The Canucks don’t agree with a two-game suspension assessed to Alex Edler for his charging major Thursday, when the defenceman collided with Mike Smith as the Phoenix Coyotes goaltender went behind the net to play the puck.

The Canucks also revealed Friday that David Booth has had surgery to repair ligament damage from his high-ankle sprain, while Ryan Kesler’s fractured right foot remains in a walking boot as he awaits another CT scan. Zack Kassian’s back is still bugging him and the once-vaunted power play has plummeted from 14th to 29th in a month.

And, oh yeah, the Canucks get to face the defending Stanley Cup champions today in a 1 p.m. matinee at the Staples Center. If anything, the adversity might bring out the best in the Canucks, who won 2-1 Thursday to open this three-game road trip without the ill Steve Pinizzotto, with Andrew Gordon recalled from the Chicago Wolves, and with Keith Ballard playing left wing. So, when Doughty said the Canucks like to complain about the officiating — and they did last spring especially in the first two games of the clubs’ short playoff series — it’s a sign that the postseason is on the horizon. The Canucks hope to be there, mocking and all.

“It’s the same with every team, there’s always a couple of guys who talk a little bit more,” said Higgins. “It’s not the first time we’ve heard it and I don’t think anybody puts too much stock in that — it’s been beaten to death, I think.”

So has the fact that the Canucks seem a shell of the club that came within a victory of winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2011. But they do have a knack of rising to the occasion. One of their best games this season was a 5-2 home-ice triumph against the Kings on March 2. Cory Schneider backstopped that win and is expected to start again today with Roberto Luongo getting the call Sunday in snowy Denver. Luongo was sharp here in a 3-2 shootout loss on Jan. 28.

“It seems like we’ve been playing them pretty well this year and I find it always pretty entertaining games to play against these guys,” added Higgins. “There’s a little extra emotion in the building and with an afternoon game. On a personal level, it’s just a fun game. They’re a big, strong team and they like to play a physical game and it gets you into the game early. They’re right with us in the standings and it’s the final push now, so it shouldn’t be hard to get up for it.”

As long as that back holds up.

“Something went wrong with my back in the morning skate and I just felt terrible all day,” Higgins said after skating in an optional practice Friday. “I made it three times around and it tightened up and I couldn’t really function. I haven’t had any problems before, so it was kind of a weird thing for me.”

Chris Tanev also skated gingerly Friday on a right foot that was swollen.

“A little maintenance,” shrugged the defenceman. “I should be good to go.”

Tanev scored his second career goal Thursday, taking a cross-ice feed from Mason Raymond high in the slot and ripping a wrist shot past Smith.

“Mason gave me the puck and I looked up and Smith was really deep in his net,” said Tanev. “I was more surprised he was so deep. A good shot and I was happy to beat him. It was obviously exciting and awesome to get the win.”

The Canucks hope they can say the same today.

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When Edler made contact with Mike Smith behind the Phoenix Coyotes net during the second period of what would become an inspirational 2-1 victory by the injury-ravaged Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, it wasn’t a one-man mission to get to one of the NHL’s best puck-handling goaltenders. Edler has no such history in his seven-year career. It was a collective mindset to forecheck aggressively and eliminate one of the Coyotes’ best assets, a stopper who handles the puck like a blueliner.

However, when Edler made contact with Smith and the whiplash motion sent the goalie sprawling to the ice, the Swedish defenceman was given a five-minute charging major. Under Rule 42.5, the referee can rule on the degree of violence and deem whether a game misconduct could also be assessed. Smith collided with Daniel Sedin on the winger’s hard charge to the net earlier in the period and didn’t return for the third period and was replaced by Jason LaBarbera.

“Rather than attempt to minimize or avoid contact, Edler takes a direct route through Smith making contact with his head,” the league said in a video presentation in which it also cited the injury. “This is charging against a goaltender and a goaltender is not fair game just because he is outside the goal crease area. Incidental contact is allowed when a goaltender is playing the puck outside his goal crease, providing the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.

“While we agree that Alex Edler has no malicious intent on this play, we believe he does not make any effort to minimize or avoid contact.”

