Bob Burns

Oilers VS Canucks

Ryan Smyth looks to continue his recent goal-scoring surge Monday when the Edmonton Oilers open a home-and-home series with the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place.

Smyth followed up his fifth career hat trick Thursday - in a franchise-record 2:01 span - with a two-goal effort in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. His power-play score late in the second period lifted the Oilers (3-1-0) into a 2-all tie, and he gave them the lead for good 20 seconds into the third when he deflected Jason Smith's shot past Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore.

"A lot of them are lucky goals and little flukes here and there," said Smyth, who has scored three of his five goals on the power play. "But at the end of the day we're getting wins."

Despite Smyth's goal-scoring flurry, Oilers coach Craig MacTavish is hoping for a better defensive effort in front of netminder Dwayne Roloson, who stopped 20 second-period shots and finished with 39 saves in all for his 100th career victory.

"I can't remember us getting many ugly wins like this while I've been coaching here," MacTavish added. "When you get an ugly win it's because of good goaltending. We got good goaltending tonight."

Smyth has 19 goals and 19 assists in 43 lifetime games against the Canucks, while Roloson has 10 wins, three shutouts and a 2.12 goals-against average in 21 starts and 25 career games versus Vancouver.

The Canucks (2-2-1) will look to snap a three-game winless streak and bounce back from Friday's 6-4 loss in their home opener to the San Jose Sharks. Markus Naslund matched Trevor Linden's franchise record with his 300th career goal, but Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo allowed a pair of third-period goals on breakaways that restored two-goal deficits.

"Not great at all," Luongo said of his 31-save effort. "Obviously I'm disappointed in my performance and disappointed for the fans. First home game and I didn't play very well. In the third I obviously didn't make the big save."

Vancouver's top line of Naslund - who has 23 goals and 50 points in 53 lifetime games against the Oilers - and the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, has accounted for seven of the team's 13 goals. Daniel Sedin has a team-high four goals and a point in all five games, while Henrik Sedin has seven assists.

The Canucks, though, are 1-for-15 (6.7 percent) on the power play in their last three games.

Canucks defenseman Sami Salo, who sat out Friday's game with a groin injury, is questionable for this game.

Edmonton, which went 6-1-1 against Vancouver last season, will host the back end of the home-and-home Tuesday night.

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Canucks 7-0 with the Sedins combining for 1 point. Fitzpatrick's first natural hat-trick will open the game followed by a four goal performance by call up Gordie Dwyer. Look for Luongo to make 14 saves overall...

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"and rember folk ALEXI KOLOAV IS NOT WAIVERS!!!" - thot to shar this

prucha_for_mvp

I predict a 6-0 schwacking by the Canucks. Bourdon scores his first goal from centre ice. Jan Bulis finally puts one in. Then Luongo scores the empty net goal. Pisani then gets bought out for being rediculousy over paid.

GO_NUCKS_24

http://www.forecaster.ca/thescore/ho...cgi?dailyslate
that not a very good third line
3 to 1 van wins

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Ilya Bryzgalov Score Interview

Bob Burns

No rest eh Amo?

Was the title that offensive? I mean come on, let us have our fun... please don't try and ruin a good forum...

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"and rember folk ALEXI KOLOAV IS NOT WAIVERS!!!" - thot to shar this

datsun260z

I think the Canucks will go down by 4 before FIN takes to the ice in which immeidately un-robes to expose Jarkko Ruutu ready to rock and roll.

He will score 4 to tie the game, in under 7 mins. Coach V will ask him

"Yarko! Please score another one?"

Jarkko will say "my god, Crow! you finally cut your hair!! Now let me have FIN's head back and I will get you your winning goal you old freak you".

:git:

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If common sense is so common, how come so few of us have it?

M.W.

I'm going to the game tomorrow, and if this doesn't happen, I will blame you.

TimmyTabasco

Canucks will return to Vino's system, and pull out with a win

I'm really not a fan of the Oilers, despise them to be honest

Lets hope the Canucks send Smyth back to Edmonton, with his mullet behind his ears

AtLossForWords

I second that to the next degree!

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Badat

Ah gotta love the hate Canucks fans have for winners. :haha:

I guess all that pent up bitterness stems from the idea that you had a great team and were supposed to win a cup but couldn't get passed the 2nd round of the playoffs most years. :haha: :0pouce:

kwings00

4-3 Nucks in o.t.

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"A winner in my opinion is a guy that goes out and gives it all he has, plays well, and shows up, and is a good teammate. There is a definite difference between being a winner and a champion. You don't control who is a champion, but you control being a winner."

-Steve Yzerman-