Boxing Day but expects a different from zgr123's blog
The Vancouver Canucks have had quite a ride with goaltending in recent years and attempted to solve the problem by signing the number one free agent puck-stopper. Cheap Basketball Shoes Sale . Numbers Game looks into the Canucks signing Ryan Miller. The Canucks Get: G Ryan Miller. Miller, 33, was having a terrific season in Buffalo, posting a .923 save percentage in 40 games before he was traded to St. Louis. From there, Miller struggled down the stretch, with aa .903 save percentage in 19 regular season games before an .897 save percentage in the first-round playoff loss to Chicago. That finish might have dimmed his star somewhat, but Miller has a repuation earned with a save percentage of .919 over the past five seasons, during which no one has registered more saves than Millers 8278. That rep isnt everything, though. Miller is a 33-year-old who last made it out of the first round of the playoffs in 2007 and his .925 even-strength save percentage over the past four seasons ranks 22nd out of 43 goaltenders to play at least 4000 5-on-5 minutes. Following their abrupt playoff departure, the Blues changed their goaltending approach, retaining Brian Elliott with the expectation that they would add prospect Jake Allen to the tandem for next season. Whether Miller is at the peak of his game isnt necessarily the point though, because hes an upgrade in net for Vancouver; more proven than Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom, and thats what matters for the Canucks over the next three seasons. If they are going to remain competitive for at least a few more seasons, then the Canucs cant be stumbling around with question marks in goal, hoping that it will work out. New Canucks GM Jim Benning was instrumental to the Buffalo Sabres decision to draft Miller in 1999, so its not altogether surprising that Benning would turn to Miller to help the Canucks now. Miller doesnt guarantee success for the Canucks, but if he can provide at least average, or ideally above-average, goaltending, then the Canucks have had good enough possession numbers to compete for a playoff spot if they get decent goaltending. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook.Cheap Basketball Shoes Online . For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. Cheap Basketball Shoes Discount . In an interview with La Presse this week, the five-time Stanley Cup champion and three-time NHL scoring leader specifically took aim at wingers Thomas Vanek and Max Pacioretty, saying they cant show up in a 7-4 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final and come up empty in Game 6.TORONTO — Zach Fucale will have a shot at redemption when he starts in Sundays semifinal game against Slovakia at the world junior hockey championship.Fucale was the starter a year ago when Canada lost 5-1 in the semifinals against Finland.Last year, we learned a lot from it, Fucale said Saturday. We thought we were there and we werent. It hit us hard and it was a hard thing to go through. It helped us out. A lot of us have lived that.The 19-year-old was 2-2 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .902 save percentage at last years tournament as Canada settled for a fourth-place finish.That experience has helped the Montreal Canadiens second-round pick stay focused this year.We know that if we dont take care of this moment right now, if we dont take advantage of what we have in front of us, live in the moment, we wont have that chance at the end, he said. Its not that hard to just stay right here and take one step at a time and not skip a step.According to Canadian coach Benoit Groulx, the experience from last years tournament gave Fucale the edge for Sundays start.We like both of our goalies. They have been very good so far. It is just a matter of picking a very good goalie for tomorrow and Zach has the experience from last year, said Groulx. So we feel very comfortable having him in net tomorrow night.Eric Comrie, a Winnipeg Jets 2013 second-round pick, has a 1.555 goals-against average and . Cheap Basketball Shoes. 33 save percentage in his two appearances at this years tournament.Fucale said the conversation on who will start Sunday wasnt long.It wasnt much of a conversation really, Fucale said. Me and (Comrie) were just stretching on the ice and (Groulx) came over to us and told us. It feels really good. Everyone wants to be in there and contribute.Were happy to have this opportunity tomorrow and were preparing well for it.Fucale made 12 saves to blank the Slovaks in the first game of the preliminary round on Boxing Day but expects a different team in the semis.That was the first game of the tournament, he said. Theyre going to be a different team, a better team. Certainly were a better team and weve been different. If we keep playing the way we can, and play out of our comfort zone, well have success.Fucale made 14 saves to shut out Denmark in Friday nights 8-0 quarter-final win and has allowed just one goal in the tournament while posting a .982 save percentage.The Slovaks always compete and theyre coming off a couple wins and they have some momentum right now, said Fucale. We cant underestimate them at all. Theyre in the semifinals so they certainly did something right to be there and theyre going to be ready for us.The winner between Canada and Slovakia will play either Russia or Sweden for gold on Monday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall