Vancouver isn't suited for playing California teams so often. Canucks @ Ducks.
As everyone predicted, the Vancouver Canucks are not having as easy of a go in their new division as they've had previous seasons in their old, weaker division. It wasn't a big secret, everyone knew it was coming. The Canucks can't continue to be a mediocre team and rack up points in a worthless division to pad their poor performance any longer, and that's certainly not due to anything Phoenix, Edmonton, or Calgary are doing in the new Pacific.
Let's take a look at the California teams' modern records against the Canucks (including all playoff games), from the end of the 2004-05 lockout to last night's matchup against the Kings (using the standard Win-Regulation Loss-OT Loss-Shootout Loss convention):
San Jose
26-14-3-1
Goals for San Jose: 135
Goals against San Jose: 115
Anaheim
22-10-1-4
Goals for Anaheim: 123
Goals against Anaheim: 103
Los Angeles
23-20-1-1
Goals for Los Angeles: 115
Goals against Los Angeles: 119
California Total
This means California teams are 71-44-5-6 overall against Vancouver, out-shooting the Canucks 373-337.
Things aren't going to get any better for Vancouver any time soon. Hope you enjoyed your years of dominance in that shitty division that left you ill-prepared for competitive hockey.
Gameday Prediction
Regardless of how this one particular game goes, Vancouver continues to struggle overall in their new real division, dominated by California teams, where grown-up hockey is played.
Classic Moment
To help commemorate the Ducks' 20th year this season, each gameday I'll be posting a clip of a classic moment from the team's history against that night's opponent. Here is today's...
Ducks eliminate the Vancouver Canucks from the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2OT of Game 5.
