Crooner's shot hits the post

A dream comes true for big-time Canucks fan Michael

Buble

By Ben Kuzma, The Province December 21, 2011

Michael Buble didn't look much like an NHL player, but he sure sounded like one Tuesday.

When the Canadian crooner was asked what move he would execute if presented with another

shootout opportunity against Roberto Luon-go - he actually rang a shot off the post in a special

practice appearance - the super fan of the Vancouver Canucks didn't hesitate.

"I would have faked a shot and gone backhand and tried to go upstairs," chuckled Buble, a

hockey fanatic who is also part-owner of the WHL Vancouver Giants.

"He's seven feet tall and it's actually amazing when he goes down in how big he is. You get a

sense of how it must be when you come in on that guy in a game. He looked huge and it's really

a bad mind trip when you come in on him.

"It was just the greatest day of my life, really. I had way too much fun and to do this is every

fan's wish. It really was the icing on the cake. If I just put that puck six inches lower, it would

have been the icing on the fruit cake. It would have been amazing."

Buble has had an amazing year. The Burnaby native won Grammy Awards in 2011 for best

traditional pop vocal album (Crazy Love) and best male pop vocal performance (Haven't Met

You Yet). And his latest album release (Christmas) has topped the Billboard Top 200 CD list and

sold 444,000 units last week to make it nearly two million copies in eight weeks.

Yet, all the 36-year-old Buble really wanted to talk about Tuesday was hockey.

He has changed plans to catch Canucks games live or at least on television, anything to keep a

link with his favourite team.

"I've altered my schedule, altered lyrics on songs," added Buble.

"On my Christmas record, I have a song called Santa Baby. I ended up calling the man who

wrote it and asked if I could change the words and he told me the only way is if Santa Baby was

the first line of the song.

"But I changed the words to giving me Canucks tickets in my stocking and throwing me on the

first line.

"There are going to be close to 6.2 million people [record buyers] and only a few are going to

know what I'm talking about and rest are not going to know what the hell I'm talking about."

Professional athletes and musicians share a bond in that travel demands and pressure to perform

can be taxing, not that the financial return isn't more than rewarding. And in that spirit, Luongo

tried to match Buble quip for quip with the novice bearing down on him Tuesday.

"My shootout percentage is not very good, so I tried to be patient and take away as much net as I

could and wait him out," said Luon-go.

"Fortunately, he hit the post. I was more focused on my play and didn't know if I had to charge

out at him, and fortunately he fell on his own.

"But we obviously respect him for what he does and he does the same for us."

Buble's love of the game started when his dad would coax him out of bed at 5 a.m. for minor

hockey practices at 4-Rinks (now 8-Rinks) and he didn't mask his interest in getting into NHL

ownership. But it's more a dream than reality.

"It's really hard to buy a team when you're not a billionaire," he said. "I've talked about going

into different teams in certain markets and I've been told by many friends who are smart

businessmen that it would be foolish. Having the Giants is one thing, but paying a $3 million

contract in the minors is another. I'll keep my money, sit at home and watch the games and come

to the rink when I can."

And as if the Canucks needed any more love in a hockey-mad market, Buble tossed them a big

bouquet.

"If the truth is out there, then there's no way they could be the most-hated team in the NHL

because they're class acts," stressed Buble.

"Just ugly stories that the media keeps telling."

Canucks vs Red Wings Gameday

By Jim Jamieson, The Province December 21, 2011 7:57 AM

RED WINGS (21-10-1) at CANUCKS (20-11-2),

7 p.m., ROGERS ARENA

TV: TSN Radio: TEAM 1040

THE SETUP

THE CANUCKS:

The Sedins and goaltender Roberto Luongo were the story in a 4-0 win over Minnesota on

Monday and they may well have to be against a jet-fuelled Red Wings team on Wednesday. The

Canucks are on an 11-2-1 run over their last 14 games, which is about the same as Detroit - 12-3-

0 in its last 15.

THE RED WINGS:

This one shapes up as a track meet. Detroit is coming off a 3-2 win in Edmonton on Monday,

have won five of it's last six games and has scored 30 goals in that span. The Red Wings have the

slight edge in even-strength play, while the Canucks are better on special teams. It should be fun

to watch.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

1 Nicklas Lidstrom and Ian White vs. the Sedins. You know Red Wings coach Mike Babcock

will want to get his future Hall of Fame D-man Lidstrom out against the Sedins, especially after

their collective six-point game against Minnesota. Another fascinating matchup.

2 Red Wings superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. The two all-world forwards have

been on fire the last 15 games and there's no surprise the team is 12-3-0 in that span. In the last

six games, Zetterberg has 3-5-8, while Datsyuk has 2-7-9.

3 Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo. Louie is on a huge roll since watching Cory Schneider's

seven straight starts. In seven subsequent starts, he's 6-0-1 and has allowed just nine goals.

BY THE NUMBERS

5: Detroit's ranked in goals against at this point in the season. Last season they finished 23rd.

INJURIES

CANUCKS:

D Aaron Rome (broken thumb, three weeks), F Andrew Ebbett (broken foot, day to day), LW

Aaron Volpatti (shoulder surgery, out for the season), LW David Booth (knee, indefinite).

RED WINGS:

RW Patrick Eaves (jaw surgery), RW Chris Conner (fractured hand).

LEADERBOARD

vancouver canucks

GOALS 13 D.SEDIN

assists 30 H.SEDIN

POINTS 39 H.SEDIN

PIM 67 LAPIERRE

IN NET 13-6-LUONGO 2

2.48 GAA / .910 SV%

RED WINGS

GOALS 14 FRANZEN

assists 23 DATSYUK

POINTS 33 DATSYUK

PIM 31 ERICSSON

IN NET 20-7-1 HOWARD

1.91 GAA / .928 SV%

Is this team better than last year's?

Exactly where they're at and how they compare, no one is

certain

By Ben Kuzma, The Province December 21, 2011

The general manager referenced balanced scoring, a strong back end and solid goaltending for

continued dominance on home ice and an improving road record. The GM was Ken Holland of

the Detroit Red Wings, but it could have easily been Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks.

As much as the defending Presidents' Trophy winners resemble the resilient Red Wings and have

been purposely constructed to mirror a franchise that has advanced to the postseason for 20

straight seasons, the Canucks are somewhat divided in whether they're a better team than last

season. It will take a Stanley Cup championship to con-firm that conviction, but the potential to

take that one last step has been strengthened by experience, greater depth and more versatility.

You see it in the value of Chris Higgins, the resurgence of Mason Raymond, the improvement in

Jannik Hansen and the potential of Cody Hodgson. You can see how a healthy David Booth

would solidify a second wave of attack and how a third line of Higgins-Hodgson-Hans-en would

trump the combination of Raffi Torres-Maxim Lapierre-Hansen in the Cup final last spring

because of a better ability to contribute offensively.

A number of current fourth-line combinations seem better suited for the rigours of postseason

play than Tanner Glass and Victor Oreskovich. If the top four stay healthy on the back end and

Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider maintain consistency, you can make the argument that this

is a better team.

"For sure," said winger Alex Burrows, who is second in team goals (12) and first in plus-minus

(plus-15).

"We've got even more depth than we had last year and that was one of our strengths. We know

what it takes now and we prepare ourselves the right way. And the experience is something

nobody can take away from us in being in those high-pressure moments, and most of the time

we've responded really well."

There's no coaching manual to manage the mental challenge of finding your game after playing

into mid-June, but the Canucks are again in contention to lead crucial categories in a special-

teams league. They're first on the power play and seventh on the penalty kill, fourth in offence

and sixth in defence. By comparison, the Wings are fifth on the power play, 21st on the penalty

kill, third in offence and fifth in defence.