Canucks general manager Mike Gillis issued the following statement in response to the ruling:

“As an organization we respect the NHL and its process for supplemental discipline. While we may not agree with this ruling, we will move forward. We do not intend to comment further on this matter.”

With Chris Higgins testing his sore back in an optional skate Friday and expected to play against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon, it means Keith Ballard will go back on the blueline after filling in admirably as a left winger Thursday. Ironically, had Smith made a back pass along the end boards, there probably wouldn’t have been the collision. But part of the goalie’s game is the art of deception and what play he’s going to make with the puck.

“He was just trying to look Alex off and hoping he wouldn’t go behind the net,” reasoned Canucks defenceman Chris Tanev, who skated gingerly Friday on a bothersome right foot but will play Saturday. “Alex was just trying to play the puck and Smith happened to be up against the wall. I don’t know really where he (Edler) could have gone. They’re both big guys and it’s definitely a tough play.

“I’m sure he (Edler) was trying to squeeze through him, but there wasn’t much space to move around. Alex was just trying to get his stick. It’s just one of those hockey plays, I guess.”

Higgins understood what Edler was trying to accomplish because the Canucks are at their best with an aggressive forecheck — especially against a guy like Smith.

“It seemed like he (Edler) was just trying to take the wall away and he had a lot of speed,” said Higgins. “It’s hard to move side to side. I don’t know how he could have avoided a collision. If Smith moves the puck quicker, he could have got out of the way but Smith hugged the wall. It (collision) jerked his head back and that’s what people are looking at now.”

Last spring, Andrew Shaw received a three-game suspension during the playoffs for similar contact with Smith. At the time, the league ruled that Shaw didn’t have “reasonable” contact with the goalie. Coyotes coach Dave Tippett feels the same way about Edler’s contact with Smith.

“I saw a guy (Edler) just run him over — he just kept going right through him,” said Tippett, who added that Smith had treatment for whiplash, is listed as day-to-day and may practise Sunday.

Handling the puck behind the net is not a strong suit for Roberto Luongo and goaltenders are always concerned about being protected better through revamped rules and the right calls. But Luongo has a hard time believing that Edler intentionally targeted Smith.

“Knowing Alex, it wasn’t intentional,” said Luongo, who added he didn’t expect to start Saturday. “It’s a fine line and it’s hard to say what’s incidental contact and what is not. And not everybody knows what kind of person Alex is. It’s a tough call.

“Smith is one of the best puck-handlers in the league and he’s not afraid to get out there. It happened fast and I’m sure Alex couldn’t get out of the way there.”

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Even with David Booth gone for the regular season, and possibly the post-season too, Vancouver GM Mike Gillis claims he isn’t focused on acquiring a winger to improve his team before the trade deadline.

The reason is obvious. The Canucks need a centre.
Gillis said Friday Booth underwent surgery, hoping they could accelerate his rehab.
“There’s a chance,” Gillis said when asked if Booth could still come back for the playoffs.
Of course, that would take a long playoff run and right now the Canucks are in tough just to get in, especially if they aren’t able to pull the trigger on a deal which lands a centre.

It’s also worth noting here, NHL teams can’t buy out injured players which could complicate things this offseason if the Canucks were planning to buy Booth out and he’s not fully recovered.

Gillis said he thought Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian would be back soon and the team was “pretty solid” at wing.

“I don’t think that’s our focus right now,” Gillis said when asked if the team would consider trading for a winger.

For now, the Canucks remain without Kesler. This is the fourth week of a rehab that was supposed to take 4-6 weeks. Gillis said Kesler is pain free but the bone is not yet healed.
“Once they are comfortable the bone is completely healed, it won’t take him long to get back but until that happens he’s going to stay not weight bearing and he’s going to let it get better.”

On the centre watch, Gillis admitted the Canucks have been talking to multiple teams about trying to land one all season long.
“But as you guys have noticed, there’s virtually no trades happening,” Gillis said. “There’s lots of teams that are close to a playoff spot or in a playoff spot. There’s surprises. There’s teams that no one thought would be at the top, at the top. It’s a very strange season this year.
“There are more players being claimed on waivers this year than ever before. That’s because it’s very hard to make trades.”
Doesn’t sound too encouraging, does it?

