'Nucks IceMan

Anaheim's Cam Fowler hoisting the Memorial Cup

Written by: Larry “The Nucks IceMan” Johnson

Even though they may be young, loaded with energy and anxious to prove their worth, three games in four nights finally caught up with the Vancouver Canucks rookies.

Now I must admit I only caught two periods and the first couple of minutes of the third period, but I do know that the Anaheim Ducks won the contest 4-2.

The game started out like the Friday Night Fights, with both Canucks – Taylor Ellington and Sawyer Hannay getting involved before the period had barely warmed up.

Then the Heavyweights stepped in with Canucks Taylor Jordan (6’6”) and Ducks Scott Ramsay (6’4”), like gladiators in a ring, tossed their helmets off, dropped their gloves and met at the Canucks blue line to go toe to toe.

Anyone who has attended a Junior hockey game in any of the leagues, would recognize this manner of fisticuffs. No visors or helmets to bounce your knuckles off, just the honourable way to duke it out.

Michael Houser started in goal for the Canucks, and he must have wondered where his defense went on this night, as he was the sole reason that the first period ended in a scoreless tie.

Not that Anaheim didn’t have their chances as they clanged a couple off the Canucks goalposts of their nine shots fired.

These two teams showed they didn’t like each other with another bout starting before the second period puck had even been dropped. Middleweights Matt Fraser (Canucks) and Ducks Jake Carrick were showcased at centre ice.

With the Canucks being beaten in most areas of the ice, this led to a rash of four penalties.  And sooner or later those catch up to you. The Ducks opened the scoring on a power play goal by Nicolas Deschamps.

Anaheim has some quality prospects and the 2010 first round draft pick (12^th overall) Cam Fowler was a force on defense (6th overall – 1G,1A for the Tournament).  He looks like the second coming of Scott Niedermayer with his smooth skating, tape to tape passing, patrolling the point on the power play and his on-ice smarts.

Pretty impressive stats also, as last year he led the OHL Windsor Spitfire to the second straight Championship and Memorial Cup. But that’s not all.

He was also a member of Team USA who won gold at the 2009 U-18 World Championship and 2010 World Jr. Championship.

Displaying some of that talent, he drilled a seeing eye point shot past Canuck goaltender Michael Houser with a few seconds to go in the second period. This power play goal staked the Ducks to a 2-0 lead and they never looked back.

Just as the third period had started and as I was departing for another commitment, Canucks Evan Oberg pulled them within a goal with his first of the Tournament. As you all know by now, Bill Sweatt scored the second Canuck goal and they lost 4-2.

Notable so far at the Tournament is Pierre-Olivier Morin who leads the Canucks in points with one goal and two assists in three games.

Canucks Bill Sweatt

I would also like to talk about Bill Sweatt (fourth in Tournament points) who has one goal and one assist. Here’s a player that has been more prominent than the more highly touted Jordan Schroeder so far. His speed is not hard to miss, he competes hard, goes to the dirty areas of the ice and dishes out his fair share of checksl

Only a few of these rookies will be invited to the Canucks main camp with the rest either heading to the Manitoba Moose camp, the ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings or back to their junior teams.

My thought is that Sweatt, Jordan Schroeder (did not play tonight) Kevin Connaught, Chris Tanev, Aaron Volpatti and goaltender Eddie Lack will be among those invited to the Canucks main camp.

With the depth this year at the main camp, none are likely to remain but it will be an educational exercise playing with the big boys.

I like what I have seen so far of the Canuck prospects, and Manitoba should have a very competitive team in the AHL Western Conference – North Division.

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