Thrash/k-nucks

[Aces High]

Atlanta Thrashers (20-31-5-4) at Vancouver Canucks (37-16-9-0), 10 p.m.

(Sports Network) - The red hot Vancouver Canucks will aim to extend their franchise-record unbeaten streak to 14 games this evening, when they host the Atlanta Thrashers at GM Place.

Vancouver is 9-0-4 in its last 13 games, without a loss since falling to Detroit on January 24. The Canucks added to their unbeaten run on Sunday with a 7-2 shellacking of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Markus Naslund scored twice to become the league's first 40-goal scorer and added two assists in the win over Columbus. Todd Bertuzzi also finished with a pair of goals and two assists for the Canucks, who won their fourth consecutive game.

Brendan Morrison added a goal and three assists for Vancouver, while Mats Lindgren and Trevor Letowski also scored goals. Dan Cloutier made 24 saves in the winning effort.

Vancouver is unbeaten (4-0-2) in its last six home games to improve to 17-9-5 at GM Place. The Canucks are 4-0-0 versus the Southeast Division and 10-3-1 against the Eastern Conference.

The Canucks' unbeaten streak has helped them hold off the hard-charging Colorado Avalanche in the Northwest Division. Vancouver owns an eight-point advantage over the Avs.

Atlanta is headed in the opposite direction with just a 1-4-2 mark in its last seven contests. The Thrashers did manage to skate to a 3-3 tie with the Edmonton Oilers, Yannick Tremblay and Dan Snyder scored third-period goals as Atlanta rallied to get a tie with Edmonton. Daniel Tjarnqvist also scored for the Thrashers in the deadlock. Dany Heatley posted a pair of assists in the contest as well.

Milan Hnilicka made 22 saves for Atlanta, moving to 1-10-1 between the pipes this season.

The Thrashers are winless (0-2-1) in their last three road tilts, falling to 9-16-2-2. Atlanta is 1-1-1-0 versus the Northwest Division and just 3-9-1-0 against the Western Conference.

Vancouver is unbeaten (2-0-1) in its last three meetings with Atlanta. The Canucks have won two straight at Atlanta.


2002-03 Head-to-head record First meeting
2001-02 Head-to-head record Vancouver 1-0 (1-0 at Atl; 0-0 at Van)
2000-01 Head-to-head record Vancouver 1-0-1 (1-0 at Atl; 0-0-1 at Van)
1999-00 Head-to-Head record Atlanta 1-0 (1-0 at Atl; 0-0 at Van)
Home Record Atlanta 11-15-3-2; Vancouver 17-9-5-0
Away Record Atlanta 9-16-2-2; Vancouver 20-7-4-0
Record vs. Northwest Division Atlanta 1-1-1-0
Record vs. Southeast Division Vancouver 4-0-0-0
Record vs. Western Conference Atlanta 3-9-1-0
Record vs. Eastern Conference Vancouver 10-3-1-0

2001-2002 Meetings
03/16 - Vancouver, 4-2 (at Atl)

2000-2001 Meetings
10/27 - Tied, 1-1 ot (at Van)
03/18 - Vancouver, 5-3 (at Atl)

Game Notes
Note - Vancouver is unbeaten (2-0-1) in the last three meetings.
Note - Vancouver has won two straight at Atlanta.
Note - Atlanta is 1-4-2 in its last seven games.
Note - Atlanta is winless (0-2-1) after winning its last four road games.
Note - Vancouver is unbeaten (9-0-4) in its last 13 games.
Note - Vancouver is unbeaten (4-0-2) in its last six home games.

 

[Aces High]

Vancouver's top line combined for five goals and seven assists Monday as the Canucks cruised to a 7-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, improving to 9-0-4 in their last 13 games.

Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 39th and 40th goals and added two assists, and Todd Bertuzzi also had four points to help Vancouver win its fourth straight game.

Brendan Morrison had a goal and three assists Sunday, extending his points streak to four games. Morrison has three goals and five assists during that stretch.

``I really can't explain it,'' Morrison said. ``It's a funny thing. You get one and your confidence soars and you feel like you can put them in any time you get a chance.''

The Canucks' run has vaulted them to within two points of Dallas for the top record in the league.

The Thrashers have cooled off of late, going 1-4-1 record over the last six games.

Yannick Tremblay and Dan Snyder scored late in the third period as Atlanta rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Edmonton 3-3 on Sunday.

``We were asleep for 40 (minutes) -- bottom line,'' Atlanta's Dany Heatley said. ``We came out, mixed the lines up a little bit in the third and played great, probably one of our best periods of the year.''