The coach and defenceman will know what the NHL thought of the action when Edler has a 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) hearing today that could result in further discipline.  A phone hearing carries a maximum five-game suspension.

“I don’t know if it was a major — I’m not sure what he can do there,” said Vigneault. “That goaltender plays the puck so much and he (Edler) is going behind the net to play his stick and the goalie turned around and tried to shoot it. I’m not exactly sure what he was supposed to do.”

Upon further video review, Edler’s skates only leave the ice from the thrust of the impact and under Rule 42.5, he was assessed a major for the degree of violence and didn’t receive a game misconduct. And it’s murky as to when Smith was actually injured because he was also shaken up in a crease collision with a hard-charging Daniel Sedin, who took a catching glove in the nose and had to leave for stitches.

It will be interesting to see if the league cites a similar collision between Smith and Andrew Shaw in the playoffs that resulted in a three-game suspension. Smith was not injured in that encounter.

At that time, the league ruled Shaw didn’t have “reasonable” contact with Smith. He was trying to disrupt Smith as he was handling the puck and block his pass around the boards. That caused the contact of Shaw’s shoulder with Smith’s head. Incidental or not, players have been put on notice that goaltenders are not fair game.

On Thursday, Edler’s effort was similar and Smith was replaced by Jason LaBarbera in the final period of what would prove a 2-1 Canucks triumph. They prevailed without the injured Chris Higgins (back), Zack Kassian (back), Steve Pinizzotto (illness), Ryan Kesler (foot fracture) and David Booth (high ankle sprain) and had to recall Andrew Gordon from the Chicago Wolves. Defenceman Keith Ballard played left wing and almost scored on  Smith in the first period. Then came the Edler incident.

“I was told after the second period that he was being evaluated and wouldn’t return,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said of Smith. “I saw a guy (Edler) just run him over — he just kept going right through him and it looked like Smitty was alright. But they talked to him between periods and he was re-evaluated.”

Now the league will evaluate the hit.

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With Zack Kassian (back) and Steve Pinizzotto (illness) already on the sidelines — and more crippling news with David Booth’s injury diagnosed as a high-ankle sprain that can have a recovery period of six to eight weeks — the Canucks summoned forward Andrew Gordon from the Chicago Wolves. The trickle-down effect is that a defenceman, likely Andrew Alberts or Keith Ballard, will have to play wing with just 11 forwards available.

“That’s going to be the case but I’m going to try and figure that out this afternoon,” said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. “This just happened in a short span and we have a couple of hours to figure what we’re going to do.”

The good news is that Cory Schneider is coming off a strong 32-save performance Tuesday against St. Louis and that the Coyotes have lost four straight. They’re coming off a road trip in which they were blanked in three-straight games and went 245:33 before finally scoring Tuesday in a 3-2 loss at Los Angeles. But the Coyotes are 10-5-1 at home, have a way of playing well against the Canucks and won 4-2 at Rogers Arena on Feb. 26. If the Canucks are going to make something of this trip, their goaltending must be solid and their offence opportunistic because you can argue they’re only icing seven truly established NHL forwards tonight.

“It’s a tough game and never easy because they play with a lot of structure and energy,” said Schneider. “They may not have that big line, but they do have three or four lines that contribute. I know I have to be an integral part of the puzzle, regardless if we have a full lineup or a few guys out. My job doesn’t change and we have a lot of confidence in the guys we recall.”

Schneider was strong in a 2-1 shootout loss here last season at the trade deadline and also blanked the Coyotes 5-0 on their home ice in November of 2011. The Coyotes got a monster game from captain Shane Doan on Tuesday with 11 shots, 13 hits and a goal in 18:59. Now you know why the Canucks tried so hard to land him last summer.

Meanwhile, some confidence may be returning for Daniel Sedin, who went eight games without a goal before scoring Tuesday against the Blues. The winger had a long and animated post-practice discussion with Vigneault along the far sideboards. There was much head shaking, stick pointing and hand motions between the pair. What was the message to a guy with nine goals, just one more than Henrik Sedin?

