Katie Maximick

How fitting is it for the Canucks to wrap up their 11-day roadtrip on 11-11-11?

On a solemn day like Remembrance Day, I thought I would brighten things up with a lighter post to sum up the Canucks' roadtrip, which finishes tonight in Anaheim.

I present to you a collection of fun postcards from each city the Canucks visited in the past two weeks. Addresses have been blanked out to protect the privacy of those receiving these totally real and authentic pieces of mail.

The Canucks kicked off against their rivals in Calgary with a decisive 5-1 victory, scoring three goals in the first period and quickly dousing what excitement the Sea of Red had showed up with.

Unfortunately, the joy was sucked right out of that win when the Canucks stopped in Minnesota. Because of Luongo's dismal record of 3-9-2 at the Xcel Energy Center, Vigneault decided to start Cory Schneider. Much to the entire team's (and fan base's) dismay, the Canucks soon found out that it wasn't only Luongo who played poorly in Minnesota.

Schneider faced an onslaught of 45 shots and the team played one of their worst games in recent history, losing 5-1.

Still hurting from their beating in Minnesota, the Canucks jetted off to St. Louis to play the following night. Although their play was much improved against the Blues, the Canucks didn't have what it took to hold onto a lead.

TJ Oshie scored twice, and David Backes, an old friend of Ryan Kesler's, scored the third.

With two back-to-back losses nipping at their heels, the Canucks braved enemy territory to play their biggest rival, the Chicago Blackhawks. Canucks fans watched from home with bated breath, praying that their team wouldn't embarrass them in front of excited, blood thirsty Blackhawks fans.

Thankfully to the surprise of everyone, the Canucks came out of the gate like a team possessed, wholloping the Hawks 6-2 in their own arena. The Madhouse was quickly the Sadhouse, as the Canucks' powerplay finally got its groove back.

Toews, who often looks pensive and petulant anyway, looked even more so that night.

"Our power play, as usual of late, wasn't very good, the penalty kill too," Toews said. "But it went beyond that. We didn't play a very good game all around."

Some worried it would be hard for the Canucks to carry over the momentum from the win into Los Angeles. The Canucks had three full days off between games, but the rest didn't build up rust.

Salo, who had been off with a groin injury, made a triumphant return to the ice and opened scoring for Vancouver at the beginning of the first, followed by Ebbett and Rome (who actually had two goals, but a questionable call ruled one out).

All three goals for the Canucks were scored in the first, and slowly the Kings found momentum closing the Canucks' lead to one, but Luongo stood tall stopping 28 shots and the Canucks walked away with a 3-2 win.

Even Don Cherry was impressed.

The Canucks wrap up their roadtrip tonight in Anaheim. No one knows which Canucks team will show up tonight, the good, the bad or the ugly, but one thing's for sure: George Parros will be schooling the Canucks in the Movember campaign.

 

For many Canucks fans, the 2011/2012 season has kicked off like a bad nightmare. The Canucks are sitting fourth in the Northwest Division at 4-5-1, they’ve been shut out three times already and Roberto Luongo walks the streets of Vancouver, shunned like a leper.

But think of the big picture -- Vancouver's record this early into the season isn’t as scary as this: 

Seriously Chara, did you think being a 6’9” bunny for Halloween was a GOOD idea? Those poor children are never going to look at Easter the same. Way to go, Big Guy.

Anyway, back to the Canucks and this spoooooky start to the season.

Bieksa’s minus-9 rating is not only the worst on the team; it’s the worst in the NHL among defensemen.

"It's embarrassing,” he said yesterday, “Especially for someone who takes pride on playing other teams’ top lines and shutting them down."

Could it be that Bieksa’s critics are right? That he only performs well in the final year of his contract, then once re-signed, returns to mediocrity?

I think even his worst critics are hoping this isn’t the case. Talk about a nightmare.

And despite what appeared to be a stronger start this year, Ballard isn’t far behind at minus-7, and even Uncle Manny is minus-6! In the past three weeks the Canucks have been shut out three times, either due to a lack of finish by Vancouver’s forwards or, in Lundqvist’s case, a goalie completely shutting the door.

To sum things up, they can’t score, they can’t seem to defend against scoring and their goalies are either hung out to dry or manage to hang themselves.

The entire team knows it has to step up, and soon, before Canucks fans take to the streets with pitchforks and torches to hunt them all down like Frankenstein's monster.With this city, even this Halloween metaphor isn’t that far from the truth.

"It's good the Capitals are coming to town,” said Henrik Sedin about tonight’s game. “It'll bring everyone up to the level we need to be at. If not, it'll be embarrassing.”

Right now the Canucks are looking like the main character in a horror movie, the one who runs up the stairs in the house, while everyone watching is yelling, “No, you idiot!”

But the thing is, despite the audience’s fear for the main character early on in the movie, the hero always triumphs in the end.

You see what I’m getting at, Canucks fans?

What needs to happen here is someone on the team (or everyone, whichever) needs to revive their inner 1996-era Neve Campbell, turn off the phone, turn on their attackers (critics) and shoot the bad guy.

Like anyone watching a horror flick run its course, Canucks fans just have to clutch their blankets, hold on tight to loved ones and hope that their favourite character comes out alive in the end.

At least the already-infamous Kesler Pumpkin is lightening the mood around here. Talk about a scandalous squash.

Enjoy tonight's game, and have a great Halloween weekend!