With Henrik and Daniel Sedin again challenging for the NHL scoring lead, the challenge tonight

at Rogers Arena will be for the Canucks to match the Red Wings in the puck-possession game

and patience.

The Wings seldom panic, and scored twice in a three-minute span of the second period on Oct.

13 at Joe Lou-is Arena to secure a 2-0 victory over the Canucks in the clubs' only previous

meeting this season.

But that was when the Canucks struggled to find their way. They're 15-6-1 since a 5-5-1 October

and their 20-11-2 record truly mirrors the Wings, who are 21-10-1.

"We've all been through a lot and I think that's going to help us along the way," said Luongo,

who gets the start against Detroit. "We're better equipped to handle certain situations. We're very

similar [to Detroit] with guys who play the system well. Even our fourth line is generating a lot

and playing the body well and a lot of time they spend the whole shift in the other zone. Those

are little intangibles that make a big difference in the end.

"For me, it's just exciting to play one of the top teams, and that's what gets you going."

Passing another litmus test will prove that the Canucks can raise their game to a level often

missing when they face cellar-dwellers. What to read into it is harder to know in December than

in April. Are they better now?

"That's tough to say," said centre Ryan Kesler. "I like to think every year you get bet-ter. We

know what it takes, we've just got to prove it. I don't want to say we mirror the Red Wings. We

have our own style and we're pretty good at it. But it's always fun playing the best in the game,

and they're right up there."

Despite coming off a three-assist effort in a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild on Mon-day,

winger Daniel Sedin is understandably reserved in his judgment of the Canucks. His 38 points

had him one back in the scoring race entering league play Tuesday and the Canucks have

collected points in 13 of their last 14 games. How good are they?

"I can't really answer that because we haven't been healthy," he said. "I like this team, but it's

hard to compare. But we've been there, and there are not going to be any doubts or questions. We

know what to expect and that's the only thing we're learned and that's enough."

Maybe Alain Vigneault put it best. The one-game-at-a-time mantra seems corny, but the

Canucks remain a work in progress and even the coach was hard pressed to put his finger on

where they're at.

"I'm not quite sure," he said. "It's a team we like that has good potential. We're trying to put the

pieces in the right place and understand the group a little bit better."

OF NOTE: Defenceman Keith Ballard remains side-lined with back spasms, while forward

Andrew Ebbett may draw into the lineup today.

21 Dec 2011

The Vancouver Sun

BY ELLIOTT PAP

Equally matched, eager to match up

With Vancouver, Detroit squads built on the same principles, tonight’s game will be a test of

execution

When Mike Gillis assumed command of the Vancouver Canucks in 2008, he often talked about

building a team like the Detroit Red Wings. He wanted skill, he wanted to compete each year for the

Stanley Cup and he didn‟t want a bunch of knuckle- draggers on his roster.

So far, so good. The Canucks and Wings, who meet Wednesday night at Rogers Arena, are

almost equals now except, of course, for Detroit‟s four Cup victories between 1997- 2008. Since then,

both have lost a final and both appear set to compete for another final berth this season.

Detroit has 21 wins, 43 points and 107 goals scored. Vancouver has 20 wins, 42 points and 110

goals scored. Both teams‟ top offensive players are European. Both teams‟ top offensive defencemen

are Swedish.

Since Nov. 19, the Red Wings are 12- 3- 0. Since Nov. 20, the Canucks are 11- 2- 1. So there

isn‟t much to choose between them, which makes Wednesday‟s game a rather appealing one.

“You‟ve got two teams that, in our mind, play the right way,” Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault

said Tuesday. “Detroit plays a high- paced game and they like to play fast. There are a lot of

components to our game that are probably similar to theirs.”

Although neither team employs a so- called „ goon‟, Vigneault noted that toughness comes in a

variety of forms.

“Toughness is sometimes going to those tough areas and be willing to take the hit, or winning the

1- on- 1 battle in the corner to protect the puck,” he explained. “It‟s not always about finishing your

check or winning a fight.

“There is a lot more to it and I think Detroit is a great example of that. Their players just play and

they play through whatever is thrown at them. That‟s a great quality for a team to have.”

The Canucks have always enjoyed measuring themselves against the Red Wings and they didn‟t

measure up the first time the teams met this season on Oct. 13. Detroit prevailed 2- 0 that night and

outshot Vancouver 37- 25. About the only positive for Vancouver was holding the Red Wings power

play to a 0- for- 7 performance.

“Both teams have been engineered the same way, I would think,” said Canuck winger Alex

Burrows. “It‟s a strong defence, solid goaltending and skill up front. Both teams would like to play

whistle- to- whistle. Both teams don‟t want to get involved after whistles, and get involved in scrums.

That‟s why we think we can be successful. They‟re one of the best teams in the last decade and they

showed that a bunch of times. So it‟s going to be a fun matchup again.”

Roberto Luongo is 9- 10- 5 lifetime against the Wings but was wearing a ball cap in the Oct. 13

game as Cory Schneider took the loss. Bobby Lou is rolling now and is 7- 1- 1 in his last nine

decisions. On the season, he is 13- 6- 2 with a 2.48 goals against average and .910 save percentage.

He‟ll face Red Wings „ keeper Jimmy Howard, who leads the league in wins with 20.

“Detroit‟s been at the top of the conference for many years,” noted Luongo. “They have elite,

world- class players and their goaltender has been playing unbelievable so far this year. They have

guys who play the system well and play the right way and they‟ve had a lot of success with that.

They‟ve won Cups and we‟re trying to do the same.

“It‟s exciting for us to play one of the top teams. That‟s what gets you going. When you‟re facing

one of the best, you get up for games like that. They are the ones you look forward to.”

The Canucks will again be without their normal third defensive pairing of Aaron Rome and Keith

Ballard. Rome is out 3- 4 weeks with a broken thumb while Ballard, who didn‟t skate Tuesday, is

having back problems. Andrew Alberts and seldom- used Alexander Sulzer will remain in the lineup.

“Keith is still day- to- day,” Vigneault said. “I think our medical staff feels we‟d like to try and nip

this in the bud. It‟s been coming back and forth for quite some time so, hopefully with a day or two

more, he should be 100 per cent here. It started lower back and now it‟s mid- back so it is muscular.

We‟re just trying to get rid of it.”

The Canucks have just one extra healthy body, utility forward Andrew Ebbett, who is available for

selection after being out since Nov. 10 with a broken foot.

ICE CHIPS: Vigneault, who is a former Montreal Canadiens coach, weighed in on the controversy

surrounding unilingual interim Habs coach Randy Cunneyworth. “Obviously because the province is

mostly francophone there is some importance to speaking French,” Vigneault said. “But that being

said, anybody who has been hired there, in my mind, has been hired because of their hockey

background, first and foremost. I think any coach, anywhere, if you win, you‟re good.”

21 Dec 2011

The Vancouver Sun

BY ELLIOTT PAP

Michael Bublé joins Canucks at practice; calls experience ‘greatest

day of my life’

Crooner hits post on shootout attempt on Luongo and then falls into boards; says he’ll stick

to music

Michael Bublé had only one regret after spending time Tuesday on the ice with his favourite

hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks.

“I should have faked the shot backhand and tried to go upstairs,” the worldfamous Burnaby-

born crooner lamented after he hit the post on a shootout attempt against Roberto Luongo. “I just

missed it. I‟m sure Roberto didn‟t want me to score and I think he‟s pretty happy that I missed it.”

Bublé, 36, appeared in full gear and did a few twirls around the ice before the Canucks began

their 11 a. m. practice. He was then invited to have a go at Luongo. With Canuck players tapping their

sticks on the ice, Bublé bore down on Bobby Lou, cranked a shot off the left post and fell awkwardly

into the boards. Much laughter ensued.