“Nothing,” shrugged Daniel. “We usually have talks after every practice and it was nothing game specific. Last game was obviously a step in the right direction and I’ve got to keep that going. I’m at my best when I’m shooting the puck and I like to be the shooter on the line. I’m going to try and do that more.”

Daniel has actually been playing more like Henrik, thinking pass first and shoot second as a struggling sniper.

“That’s the tendency for everyone,” he said. “I’ve got to be more selfish and get to those shooting positions and that’s been missing.”

Gordon has played 49 NHL games — including 37 with the Anaheim Ducks last season and a dozen wit the Washington Capitals — and that made the centre/winger the logical recall choice over the highly touted yet untested Nicklas Jensen and Darren Archibald. Gordon has 16 goals and 26 points in 47 AHL games this season with the Chicago Wolves and brings versatility because he can play centre or wing on the third or fourth lines tonight. He was acquired from the Ducks in a trade for defenceman Sebastian Erixon last season. He didn’t arrive in time for the morning skate.

“He’s a real heart-and-soul kid and one of our captains,” Wolves coach Scott Arniel said of the 27-year-old Halifax native. “He plays the same way every night and every shift and knows what it takes to play at this level because he’s won a couple of championships at Hershey. He’s on our power play and penalty kill. We have him at centre but he can play the wing as well and he’ll bring a good work ethic. He knows how to play on the right side of the puck.”

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With David Booth long gone with an ankle sprain that’s worse than the club first revealed — a high-ankle sprain that can take as long as six to eight weeks to recover from — Zack Kassian having a recurring back ailment and Tom Sestito limping his way on to the plane Wednesday for a three-game road trip, the Canucks will be short a forward if Sestito can’t go against the Phoenix Coyotes tonight. Or if coach Alain Vigneault wants to give Gordon a good look.

The fact Gordon has played 49 NHL games — 37 with the Anaheim Ducks last season and a dozen wit the Washington Capitals — made the centre/winger the logical choice over the highly touted yet untested Nicklas Jensen and Darren Archibald. Gordon has 16 goals and 26 points in 47 AHL games this season with the Chicago Wolves and brings versatility because he could play centre or wing on the third or fourth lines tonight. He was acquired from the Ducks in a trade for defenceman Sebastian Erixon last season.

“He’s a real heart-and-soul kid and one of our captains,” Wolves coach Scott Arniel said of the 27-year-old Halifax native. “He plays the same way every night and every shift and knows what it takes to play at this level because he’s won a couple of championships at Hershey. He’s on our power play and penalty kill. We have him at centre but he can play the wing as well and he’ll bring a good work ethic. He knows how to play on the right side of the puck.

“There will be an adjustment for him with the NHL speed but he knows what to do with the puck. On our power play, he’s a front-of-the-net guy battling and looking for garbage and has a heavy one-timer slapshot. And he’s not going to play on the perimeter, he’ll play in traffic because that’s where he scores most of his goals. He prefers the middle but he’ll do what’s best for the team.”

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Kassian, who re-injured a sore back in a fight with the Blues’ Chris Stewart early in Tuesday’s 3-2 win, didn’t travel with the team. Sestito also fought St. Louis fourth-liner Ryan Reaves, but didn’t appear to injure himself in the scuffle.

The Canucks had an extra forward (Andrew Ebbett) for Tuesday’s game, but with Kassian out and if Sestito can’t play the team would need to recall a forward from the Chicago Wolves farm club.

“We’ve got some bumps and bruises,” said Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault. “I made some calls this morning and I’m waiting for a couple of answers. We’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Cory Schneider, who would be expected to get another start to play against the Coyotes on Thursday after an excellent game against the Blues on Tuesday, said he hadn’t been notified by the coach as to who would start.

Injured winger David Booth was seen earlier at the airport on crutches, but Vigneault said he wasn’t travelling with the team and said he didn’t know where Booth was headed.

Three things to ponder following the Canucks’ 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night:

1. If there is hope for the Vancouver Canucks, it was in Jordan Schroeder’s game-winning assist to Dale Weise.

For all the hand-wringing over the holes in the Canucks roster, the one thing they have always had is speed.

Using some, Schroeder pushed the puck into the offensive zone, flying by David Backes. He forced the Blues’ best defencemen, Alex Pietrangelo and Barret Jackman, into a retreat. And when all three began circling him, he used a Henrik-esque, half-spin move and found a wide-open Weise cutting in on the net.

Given who scored — freakin’ Weise! — given it was a game winner — 2 points! — and given it was Schroeder — a centre! — it may have been the play of the year.

It was among the most eye-opening, anyway. And you would hope AV’s eyes are among those who get opened.
Unfairly critiqued by his head coach during his last NHL run before being sent down to the AHL after March 10, Schroeder returned with two impressive games. In the first, in Monday’s loss, he helped turn Weise and Tom Sestito into scoring threats. Say what?

On Tuesday, he got his promotion, playing with Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen, reminding everyone this was, for a period of time, a good line. Schroeder gives Raymond and Hansen something they just aren’t going to get regularly with Andrew Ebbett or Max Lapierre. He gives them a chance. You know, to score.

He gives them lots of upside, too.

2. In May, Brian Burke first approached Vancouver GM Mike Gillis and told him the Leafs wanted Roberto Luongo.

It began a dialogue which should have culminated with a trade at the June draft, and would have, save for the oh-so-tiny issue of Luongo’s NTC. He wasn’t ready to go to Toronto then.

You can’t help but wonder how things would be different if he had been.

After pushing for Jake Gardiner, the Canucks wanted Nazem Kadri. Give them this: they got that one right.

But Kadri isn’t happening now, and people are wondering if a Luongo deal can happen before the trade deadline.
Of course it can.

Most believe that means Gillis has to come down on his asking price. Fair enough. But the Canucks have been asking for a centre on an expiring contract and a good prospect. Not sure how they can ask for much less.

Maybe instead of a B+ prospect, they can ask for a B- prospect? A C+ prospect? An F?

The Luongo trade buzz is starting to pick up again as the calendar barrels toward April 3. NHL executives outside of Vancouver believe the Canucks can still pull this deal off.

The Leafs, of course, will be interested right to the end. They’ll probably still take Luongo, but have always been looking for a sweetheart deal.

The most interesting player in this poker game, which is coming up on 11 months, may be the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals have a veteran team that really should be competing now. But they’re out of the Eastern Conference playoffs and need to start thinking about next year.

They have a young goalie who may be a star one day in Braden Holtby. But he’s not that now.

Ideally, the 23-year-old would be nurtured along during the next two to three years under the wing of some experienced veteran. Hey, like Luongo — much like Cory Schneider’s, or Jonathan Bernier’s development.

The sticking point for the Capitals in any Luongo plan promises to be the 10 years left on the contract. Is that all?

But otherwise, it has at least a chance to work, especially when you consider Washington has the best centre who could be available before the deadline in Mike Ribeiro. He is set to be a UFA in July and would make much more sense than Marian Gaborik or Jarome Iginla.

The Capitals will want a lot for the 33-year-old, even if he’s on an expiring contract. Not sure if “a lot” to them is Luongo, though. But the Canucks would be hard pressed to find a player who could impact their team more.

3. Apparently, Chris Tanev can’t be injured.

Booming hits? He walks them off.

A Shea Weber clapper straight off his knee? One that cracks his knee pad? Wasn’t a problem.

A slap shot to the head? Doesn’t stop him, it seems.

After taking a shot off his head last night, AV said Tanev was fine.

If he really is fine, it can’t be surprising.

He was hit with a shot on his leg against the Sharks. He was hit on his hand against Minnesota. He took that one off the knee against Nashville. And last night it was his head. Seemingly, none has slowed him down much.

“I’ve never seen a guy get hit that often when it’s not intentional,” Keith Ballard said. “He’s just a bystander.

“Except for that one in Minnesota where Stoner walked into it and he made a great play to block it. All the other ones, he’s just standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

“It hurts, I know that.

