Mr Gixxer
01-10-2003, 11:11 AM
TIME: Friday, 10 p.m. EST.
While Andrew Cassels has no regrets about leaving the Vancouver Canucks for the Columbus Blue Jackets, it may be hard for him not to be at least a little envious when his former team comes to town.
The surging Canucks face their former teammate for the first time when they open their four-game season series against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
Cassels, a talented playmaking center, averaged 56 points in his three seasons in Vancouver. But the 13-year NHL veteran had a strong desire to move closer to his family in the Toronto area. He chose to leave the Pacific Northwest after becoming an unrestricted free agent during the offseason, signing a three-year contract with the Blue Jackets.
While Cassels knew he was leaving a better team to be closer to home, he might not have anticipated how much better. Vancouver is in first place in the Northwest Division and is battling several clubs for the best record in the NHL.
The Canucks have shown no signs of slowing down lately, beating the Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa Senators 6-4 on Wednesday night for their third straight win and seventh in nine games.
Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 29th and 30th goals, both on the power play, as Vancouver stretched its division lead to five points.
Naslund missed five minutes of the third period so he could go into the locker room for treatment on his ailing back.
"My back cramped up and I just couldn't breathe for a little bit," said Naslund, who leads the NHL with 19 power-play goals. "I'll be OK. It might be a minor tear in the muscle, I don't know." The win secured the Western Conference All-Star coaching spot for Vancouver's Marc Crawford.
Cassels has been his usually productive self in his first season in Columbus, compiling 10 goals and 26 assists to place him second on the club with 36 points. His team has played better since a five-game losing streak in late December, improving to 3-1-1 in its last five with a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.
Geoff Sanderson scored his 21st goal, and Grant Marshall broke a 21-game goal drought as Columbus gave Doug MacLean a victory in his debut as Blue Jackets coach.
"I'm really proud of them tonight the way they came out and played a high-pressure game," said MacLean, the team president and general manager who took over coaching duties Tuesday after firing Dave King.
Marc Denis made 18 saves in tying his team record with his 20th consecutive start for the Blue Jackets.
STANDINGS: Blue Jackets - 36 points, 4th place, 20 PB, Central Division.
Canucks - 55 points, 1st place, Northwest Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Blue Jackets - Sanderson, 21 goals; Ray Whitney, 28 assists and 40 points; Jody Shelley, 124 PIM. Canucks - Naslund, 30 goals and 55 points; Brendan Morrison, 27 assists; Todd Bertuzzi, 92 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Jan. 8): Blue Jackets - Power play: 16.7 percent (35 for 209), 12th in NHL. Penalty killing: 87.9 percent (181 for 206), 1st.
Canucks - Power play: 20.6 percent (46 for 223), 4th. Penalty killing: 86.4 percent (184 for 213), 6th.
GOALTENDERS: Blue Jackets - Denis (15-21-4, 2 SO, 2.85 GAA); Jean-Francois Labbe (0-1-0, 5.22). Canucks - Dan Cloutier (21-9-3, 1, 2.45); Peter Skudra (4-2-2, 2.53).
2001-02 SEASON SERIES: Canucks, 4-0.
LAST MEETING: March 28; Canucks 4-3, OT. At Vancouver, British Columbia, Bertuzzi scored once and set up the final two goals, including the overtime winner by Cassels, as the Canucks rallied from a two-goal deficit.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blue Jackets - 4-12-3-1 on the road; Canucks - 12-7-3-0 at home.
While Andrew Cassels has no regrets about leaving the Vancouver Canucks for the Columbus Blue Jackets, it may be hard for him not to be at least a little envious when his former team comes to town.
The surging Canucks face their former teammate for the first time when they open their four-game season series against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
Cassels, a talented playmaking center, averaged 56 points in his three seasons in Vancouver. But the 13-year NHL veteran had a strong desire to move closer to his family in the Toronto area. He chose to leave the Pacific Northwest after becoming an unrestricted free agent during the offseason, signing a three-year contract with the Blue Jackets.
While Cassels knew he was leaving a better team to be closer to home, he might not have anticipated how much better. Vancouver is in first place in the Northwest Division and is battling several clubs for the best record in the NHL.
The Canucks have shown no signs of slowing down lately, beating the Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa Senators 6-4 on Wednesday night for their third straight win and seventh in nine games.
Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 29th and 30th goals, both on the power play, as Vancouver stretched its division lead to five points.
Naslund missed five minutes of the third period so he could go into the locker room for treatment on his ailing back.
"My back cramped up and I just couldn't breathe for a little bit," said Naslund, who leads the NHL with 19 power-play goals. "I'll be OK. It might be a minor tear in the muscle, I don't know." The win secured the Western Conference All-Star coaching spot for Vancouver's Marc Crawford.
Cassels has been his usually productive self in his first season in Columbus, compiling 10 goals and 26 assists to place him second on the club with 36 points. His team has played better since a five-game losing streak in late December, improving to 3-1-1 in its last five with a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.
Geoff Sanderson scored his 21st goal, and Grant Marshall broke a 21-game goal drought as Columbus gave Doug MacLean a victory in his debut as Blue Jackets coach.
"I'm really proud of them tonight the way they came out and played a high-pressure game," said MacLean, the team president and general manager who took over coaching duties Tuesday after firing Dave King.
Marc Denis made 18 saves in tying his team record with his 20th consecutive start for the Blue Jackets.
STANDINGS: Blue Jackets - 36 points, 4th place, 20 PB, Central Division.
Canucks - 55 points, 1st place, Northwest Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Blue Jackets - Sanderson, 21 goals; Ray Whitney, 28 assists and 40 points; Jody Shelley, 124 PIM. Canucks - Naslund, 30 goals and 55 points; Brendan Morrison, 27 assists; Todd Bertuzzi, 92 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Jan. 8): Blue Jackets - Power play: 16.7 percent (35 for 209), 12th in NHL. Penalty killing: 87.9 percent (181 for 206), 1st.
Canucks - Power play: 20.6 percent (46 for 223), 4th. Penalty killing: 86.4 percent (184 for 213), 6th.
GOALTENDERS: Blue Jackets - Denis (15-21-4, 2 SO, 2.85 GAA); Jean-Francois Labbe (0-1-0, 5.22). Canucks - Dan Cloutier (21-9-3, 1, 2.45); Peter Skudra (4-2-2, 2.53).
2001-02 SEASON SERIES: Canucks, 4-0.
LAST MEETING: March 28; Canucks 4-3, OT. At Vancouver, British Columbia, Bertuzzi scored once and set up the final two goals, including the overtime winner by Cassels, as the Canucks rallied from a two-goal deficit.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blue Jackets - 4-12-3-1 on the road; Canucks - 12-7-3-0 at home.