“It was just the greatest day of my life, really,” said Bublé who was still bubbling about it 20

minutes later. “I had way too much fun. To get to do that, I guess, is every fan‟s wish.”

Bublé is a part- owner of the major junior Vancouver Giants and played hockey as a youngster.

He‟s won multiple Grammy and Juno Awards. He conceded he‟ll be sticking to music.

“I thought I‟d perhaps be the next Alex Burrows but it turns out I‟m crappy,” he quipped.

Bublé is a lifelong Canucks fan. He has altered his work schedule to watch them in the playoffs

and even altered a few lyrics in one of his songs — Santa Baby — on his bestselling Christmas CD.

“I changed the words to „ putting Canuck tickets in my stocking and throwing me on the first

line,‟” Bublé explained. “So right now there are going to be about 6.2 million people [ listening to the

song] and only a few hundred thousand are going to know what I‟m talking about. The rest are not

going to know what the hell I‟m talking about. It was fun for me.”

It was also fun for the Canuck players to have Bublé skate with them.

“We obviously respect him for what he does and he‟s the same for us,” Luongo said. “It was nice

to see him out there. Guys are impressed by the talent that he has — and he‟s a pretty good singer as

well.”

“He is one of the best and most popular singers in the world and he just wanted to spend a

morning with us,” added Burrows. “That makes it nice for us. I thought he had Lou beat on that

shootout and it would have been nice to see him score.”

Bublé, although admittedly biased, said he couldn‟t understand why the Canucks have developed

a reputation for being the “most hated team” in hockey. He found them to be princes of humanity.

“If the truth is out there, there is no way these guys could be the most hated team in the NHL

because they‟re class acts,” Bublé declared. “Those are just ugly stories that the media keeps telling

back east.”

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault thought having Bublé around for a while was a nice change of pace

for his skaters. The Canucks have played eight games in six cities in 16 days — they‟re a solid 6- 1- 1

— and will take on the Detroit Red Wings tonight at Rogers Arena.

“It was a different moment from a busy schedule for us,” Vigneault commented. “I think the boys

enjoyed having him in the room. He‟s a big Canucks fan and a great ambassador for Canada and for

Vancouver. When he came in this morning, we gave him the opportunity to showcase his skill set and

he did. It was good.”

21 Dec 2011

The Vancouver Sun

CAM COLE

The fine art of crashing the crease

All Holmstrom needs is a puck and a touch of blue paint to create a masterpiece, of sorts

The front of the net, say the players who dare to go there, is a much kinder, gentler place to

make a living than it used to be. “Not even close. It was way more brutal before the lockout,” says

Tomas Holmstrom.

But there are degrees of kindness, and it‟s still a pretty good spot to hang out if you‟re in the

market for welts, chronic neck pain and back problems that will haunt you for the rest of your life.

Holmstrom, the 38- year- old Detroit Red Wings workhorse, has spent 15 years making his way

toward the National Hockey League‟s gold medal for net- front presence as a tipper of pucks,

rebounder and general pain in the nether regions of opposing goaltenders.

If anyone knows the methodology, he does.

“Well, there‟s lots of wear and tear. You‟re going to get cross- checked, you‟re going to get

slashed,” he said Tuesday, having spent some quality post- practice time on the trainer‟s table in

preparation for tonight‟s tilt against the Vancouver Canucks.

“But it‟s not like the old NHL — then you had three cross- checks to the neck before you even got

to the net. Now, you just stay there and when the puck‟s coming, that‟s when everything‟s starting.

“Now it‟s more like positioning.” With four Stanley Cup rings as a member of the closest thing the NHL

has had to a dynasty since the 1984- 90 Edmonton Oilers, Holmstrom — who‟s 18 games away from

1,000 — has been a consistent scorer of timely goals, not many of them pretty, but perhaps is more

remarkable for his durability.

Like Ryan Smyth and a few others ( he mentions Keith Tkachuk), Holmstrom has taken a fearful

licking, and kept on ticking ... off his opponents.

Plenty of players have tried, and paid a heavy price.

Hockey Night in Canada colour commentator Craig Simpson, for example, had to retire at age 28

after absorbing so much punishment — including a half- dozen concussions and debilitating back pain

that dogged him for nearly a decade after he quit the game — he says he wasn‟t even the same

person for a long time.

“I couldn‟t lift my baby girl, Kennedy. The first seven years, I couldn‟t have even coached. I

couldn‟t have stood behind the bench for that long,” he said Tuesday.

“Oh, I‟ve had some concussions. Four or five, maybe,” admitted Holmstrom, recalling one in the

2007 Western final when he was planted into the glass by Anaheim‟s Chris Pronger.

“Yeah, I was gone when I was falling to the ice. But, I was in the dressing room and back out. It

would be different now.

“You need some luck, and you really have to work on building up your back in the summer, come

in really good shape. If you‟re not, your body‟s going to break down. And you‟ve got to be aware, too,

of when stuff is coming to you. You have to protect yourself.”

Regardless of preparation, though, there is an element of physical and mental courage that the

job demands, and few have it.

“You‟ve got to give the guy tons of credit, because there‟s lots of guys who won‟t go near that

net, as you know,” said Detroit coach Mike Babcock.

“What I always see with those guys is, when the puck‟s coming at the net, the guys that don‟t

want to be there, they can never find the puck, because they‟re looking for who‟s going to cross-

check ‟ em. The guys that don‟t care, they find the puck and they score, or they go get it back. That‟s

what he‟s done better than anybody.

“Tommy‟s an unbelievable teammate, he‟s a warrior, he‟s all about winning, and he found

something he does better than anybody else, and it‟s allowed him to play a lot, it‟s allowed him to be

on the first power play every single night. That‟s what the good ones do. There‟s a chunk of pie, and if

you don‟t grab your piece, someone else is taking it.”

“He‟s obviously taken a beating,” said Wings defenceman Mike Commodore, “but I guess you

have to be a little hard- headed, and he‟s got the kind of attitude where if you tell him he can‟t do

something, he‟s going to do it just because you said he couldn‟t.”

To a couple of Canucks who‟ve done considerable time in or just outside the blue paint, the job is

a combination of science and art, and Holmstrom is kind of Leonardo da Vinci.

“I think the biggest thing is probably to have the will to go there,” said Alex Burrows.

“I know my skill set, I understand it, and I think to score goals in this league you have to go to

the front of the net and hope for tips, hope for rebounds, and battle. Guys like Holmstrom and Ryan

Smyth [ have] the will to battle with the D- men and find some space in front of the goalie.”

“You take your licks,” said Ryan Kesler. “I think the refs let a little more go in front of the nets.

But it has a lot to do with positioning. I‟ve learned a lot these last couple of years by playing in front

of the net, the ins and outs of getting body positioning, how to take a little less punishment and how

to maybe box them out so they can‟t box you out. It‟s a battle, and you‟ve got to compete really

hard.” Holmstrom knows no other way. When he broke into the league, there was a spot left open by

the departure of Dino Ciccarelli, and Holmstrom didn‟t have Ciccarelli‟s skating ability or slapshot, but

what he did have was a hard head and a big heart.

“Nobody wants to go there, I‟ll go there. It‟s a good spot to be,” he said, smiling. “Maybe it is [

stubbornness]. I‟m coming back, you know. If it means I take a beating, I take a beating.”

Commodore said the thing that stands out about Holmstrom is how hard he works at his craft.

Holmstrom has never kept track of the numbers, but figures he practises tipping “50 to 100 pucks

every practice. You‟ve got to do it. You want to keep getting better. But it starts with a good screen,

and you try to tip it, and then the rebound comes ... but you never lose sight of the puck, you always

know where it is.”