“I don’t know how he (always bounces back). I don’t know if he can bruise, he’s all skin and bones. Maybe that’s the key.”

CANUCKS: The Canucks meet another team that is pulling away from them in the Western Conference standings, as the red-hot and well-rested St. Louis Blues visit Rogers Arena.

The Blues, 5-1-0 in their last six, are two points up on Vancouver, at fifth in the West, while the Canucks having lost 11 of their last 16 games, are seventh.

The Canucks are one game into a tough five-games-in-seven-days stretch that could determine their season.

Cory Schneider, who hasn’t played since March 10, gets the start for the Canucks. Roberto Luongo got a four-game run, but couldn’t come up with a big save on Matt Cullen’s 3-1 insurance goal after Keith Ballard’s defensive blunder in a loss on Monday to Minnesota.

Besides the plethora of other things wrong with the Canucks’ game right now, head coach Alain Vigneault knows the goaltending has to be better.

“I’ve got to come in here after tonight’s game and say my goaltender was better than their goaltender,” said Vigneault. “We have to make sure our specialty teams win that battle. We have to play a smart, high-percentage game.”

Vigneault said he believes the team is being tested as a group.

“I believe we played well enough in the last two games to win them,” he said.

Schneider, who hasn’t won since March 2, knows this is a key game for the Canucks before they head off on a three-game road trip that takes them to Phoenix, Los Angeles and Colorado.

“Every game I play I want to be the difference-maker,” said Schneider. “I want to be the reason my team wins, as opposed to not being as good as the other guy. We’ve taken a lot of pride in that the last two years.”

The Canucks will get physical winger Zack Kassian back in the lineup after he missed two games with a sore back. Vigneault wouldn’t say who will come out of the lineup, but it’s expected to be Tom Sestito.

The Canucks’ lack of goal-scoring continues to haunt them. They are now ranked 14th in average goals scored per game and, not surprisingly, just snapped a snap a power-play drought that stretched back to Feb. 21 and had gone 0-for-36. Daniel Sedin has a personal goalscoring drought of eight games and just one in 10 games.

BLUES: St. Louis has won three straight and is getting great goaltending from rookie Jake Allen. He’s won five straight and has an 8-1-0 record overall.

Right winger Chris Stewart has led the way offensively, with 15 points in his last nine games (7-8-15), including the game winning OT goal on Saturday against Anaheim. He was NHL player of the week for his efforts.

“We’re competing at a higher level so it’s given us a chance to win,” said Blues coach Ken Hitchcock of his team’s recent success. “I think the road trip here when we won (a 4-3 shootout win) was a confidence builder. I think we’re managing the game better. When it’s on the line we seem to do that instead of trying to hit the home run like we were earlier in the year.

“We (and the Canucks) are kind of built the same way. Whichever team occupies the other team’s zone usually wins.”

EXPECTED LINEUPS
CANUCKS:
Forward
D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows
Raymond-Ebbett-Hansen
Higgins-Lapierre-Kassian
Weise-Schroeder-Pinizzotto
Defence
Edler-Bieksa
Hamhuis-Garrison
Ballard-Tanev
Goal
Schneider

BLUES:
Forwards
Steen-Backes-Stewart
McDonald-Berglund-Perron
Sobotka-Schwartz-Tarasenko
Porter-Nichol-Reaves
Defence
Jackman-Pietrangelo
Redden-Shattenkirk
Russell-Polak
Goal
Allen

SCRATCHES
CANUCKS: C Ryan Kesler (shoulder), LW David Booth (leg), D Andrew Alberts, D Cam Barker, LW Tom Sestito
BLUES: RW TJ Oshie (upper body).

Andrew Ebbett talked to Manny Malhotra about face-offs after Monday’s game. (Getty Images.)

One of the many escalating problems with the Vancouver Canucks is face-offs. Minus draw ace Manny Malhotra and Ryan Kesler, the Canucks are currently sitting 27th in the league (47.2 per cent) in face-off winning percentage after finishing third overall last year (52.2 per cent) ad first in 2010-11 (54.9 per cent).

