob Hartley pull a fast one and try to showcase Curtis Glencross at the end of last night's game? Of his 53 seconds of power play time last night, 47 of them came on their final power play with less than three minutes left in a three-goal game. Glencross did notch an assist, which may endear him to potential suitors.
I don't really believe that this was a calculated move by Hartley but how cohesive would that Flames organization be if they did get Hartley to buy into something like that. Oh, the game's essentially over? Why not run this guy we are trying to trade for some extra minutes? If you can get everyone on the same page like that, you've got a chance for a lot of success.
Again, not saying that that's what happened here. Just admiring the beauty of it if it was calculated.
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Shutout win for Devan Dubnyk against his former team the Edmonton Oilers. Where would they be if they had this version of Dubnyk? Irrelevant because they don't and it took a revolutionary technique to get Dubnyk to this level so it is unlikely they ever would have gotten him to this level had they hung onto him.
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Make sure you check out Brendan Ross' latest prospect ramblings.
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Justin Bourne sits down for five questions with Paul Bissonette.
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Oh no, Corey Crawford!