“I hated him,” said Commodore, of the years he spent on other teams, trying to deal with

Holmstrom. “And I‟m not the only one. A lot of defencemen do hate him. He‟s tough to move. And

he‟s been around a long time, so when you‟re pushing and shoving him in front of the net, he whacks

you back, and he‟s never getting a penalty, and it irritates you no end. I think he‟s just been around

so long, he gets away with it — and that‟s okay. That‟s how it should be.”

Told of Simpson‟s cautionary tale of post- career physical distress, Holmstrom shrugged.

“For sure, the body‟s banged up here and there,” said the affable Swede. “But it doesn‟t really

matter what you do. If you‟re a painter, you‟re going to have a bad neck. If you work at a computer,

you have a bad wrist and your eyes go. You‟re going to have some kind of baggage when you‟re

done.”

“Long- term?” said Babcock. “Well, Tommy‟s got bad knees anyway, so obviously there‟s a price

to be paid. But I think he‟s more than willing to pay it.”

21 Dec 2011

The Vancouver Sun

BY YVONNE ZACHARIAS

Whistler a favoured location for

Christmas

Many players will be meeting with their families at the resort town to celebrate abbreviated

holiday

From drafty small- town arenas and frozen backyard ponds to cavernous sports complexes buried

deep in the suburbs, starry- eyed Canadian boys dream big dreams of growing up to become NHL

players.

They see the bright lights, the glamour, the spray of skates slicing through ice, the cheers, the

frenzy in front of the net and then the puck sliding in. He scores!

What they don‟t often see are the sacrifices. One of those is traditional family Christmas.

The holiday is tucked into a rigorous game schedule that has teams on the road at a time when

others are sipping egg nog by the fire with friends and family.

Christmas is often a hastily celebrated affair, sometimes in a hotel room on the fly. But players

adapt, coming up with their own quirky ways of reliving cherished memories from their boyhood.

Sandwiching Christmas between home games on Dec. 23 and 26, many of the Canuck players are

heading up to Whistler with their families to carve out some down time in the alpine village that has a

certain glow at this time of year.

One of them is defenceman Kevin Bieksa who will head there with his wife, their two children,

ages four and two, a couple of brothers and their partners and his in- laws who usually contribute

perogies and ham to the feast.

It‟s part of their tradition that everyone opens a gift on Christmas Eve. Then “in the morning, it‟s

just fun to see the kids jump out of bed and run to the tree and start opening presents.”

It‟s different from what he was used to growing up in Ontario where family came over Christmas

Eve and then everyone went to his grandparents‟ home on Christmas Day.

But he has found that the Whistler jaunt fits in well with his family and the realities of life as an

NHL player.

While up there, Bieksa might run into fellow Canuck Keith Ballard who also has memories of

spending Christmas differently than he does now.

Ballard comes from a large extended family in Minnesota where the festivities started Christmas

Eve with a gathering of family on his mother‟s side. Then the party would migrate either to his

grandparents‟ or his parents‟ house.

They would open presents and go sledding in the snowy cold of a Minnesota winter.

“There would be anywhere from 40 to 60 people there just running around. It was chaos and just

the fun of being together.”

His life as a hockey player has dawned new traditions. He and his wife‟s families alternate coming

out to Whistler for Christmas.

This year, one of his wife‟s sisters and her fiance along with his wife‟s parents are coming.

For Canucks David Booth and Dan Hamhuis, who both profess a deep Christian faith, Christmas is

all about the birth of Christ.

For Booth who was traded here from the Florida Panthers in October, this will be his first

Christmas alone.

His family, which is from the Detroit area, is heading to Florida to spend Christmas with his

brother with whom he lived while playing for the Panthers.

Booth, 27, says he is okay with spending Christmas alone in Vancouver. “It‟s not about me

anyway. The real reason for Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ so that is what I will be doing.”

Hamhuis comes across as a pretty serious, sincere type of guy as he sits on the bench in the

Canucks dressing room and talks about Christmas and his fervent Christian beliefs.

He talks, too, about how the celebration of Christmas has changed for him as a professional

hockey player.

Both his and his wife‟s families are coming down from northern B. C. to spend Christmas at

Whistler.

“It‟s a bit different because we haven‟t been home for Christmas in 10 or 12 years so the original

traditions we did as kids aren‟t there any more,” said Hamhuis, who has two daughters. “My wife and I

kind of have to start doing our own thing.”

Christmas for them changes every year depending on where he is playing. For years, it was spent

in Nashville when he played for the Predators.

But one thing never changes and that is the practice of attending church at Christmas.

“Christ‟s journey is the whole story of the world,” said Hamhuis. “At the end of time, his life is

most important.”

Detroit D-power in effect against Canucks

tonight

Red Wings prepare to face Vancouver with improving

defence

By Jim Jamieson, The Province December 21, 2011 8:04 AM

The Detroit Red Wings have scored 30 goals in their last six games and won 12 of their last 15

games, but much of the credit to the successful run has to do with a dramatically improved

defensive performance.

The Red Wings slumped to a poor 23rd overall goals against last season, but in an excellent start

this year they are currently ranked fifth overall.

What accounts for the about-face? Head coach Mike Babcock focused on cutting the goals-

against right from training camp, but certainly the more consistent play of No. 1 goaltender

Jimmy Howard, the growing maturity of young D-men Jonanthan Ericsson and Jakub Kindl and

the replacement of the retiring Brian Rafal-ski with a more defence-focused Ian White have

combined to make it happen.

"You've got to be up there with the top teams in many areas if you want to be successful," said

White, who landed on his feet when the Wings signed him as a free agent in the summer and

then paired him with perennial Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom from the first day of

training camp. He's a team-leading plus-23.

"We knew 23rd wasn't good enough and we took the responsibility," added White. "Jimmy

Howard has been fabulous and the defencemen and forwards have been really committed as

well."

The 27-year-old Howard, in his third full NHL season, has been good and is enjoying career-best

numbers so far. The stretch last season where he was dealing with con-tract negotiations are now

well in the rear-view mirror.

"It's just confidence, just being in situations and learning from them in my first two years," said

Howard, who'll get the start today against the Canucks.

"Heading into this year, I felt I couldn't contribute a lot more."

And getting buy-in from the guys playing in front of you doesn't hurt, either.

"We are doing a lot better job on defence this year," Howard said. "Last year it was a bit more

run and gun and it was a lot of fun. But right from day one in training camp we stressed defence

and the guys are doing a great job."

Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg said rolling four lines has also helped with the defensive

improvement. But he also acknowledged that tonight's game with Canucks is one the Red Wings

are looking forward to - but not for the back-checking. Both teams are loaded with offensive

talent and that should equate to an entertaining game, for the players as well as the fans.

"Some teams are fun to play against because they play fun hockey," said Zetterberg. "It's fan

friendly. It's exciting games, lots of pace, lots of speed. It's fun to play those games."

Finn's best still to come

Wing move puts him on pace for great season

By Tony Gallagher, The Province December 21, 2011

It's usually a good thing when a young hockey player joining an excellent NHL team has a lot of

respect for his team-mates.

Sometimes however, the player can have a little too much of the commodity young people are

often accused of lacking and it's entirely possible this may have been the case with young

Finnish forward Valtteri Filppu-la when he joined the star-studded Detroit Red Wings.

With Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk already the established superstar centres on this

perennial contender, to say nothing of the likes of Johan Franzen and seven-time Norris trophy

winner Nicklas Lidstrom on the back end, it was easy enough just to slide on to the team in a

third line, defensive-type role and watch them carry the team to wherever it could go.

But coach Mike Babcock knew he had more to give and he's been trying to mine that out of him

for quite a while using the usual mantra for great skaters who don't have to venture into the really

difficult areas of the ice to earn a living.