Heatley had two assists Sunday to raise his team-leading point total to 56. The 22-year-old left wing has 25 goals and is tied with Slava Kozlov for the team lead in assists with 31.

STANDINGS: Thrashers - 49 points, 5th place, 17 PB, Southeast Division. Canucks - 83 points, 1st place, Northwest Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Thrashers - Ilya Kovalchuk, 30 goals; Heatley and Kozlov, 31 assists; Heatley, 56 points; Jeff Odgers, 127 PIM. Canucks - Naslund, 40 goals and 77 points; Morrison, 38 assists; Bertuzzi, 116 PIM.

SPECIAL TEAMS (through Feb. 21): Thrashers - Power play: 17.9 percent (50 for 280), 7th (tied) in NHL. Penalty killing: 82 percent (214 for 261), 21st (tied). Canucks - Power play: 19.9 percent (63 for 317), 5th. Penalty killing: 85.6 percent (262 for 306), 7th (tied).

GOALTENDERS: Thrashers - Milan Hnilicka (1-10-1, 0 SO, 3.83 GAA); Frederic Cassivi (1-0-0, 0, 2.81). Canucks - Dan Cloutier (30-13-6, 1, 2.44); Peter Skudra (7-3-3, 1, 2.30).

2001-2002 SEASON SERIES: Canucks, 1-0.

LAST MEETING: March 16, 2002; Canucks, 4-2. At Atlanta, Mattias Ohlund's power-play goal with 11:19 left put the Thrashers ahead to stay as the Canucks snapped a seven-game winless streak.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS
Thrashers - 9-16-2-2 on the road
Canucks - 17-9-5-0 at home.

 

[Aces High]

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- The Vancouver Canucks put the NHL's longest unbeaten streak on the line Tuesday night when they host the Atlanta Thrashers.

Vancouver's last defeat was a 5-2 home decision to Detroit on January 24. Since that loss, the Canucks are unbeaten in a franchise-record 13 games (9-0-4) and have outscored their opponents, 41-25.

The streak is the longest in the NHL of the season, eclipsing the run of the Dallas Stars, who were unbeaten in 12 games (9-0-3) from December 27-January 22.

The top line of Todd Bertuzzi, Brendan Morrison and captain Markus Naslund has scored 18 goals during the streak. But the trio has scored in the same game just once during the run, which was extended with a 7-2 home win against Columbus on Sunday.

Bertuzzi, Morrison and Naslund combined for five goals and seven assists as all three tallied in the same game for the first time since November 30 and third time overall.

Naslund, who leads the NHL with 40 goals, had been held to one goal in his previous four games. Morrison's big night gave him eight points in his last four games and Bertuzzi had four points after managing just one assist in his previous four games following a 12-game points streak.

Center Trevor Linden, who earlier this season became the club's all-time leading goal-scorer, also added an assist, extending his points streak to six games.

The win moved the Canucks 21 games over .500 for the first time in club history and kept them eight points ahead of second-place Colorado in the Northwest Division.

After a quick start under new coach Bob Hartley, the Thrashers have cooled. They began his tenure at 7-2-2 but have won just once in their last seven games (1-4-2).

Atlanta is 0-1-1 on a season-high seven road trip.

The Thrashers continued their trip by rallying for a 3-3 tie at Edmonton on Sunday. Dany Heatley assisted on tallies by rookie Dan Snyder and defenseman Yannick Tremblay as Atlanta outshot the Oilers in the third period.

Heatley raised his team-leading point total to 56, but it was just his second multi-point game since the All-Star break.

The Canucks are 2-1-1 all-time against the Thrashers and are facing them for the first time since Naslund scored twice in a 4-2 road win on March 16.

 

[Aces High]

Milan Hnilicka, Atlanta Thrashers - Hnilicka is the probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Canucks.

Dan Cloutier, Vancouver Canucks - Cloutier is the probable starter for Tuesday's game against the Thrashers.

 

[Rakman]

I saw that Frederic Cassivi may get the start for ATL, can anyone confirm?

 

[Terryray]

Thrash official site confirms Cassivi

Thrash official site confirms Cassivi

link to it <a href="http://www.atlantathrashers.com/"> here</a>

he's started and played in one game this season, winning at home vs Buffalo 4-3, Feb 17.

He started five for Thrashers in previous season, went 2-3 with 3.32 gga.

 

[Aces High]

lookin 4 somebody's 2 cents on this game, any thoughts ??