Snow
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This may well have been the Canucks first
deserved win of the season. The team played excellent, sound hockey for 60 minutes,
and were rewarded with a 2-1 victory over last year's Stanley Cup runner-up. Garth
Snow came up with another spectacular performance, stopping 34 of 35 shots, including
numerous chances from dangerous Peter Bondra. Rookie Bill Muckalt scored his second
goal in as many games, and looked dangerous all night. Mark Messier also appears to
be playing his best hockey since being traded to Vancouver, regaining some of the
toughness that has been sorely lacking from his game for the past year. Messier got
a high sticking penalty at 18:32 of the third period which essentially negated any chance
of getting his 600th NHL goal via the empty net route (and it's likely better this way,
anyway). The team apparently was taken on a tour of Washington's war monuments at
the behest of coach Mike Keenan instead of a practice skate, and many players credited
this inspirational tour as a reason for the win. |