But if they can force themselves into going to the inside on a rush or going to or through the

traffic in front of the net, considerable rewards can be reaped. Whether Filppula is able to do this

all year remains to be seen, but he's certainly on pace to have his best NHL season, and Todd

Bertuzzi is convinced it's because of his position change.

"He's a winger," says Bertuzzi.

"It's that simple. In our sys-tem there is so much defensive responsibility for the centre and when

you've been the third line guy behind those two, you have to be thinking defensively first and

that's been his mindset. Now he's on the wing, he's got fewer defensive responsibilities ... in our

zone just having to watch the one D, and he's developed great chemistry with Zetterberg. He's

got the speed and skill, he can shoot and playing in his old role definitely took away from his

offence. What we're seeing here is just the tip of the iceberg, if you ask me. I think he's gonna

take off."

Filppula isn't so sure mentally about the switch although he's wildly enthusiastic about playing

with Zetterberg. Then again, who wouldn't be.

"Playing with Hank is easy because he's easy to find on the ice and moves the puck so well you

just give it to him and he'll find you," says the 27-year-old Finn who looks to be a shoo-in to

crack the 20-goal mark, which is something he's had on his mind. "I still think a little bit like a

centre in my mind but here you play where they want you and when you're playing with Hank

and Huds [Jiri Hudler] it's pretty good."

Babcock has been on Filppu-la to get to the net more in part because he knows that while his

great stars are going to show up in the playoffs, it's the performance of some of the others on the

top six that are going to put them over the top. You can't win unless you have most guys firing at

or somewhere near their best, something the Canucks discovered last spring.

"I've always been on him to go to the inside," says Babcock whenever he's asked, and Filpp-ula

seems to be listening.

"It's something I've really tried to be conscious of and work on, particularly playing with Hank

and Huds because both of them shoot a lot and there's a lot of second-chance opportunities from

rebounds," says Filppula. "Get-ting some goals like that is nice and I definitely like to score."

Filppula is the first to admit there's something cultural at play here, he admitting to the fact

there's some truth to the stereo-typing that Russians and Canadians like to score, Swedes and

Finns prefer to pass.

"I think there's definitely some-thing there, but I like to score and 20 has always been something

I've wanted to reach and now that I'm older, more experienced and had a chance to get stronger

training over a few summers, that's definitely something I'd like to get past."

SEDIN BROTHERS ONCE AGAIN NEAR THE TOP OF NHL SCORING RACE

THE CANADIAN PRESS

12/20/2011 7:57:28 PM

VANCOUVER -- The more things change with the Vancouver Canucks, the more Henrik and Daniel Sedin stay

the same.

Similar physical attributes aside, the identical twins have remained quietly consistent as the Canucks (20-

11-2) slowly move up the Western Conference ladder after battling injuries and inconsistent play earlier in

the season.

Now, both Sedins are in position to re-claim the NHL scoring title that Daniel won last season and Henrik

took home two years ago.

Daniel said Tuesday the success has come after he and his equally workaholic brother took longer than usual

to get going this season after the Canucks advanced to the Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals last spring

before bowing out to the Boston Bruins.

He agreed with coach Alain Vigneault's assessment that, like the rest of the club, the twins needed time to

find more spark after what has frequently been described as a Stanley Cup hangover due to the unusually

long season.

"It's completely right," said Daniel. "We had a tough start and our team did, too. I don't know if it was from

a hangover or what it was. But, mentally, to get into games, it was really tough. It probably took a good 15-

20 games. We can still make some improvement, but I think we're on the right track."

Heading into Tuesday's NHL games, Henrik's 39 points were good for a share of first place in the scoring

race with Toronto's Phil Kessel and Philadelphia's Claude Giroux, who is out with a concussion. Daniel had

sole possession of second place, just a point behind with 38.

Daniel has recorded a point in 25 of the 32 games in which he has played, while missing one last week with

a sore back. Henrik has produced offensive numbers in 24 of his 33 games. They are raising the question of

whether they can build on the strong chemistry that they have displayed in recent years.

"It's probably the same," said Vigneault. "For the past four or five years, they've been two of the best

players in the NHL -- and this year is no different.

"They're up in the scoring, they're playing to their strengths, they're two of the best players in the NHL and

they prove it on a consistent basis."

If Daniel manages to repeat, he would be the first to do so since Jaromir Jagr, then with Pittsburgh, claimed

the last of his five consecutive points titles in 2001-02.

No other player has managed to claim more than one crown since then, giving extra credence to hopes of

getting two in three years. But, true to form, the brothers known for their unselfishness downplay the

opportunity to make history a second time.

"We know we have to be producing for us to be successful as a team," said Henrik. "That's our motivation. If

that means we're going to have 82 points this year or, I don't know, whatever it is. It doesn't really matter

for us as long as our team is winning. That's our focus."

So far, so good. The Canucks have won 11 of their past 14 games. Even with several roster changes and

injuries that have disrupted the bottom three lines, they are starting to resemble the 2010-11 club that won

the President's Trophy for first place overall for the first time in Vancouver's four decades of NHL existence.

Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa likened the Sedins' passing display in Monday's 4-0 win over the Wild,

when they produced three points apiece, to "poetry on ice." Daniel credits much of the line's success to left-

winger Alex Burrows, who has three goals in as many games and four points in that time span.

"From day one, he's been unbelievable," said Daniel. "He's such a good forechecker. He retrieves pucks and

he's such an overall smart player. It's fun to play with him."

"We've been working on our game and, lately, we've been executing a little better," said Burrows. "That's

the bottom line, I think. If we get time and space, especially those guys, they're going to make plays. For

some reason now, we're getting bounces going our way. It's a fine line between a goal and a save or a

missed shot, and right now we're executing and that's why we're getting more on the scoresheet."

Detroit winger Todd Bertuzzi, in town for a game Wednesday, said the bond that his former Vancouver

teammates have is quite special and rare. The twins have come a long way since they entered the NHL as

18-year-olds and struggled to establish themselves as regulars.

"They're men now," said Bertuzzi. "They obviously came in young and had some high expectations. Playing

under the pressure of what they were supposed to do early was a lot for them to handle, but they stuck with

it and the organization stuck with them. They're getting paid back in ten folds right now."

Bertuzzi attributes much of the Sedins' consistency to their opportunity to be linemates throughout their

careers. Twin telepathy aside, the chance to play alongside each other since their rookie season in 2001-02

has paid dividends.

"If you're paired with a guy, you get that instant chemistry," said Bertuzzi. "To be able to do it for 10 years

now, or whatever it is, you're going to have that kind of chemistry. You don't see a lot of line combinations

sticking around that long. They seem to have done a pretty good job together."

Notes: Roberto Luongo will start in goal for Vancouver against the Wings. Jimmy Howard gets the

netminding nod for Detroit. ... Vancouver defenceman Keith Ballard, still bothered by a sore back, missed

practice. ... Winger Andrew Ebbett, out since November with a fractured foot, participated in his first full

practice since going down with the injury. He is close to returning to game action. ... Vigneault said the club

will make a decision soon on whether to return winger Mark Mancari to the minors.

FROM SINGING TO SKATING December 20, 2011, 7:50 pm

THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER -- Michael Buble showed the Vancouver Canucks he can work a hockey

stick almost as well as a microphone.

The Canadian pop star and life-long hockey fan got a chance to live a dream when he

skated with the Canucks during a practice Tuesday.

"It was just the greatest day of my life, really," Buble, a 36-year-old native of the

Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, told reporters. "I had way too much fun. To get to do

that, I guess, is every fan's wish."

The Canucks also appreciated the chance to skate with the multiple Grammy and Juno

award winner.

"He's one of the best singers in the world, one of the most popular singers in the world,

and he just wanted to spend the morning with his favourite team," said winger Alex

Burrows. "That shows us that, even when he's got everything as a singer, he still would

like to spend some time with us."

Buble, a life-long hockey fan who is a minority owner of the Vancouver Giants of the

WHL, wore full Canucks gear, including a blue jersey and hockey pants. He also wore a

helmet with no visor.

His only regret was that he did not deke goaltender Roberto Luongo and put the puck

"upstairs" after racing in on goal with the puck. He hit the post.

"I thought he had Lou beat on that shootout, and it would have been nice to see him

score," said Burrows.

"He looked pretty good out there actually," added Daniel Sedin.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault was also impressed. But the bench boss said he would

have to put Buble through a few "compete drills" before giving a full assessment.

"It was a different moment from a busy schedule for us," Vigneault said. "I think the

boys enjoyed having him in the room. He's a big Canucks fan and a great ambassador

for Canada and for Vancouver. When he came in this morning, we gave him the

opportunity to showcase his skill set -- and he did."

LITTLE SEPARATION December 21, 2011, 10:01 am

Given each team's recent success, it's likely not surprising that the Vancouver Canucks

and Detroit Red Wings have played some competitive games over the past few seasons.

The first matchup at Rogers Arena this season figures to provide more of the same

Wednesday night with both teams among the hottest in the league.

The Red Wings (21-10-1) and Canucks (20-11-2) have combined to appear in three of

the last four Stanley Cup finals, and most of their recent games have carried some

playoff-like tension.

Fourteen of the past 20 have been decided by one goal or a shootout with five ending in

overtime. Detroit prevailed 2-1 in a shootout during its previous visit to Vancouver on

Jan. 8, as Jiri Hudler beat Roberto Luongo in the extra session and Jimmy Howard

stopped all three attempts.

Fantasy notes: Jiri Hudler has 5-4-9 in his nine December starts so far. Ryan Kesler has already

collected 3-7-10 in his nine outings this month. | Follow Chris Nichols on Twitter

The Canucks earned their latest win at home Monday by beating Northwest Division-

leading Minnesota 4-0.

Luongo recorded his first shutout in Vancouver's return from a five-game trip. Henrik

Sedin and Daniel Sedin provided three points apiece and Alexandre Burrows scored for

the third time in as many games.

"It was a tough game after coming off a long road trip, so it was a big win for us,"

Henrik Sedin said.

Henrik Sedin has been one of the most productive players in the league this month with

one goal and 14 assists in nine games and is again challenging for the NHL points lead

with 39. Daniel Sedin has seven goals and six assists in the past nine contests, giving

him 38 points.

Pavel Datsyuk has led the way lately for the Red Wings with eight goals and 15 assists

over his last 16 games. Zetterberg is on a season-high six-game point streak in which

he's totaled three goals and five assists.

Luongo, 6-0-1 with a 1.38 goals-against average in his last seven games, might get the

chance to try to stop them. He's allowed one goal in each of his past two matchups with

the Red Wings, but it was Cory Schneider who got the nod in October and made his first

start against Detroit.

Howard is 12-2-0 in his last 14 games and has a 1.91 GAA on the season. He's 2-1-0

with a 0.98 GAA in his last three matchups with Vancouver.

Howard beat the Canucks again Oct. 13 at Joe Louis Arena by making 25 saves in a 2-0

win. With his help, the Red Wings have won 16 of 21 since an early six-game skid and

five of their last six.

They kicked off a four-game road trip with a 3-2 win over Edmonton on Monday. Drew

Miller provided the go-ahead score in the third period, his fourth goal in five games, as

Detroit improved to 8-8-0 away from home.

"It's nice to be back to .500," forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "We didn't have our best

game. They were skating a lot better than we did. But we kept grinding away and that's

important to do on the road. It's a good start to this road trip as we have two more

before we go home for Christmas."

The Red Wings, though, might face a difficult time improving that record as Vancouver

is 11-2-1 in its last 14 and has won a season-high three in a row at home.

21 Dec 2011

The Vancouver Sun

BY KRISTEN ODLAND

Postmedia News

Lost players mourned as Russians defend title

RED DEER, Alta. — For Valeri Bragin and the Russian national junior team, the wounds are still

fresh.

It doesn‟t help matters that everywhere they go, they are forced to field questions about the

Sept. 7 plane crash that killed 37 players, coaches and staff of Russia‟s Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hockey

club — including two of Bragin‟s own from the 2011 gold- medal winning world junior outfit.

“It‟s a very complicated topic,” said the head coach through an interpreter ahead of Tuesday‟s

first exhibition clash against the U. S. at Red Deer‟s Enmax Centrium. “People keep asking. It‟s very

serious and difficult.

“Every day, I get asked the same things.”

The Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team included forward Daniil Sobchenko and defenceman Yuri Urychev.

Both played for Bragin‟s group that scored five straight goals to beat Canada 5- 3 in last year‟s final in

Buffalo. Also, two eligible players for this year‟s tournament — Pavel Snurnitsyn and Maksim Shuvalov

— were also killed.

“They were like children,” Bragin said. “Kids.”

Nail Yakupov, a forward for the Sarnia Sting, had just woken up when he heard the news on

Sept. 7.

“It was a shock,” said the highly- touted 2012 NHL draft eligible pick who is rated the No. 1

prospect out of the Ontario Hockey League. “The best team in the KHL. They had some amazing

players. I knew a couple of them.

“I thought it was a joke, at first. I was watching the TV and there were pictures of the crash. I

don‟t know, it was just so sad.

The entire hockey world also mourned the losses of former NHLER and coach Brad Mccrimmon,

Dallas Stars defenceman Karlis Skrastins, Slovakian national team captain Pavol Demitra, and Olympic

gold medal- winning goalie Stefan Liv of Sweden. Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice

Hockey Federation, called it “the darkest day in the history of our sport.”

Vladislav Namestnikov, who was drafted 27th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning this past

summer, played against some of the players growing up.

Born in Russia, Namestnikov moved to the U. S. in 1993 but moved back overseas to play in the

KHL with Khimik Voskresensk at age 16. The news hit home for him, too.

“It was a tragedy,” said the London Knights centre, who is the son of former NHLER Evgeny

Namestnikov. “I was driving from London to Detroit to see my mom and she told me.

“I was shocked. I don‟t even know what to say. Everyone in the world knew about it. It was just a

real tragedy. All the guys in London asked if I knew anyone — it was pretty sad.”

Not needing any more grim reminders, this year‟s Russian junior team touched down in Alberta

on Sunday preparing to defend gold on Canadian soil. A portion of their roster is still hanging in

balance and there are still cuts to be made.

Much like Canada‟s squad, the 2012 Russian team is loaded with talent — but short on world

junior experience.

Evgeni Kuznetsov, a firstround pick of the Washington Capitals, is the lone player returning from

last year‟s gold medal champions. The 19- yearold brings heaps of experience, having played in the

last two world junior championships. Last Christmas in Buffalo, he was second in tournament scoring (

four goals and seven assists in seven games) and will be the team‟s captain this year.

Likely, Kuznetsov will be on Russia‟s top line along with Yakupov and Namestnikov. In total, the

squad has nine Canadian Hockey League players including Yakupov who can‟t wait to tug on a Russian

jersey.

“It‟s Russia,” he said. “I love my jersey and I watch every team the Russian national team plays.

Doesn‟t matter, girls, men‟s, kids — it‟s Russia.”

Opinion: Greatest game ever played doesn't

need fighting goons

By Lisa Neufeld, The Province December 21, 2011

Who are these people who say hockey isn't hockey without fighting? Who are these people who

say you take away the fun if you take away fighting?

I know they're not true hockey fans or have a passion for the sport. Maybe they're more

comfortable watching boxing.

Real hockey fans see the sport as the greatest game ever played. They respect the speed, the

technical difficulty, the endurance to give 100 per cent every shift, the goal only magicians could

possibly make.

They respect the impossible pass setting up the impossible goal, the hardest shot saved, the open

net recovered by the most spectacular goalie.

They respect the five seconds left in a game when everyone stands on their feet screaming for the

puck to be shot to force a tie, the nail-biting penalty kill that could cost the team the Stanley Cup,

the goalie who saves the team from loss over and over and over again. They respect the super-

star and the player who visits sick children in the hospital.

This is hockey! If you take away all of this, you have two goons fighting for the rights to

Parkinson's disease.

Lisa Neufeld, Surrey

Opinion: Bigger arenas?

By Shawn Storey, The Province December 21, 2011

The medical profession needs to mind its own business regarding hitting and fighting in hockey.

Before all these pansies started talking about it and it became a no-no to let kids hit in minor

hockey, coaches used to teach kids how to properly hit and take a hit.

But now they get thrown into the fire at 14 with no prior teaching.

Fighting used to be emotions get-ting the better of a guy. But now most teams employ a pylon

whose only purpose is to bash somebody's head in. And that is the one element that needs to go.

The solution to the concussion issue is simple, but won't be considered because it will cost the

rich owners a lot of money to upgrade the size of the arenas.

Players have grown larger over the years. Give them room to play and they will play. But put

them in a phone booth and this is what happens.

Shawn Storey, Surrey

601768 Detroit Red Wings

What to watch today: Red Wings take on Canucks in late-night

Is it still a school night or has Christmas vacation started yet? Because the Red Wings have one of those West Coast face-offs in Vancouver. The Canucks got off to a slow start, but now they're one of the league's hottest teams, on an 11-2-1 streak, and most balanced, with a 30-goal differential. 10 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.21.2011

601769 Detroit Red Wings

Talented Canucks a good measuring stick for Red Wings

By Helene St. James

Detroit

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg offered a brilliant, if understated, explanation for why it's so hard to contain Henrik and Daniel Sedin, brothers and leading scorers of the Vancouver Canucks.

"They've been playing with each other for basically their whole lives," Zetterberg said Tuesday, "so they've got pretty good chemistry."

The Wings take their turn at them tonight at Rogers Arena, in a game that captain Nicklas Lidstrom, goaltender Jimmy Howard and forward Pavel Datsyuk all referred to in some variation as a litmus test. Lidstrom said the Canucks are "a team that we want to measure ourselves up against;" Howard said "you want to compare yourself to them, to see how you measure up," and Datsyuk explained that "it's tough to play against skill but it's tougher to play against (a) competitive team. They're similar, like, to our team."

The Wings won, 2-0, on Oct. 13, but at that time the Canucks were still dealing with the lingering effects of having played all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals (which they lost to Boston). Since then, the Canucks have gotten on track, as have the Sedins: Henrik has 39 points, Daniel, 38 -- both more than any Wings.

"It's hard to defend against them," said Lidstrom, who has a great deal of experience doing so. "They're so good at finding each other, throwing passes behind their backs and just having a knack for finding the back of the net, too. You've got to try to keep them on the outside, but they're very smart hockey players."

Ryan Kesler of Livonia is third on the team with 24 points, part of a lineup that matches nearly evenly with the Wings: Detroit averages 3.31 goals per game to Vancouver's 3.30; Detroit allows an average of 2.22 goals to Vancouver's 2.36.

"It should be another intense game between us," Howard said. "They like to have puck possession, they like to create, get pucks down low, cycle. They get their D involved with their D dropping down. It is very similar to playing against us. It's going to be a tough test."

SWEDES DON'T SWEAT STORY: There are reports that in a documentary about his life, Peter Forsberg contends the '06 Swedish Olympic hockey team threw a game to the Slovaks so the Swedes would next play the Swiss rather than the Russians or Canadians. Lidstrom -- that team's captain, and the guy who scored the gold-medal winning goal -- naturally had a diplomatic response.

"In my view," he said, "that game didn't really mean anything to us and it meant everything for the Slovaks. I know we didn't throw the game, or didn't try to lose."

Lidstrom also pointed out the topic was beat into the ground at the time. Zetterberg suggested something got lost in translation, hinted maybe, just maybe, it's about publicity, and otherwise echoed Lidstrom in saying, "they had to win. I think that was the difference."

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.21.2011

601770 Detroit Red Wings

Canucks make prime matchup for Red Wings

By Ted Kulfan

The Detroit News

Vancouver, British Columbia— There aren't many games in the NHL season that qualify as must-see.

Tonight is one.

Detroit at Vancouver at 10 p.m. on Fox Sports Detroit.

"It'll be fun; they're a good team, obviously, and they're playing well," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We look forward to playing them. We've had a lot of good games over the years against them and we expect that (tonight)."

The Red Wings are on a roll, 7-3 in their last 10 and coming off a road victory over the Oilers. They defeated the Canucks, 2-0, the first week of the season.

But, the Canucks are a different team than they were then.

The Canucks are healthier than in October — they didn't have Livonia native Ryan Kesler (defending Selke Trophy winner) and several other key players — for the first meeting.

Plus, they're on a 7-2-1 roll.

"Getting up for games in October when you're coming off a Game 7 loss (in the Stanley Cup Finals) is something you never want to go through," said Red Wings forward Danny Cleary. "They're back in a groove, and they have the hunger so they just want to get back there and finish the job."

Best defense

Pavel Datsyuk 's streak of three consecutive Selke trophies (best defensive forward) came to and end last season thanks to Kesler.

"He deserved it," Datsyuk said. "One-hundred percent.

"Every year he's been better and better. Every year he's played better, stronger on the ice, against me or any guys, tougher to play against."

In the tank?

Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg were surprised to hear about Peter Forsberg 's comments suggesting Sweden threw its final round-robin game against Slovakia to set up more favorable matchups in the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Sweden bypassed Canada and Russia in the quarterfinals, and won the gold medal.

"I don't know how he said that and what he meant," said Zetterberg, a teammate of Forsberg's along with Lidstrom. "My point of view is we were already in the quarterfinals, and they (Slovakia) had to win and that was the difference."

Said Lidstrom: "Every game you play you want to win. We didn't throw the game or try to lose. You still have the instinct of trying to win. I don't know in what context it happened and how it all came out, but I can only look at it in the way I viewed it and that's the way I viewed it."

Detroit News LOADED: 12.21.2011

601771 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings anticipating 'fun' game against Canucks in matchup of teams that are on a roll

Ansar Khan

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Two fast, skilled and talented teams that are playing their best hockey of the season will meet Wednesday in a marquee match-up, when the Detroit Red Wings play the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena (10 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

The Red Wings are 12-3-0 in their past 15 games. The Canucks are 12-2-0 in their past 14, following a 9-9-1 start.

“It'll be fun. They're a good team, they're playing well. We look forward to playing them,'' Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said after practice today at Rogers Arena. "We weren't very good in Edmonton last night (3-2 win). We ground out a win, started to skate as the game went on.''

He said of the Canucks: “They play with good organization, structure, good goaltending. We've had lots of good games with them over the years. I expect it to be the same tomorrow.''

The Red Wings will go with the same lineup:

Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Filppula-Zetterberg-Hudler

Cleary-Helm-Miller

Emmerton-Abdelkader-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-White

Kronwall-Ericsson

Kindl-Stuart

Howard (starting)

Conklin

Roberto Luongo, coming off a 4-0 shutout of Minnesota on Monday, will start in goal for Vancouver. Here are the Canucks' anticipated lines and defense pairings:

Daniel Sedin-Henrik Sedin-Alexandre Burrows

Chris Higgins-Ryan Kesler-Mason Raymond

Manny Malhotra-Cody Hodgson-Jannik Hansen

Mark Mancari or Andrew Ebbett-Maxim Lapierre-Dale Weiss

Dan Hamhuis-Kevin Bieksa

Alexander Edler-Sami Salo

Andrew Alberts-Alexander Sulzer

Vancouver's regular third pair on defense (Aaron Rome, Keith Ballard) are out with injuries

Roberto Luongo (starting)

Cory Schneider

The Red Wings and Canucks are near the top of many NHL power polls, but Babcock believes another team clearly is No. 1 right now.

“Right now Boston looks like the best team in the (NHL), but (Vancouver) was the best team in the (NHL) all season last year, by far,'' Babcock said. “Last year at this time I didn't think they (Bruins) were (the best team).

"They got a good four lines and a big D and two good goaltenders. But it doesn't matter who's the best team right now. It matters who's the best team in June.''

© 2011 MLive.com. All rights reserved.

Michigan Live LOADED: 12.21.2011

601772 Detroit Red Wings

Tomas Tatar mixes youth, experience with Griffins; ready for next chance with Red Wings

Michael Zuidema | The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- During some recent practices, coach Curt Fraser has divided the Grand Rapids Griffins into two groups for certain drills: One for veterans and one for younger players.

At first, it didn’t look like Tomas Tatar was sure which end of the ice he should join. On the one hand, he celebrated his 21st birthday Dec. 1 and still is the fifth-youngest player on the team. On the other, he is in his third professional season and has more than 150 games of American Hockey League experience.

There should be no doubt: Tatar may be young, but he already is a veteran, and even has undertaken a leadership position this year.

"What can you do? I started in the league when I was 18 years old," he said with a smile. "I guess I am the veteran here.

"I try to help the young guys, like, figure out what to do because the first year was kind of tough for me, too. I’m really happy that guys like Doug Janik helped me at first here, so now I have to do what they did for me."

Tatar eventually will return to the ranks of the callow and inexperienced — only this time it will be in the NHL.

TOMAS TATAR

Position: Left wing

Age: 21

Size: 5-foot-10, 186 pounds

Drafted: 60th overall by Detroit in 2009 NHL draft

This year: Seven goals, 16 assists in 28 games with Griffins

Last year: 24 goals, 33 assists in 70 games with Griffins; one goal in nine games with Red Wings

The parent club Detroit Red Wings recalled Tatar on Dec. 15 as insurance in case Jiri Hudler wasn’t able to play that night against the Predators. Tatar flew to Nashville and took part in warmups, but didn’t play.

The next morning, he caught a flight to Cleveland and met the Griffins in time for their game against the Lake Erie Monsters, where Tatar had a pair of assists in a 3-2 win.

"I wasn’t mad, I was happy. They had me there, they know I’m here and I’m happy I get the chance," he said. "I just have to wait. I don’t wish anybody to get injured, but it’s hockey. You have to be ready."

Tatar started this season slow with only five points (two goals, three assists) in the first 12 games. Since then, though, he has 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in his past 16 games, and now is tied for second on the team in scoring with Chris Conner, who currently is in Detroit.

"I had kind of a rough start. I don’t know why, it’s always tough to say after," Tatar said. "I think I’m back. I’ve scored a couple goals, made a couple passes, so I’m at least producing and now the team is doing well. I’m feeling much better."

Since Conner’s Nov. 30 recall, Tatar has seen significant time on the Griffins’ top line, alongside Gustav Nyquist and Jamie Johnson.

"Tats has been playing with us for the last few games, and he’s obviously a great player," Nyquist said. "He’s shown that for the past couple years in this league. It’s definitely fun to play with guys like that."

Fraser said even if Tatar doesn’t always show up in the scoring column, it’s clear he has made strides in his development this season.

"Looking to see if this kid’s going to get 100 points or something would be great, but look at what else he does for us," Fraser said. "He’s doing so many good things. Killing penalties, power play, his overall puck control has been tremendous and his work ethic has been real good.

"He’s been a good leader for us and he’s getting some good things done on the ice. I believe he will have a great second half."

That works for Tatar, and if his play draws the attention of the Red Wings, even better. He appeared in nine games with Detroit last season, and scored a goal in his NHL debut Dec. 31.

As much as he wants to help the Griffins win right now, he would love another crack at the NHL.

"I kind of hoped I could maybe get more chances at the NHL (by now). There’s still a lot of time," he said. "I didn’t have a good start, so maybe it was tough for the Red Wings to call me up. I just need to work and continue what I’m doing. Maybe I’ll get called up again."?

Michigan Live LOADED: 12.21.2011

601773 Detroit Red Wings

Miller scores winner as Detroit Red Wings beat Edmonton

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings are finally starting to come around on the road.

Drew Miller scored with 4:15 remaining in the third period and the Red Wings beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Monday night, evening their road record to 8-8.

Miller's goal came on a deflection off a shot from the point by Niklas Lidstrom. It was Detroit's third goal of the game that came on a tip-in.

Dan Cleary and Jiri Hudler also scored for Detroit, which has won 12 of its last 15 games.

The Red Wings are an impressive 13-2-1 at home, but have struggled on the road this season, making it a relief to get back to even in that category.

"That's a stat we hear about a lot. It's nice to be back to .500," Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "We didn't have our best game. They were skating a lot better than we did. But we kept grinding away and that's important to do on the road. It's a good start to this road trip as we have two more before we go home for Christmas."

Lidstrom agreed Detroit's hard work was the difference.

"We were tied heading into the third on the road and we just wanted to grind it out and not open ourselves up defensively," he said. "We wanted to wait for our opportunity and our third line had a great night tonight. It was great to see Miller get that winning goal tonight. It's something we have to continue to build on."

Ryan Jones and Jordan Eberle had Edmonton's goals. The Oilers have lost four in a row and nine of 11.

"We played hard and I felt we were with them every step of the way," Oilers coach Tom Renney said. "We worked hard and did a lot of good things. We have to stick with it. We can't feel sorry for ourselves. No one is going to hand you points. We have a couple of games to build on now and maybe we can start winning again."

Detroit started the scoring 4½ minutes into the first period when Cleary deftly redirected a backhand shot by Jakub Kindl past Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin.

Edmonton had its chances on Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, particularly Taylor Hall, who hit a post and had a puck heading toward an open net on a partial breakaway that was fished safely away by Detroit's Brad Stuart.

The Oilers tied the game less than three minutes into the second period as Sam Gagner chipped a puck up ice to give Jones a breakaway. Jones made the most of the opportunity, burying his 11th through Howard's legs.

The Red Wings went up 2-1 with 4 minutes remaining in the second period after a giveaway by Ryan Whitney allowed them to gain the Edmonton zone and Hudler was able to tip a shot by Zetterberg into the net.

Edmonton tied the game once again on a power-play goal with 0.5 seconds left in the second period as a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins shot that was blocked in front was picked up by Eberle in the slot and rifled home.

Khabibulin came up big seven minutes into the third period to keep it a 2-2 game, making a huge stop on a point-blank shot from Zetterberg.

Notes: The Red Wings won the only previous meeting between the two teams 3-0 in Detroit in November. Detroit came into the game with a six-game winning streak against Edmonton and had earned points in 19 of their last 20 games against the Oilers. ... Detroit was beginning a three-game Western Canada trip in four nights. ... Detroit forward Jan Mursak (fractured ankle) has returned to practices, but is expected to head to Grand Rapids (AHL) for a conditioning stint after Christmas. Detroit forward Patrick Eaves (fractured jaw) and Chris Conner (fractured hand) are also recovering. ... Edmonton D Cam Barker (ankle) is still out until likely February. ... Detroit forward Valterri Filppula is on pace to surpass his career-high 40 point season, with 26 points in 31 games.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 12.21.2011