They won 21-of-65 (32 per cent) against the Minnesota Wild in Monday’s 3-1 defeat.

“Face-offs comes down to a mental thing at some point, and hopefully tonight I can get back on track,” Vancouver pivot Andrew Ebbett said after Tuesday’s morning skate, in preparation to face the St. Louis Blues.

Ebbett said that he had a conversation with Malhotra after Monday’s game, looking for ideas. The Canucks brass have said that they want Malhotra to be around the team as a mentor to the younger players.

Ebbett was one of the main culprits against the Wild, winning 2-of-10.

“Last night, I was just of whack with the linesmen, not being set,” he said. “To be honest, it’s mental right now and you have to find a way to battle through that.”

Jared Spurgeon battles against Henrik Sedin in a previous Wild-Canucks showdown. (Getty Images.)

The Vancouver Canucks haven’t been keen on dipping into the WHL for talent of late. The Minnesota Wild give an example of what they might be missing.

The Wild signed defenceman Jared Spurgeon, 23, as a free agent in 2010, following five seasons with the Spokane Chiefs. Coming into Monday’s visit against the Canucks, he’s third on the Wild in minutes played per game this season, at 21:41. He has three goals, and seven points in 18 games.

He didn’t sign with the New York Islanders after they made him a sixth-round draft pick in 2008 and, at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, there will always be questions about his ability to handle the heavy going. On the flip side, he played some of his best hockey as a junior in this town, as part of the Chiefs taking on Vancouver Giants in the WHL playoffs in both 2008 and ’09.

He was part of Spokane’s Memorial Cup team in 2008. His older brother, Tyler, was a centre on the Kelowna Rockets’ Memorial Cup winner in 2004. He’s now playing in Austria.

The junior Spurgeon admitted there was a little bit of “worry there,” when the Islander deal fell through, “but when I came to [Minnesota] camp it was about trying to prove myself and have fun. I got a contract and went down to [AHL] Houston and it was the same thing. I was trying to get myself into being a top-end player.”

As for his size, the Edmonton native explained: “It’s lots of thinking…body position going into battles. I try to use my speed and get my stick into play, so they can’t get a full handle on the puck.”

The Canucks haven’t drafted a player out of the WHL since nabbing centre Prab Rai of the Seattle Thunderbirds in the fifth round and goaltender Morgan Clark of the Red Deer Rebels in the seventh round in 2008.

SCRATCHES
CANUCKS: C Ryan Kesler (shoulder), LW David Booth (leg), RW Zack Kassian (back). D Andrew Alberts, D Cam Barker.
WILD: G Josh Harding (illness), RW Mike Rupp (lower body)

EXPECTED LINEUPS
CANUCKS:
Forward
D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows
Raymond-Ebbett-Hansen
Higgins-Schroeder-Pinizzotto
Sestito-Lapierre-Weise
Defence
Edler-Bieksa
Hamhuis-Garrison
Ballard-Tanev
Goal
Luongo

WILD:
Forwards
Parise-Koivu-Coyle
Bouchard-Cullen-Setoguchi
Heatley-Brodziak-Clutterbuck
Mitchell-Konopka-Zucker
Defence
Suter-Brodin
Falk-Gilbert
Stoner-Spurgeon
Goal
Backstrom

Keith Ballard returns against Minnesota after three scratches. (Getty Images.)

The Ballad of Keith Ballard would have to be a little ditty about falling in and out of love.

The defenceman makes his return to the Vancouver Canuck line-up Monday against the Minnesota Wild after this latest stretch as a high-priced healthy scratch. This time, Ballard, who was considered a key acquisition three years ago and whose $4.2 million salary is eighth amongst skaters on the team, spent three games in the press box. Andrew Alberts comes out of the line-up to open up a spot.

“Skate, move the puck, compete hard, play good in my own end,” Ballard said when asked about the keys to his game. “It’s simple. It’s basic. It’s what I try to do. I think I’ve done that for the most part this season.

“I’m not sitting here, searching for my game, wondering where it went. I’m pretty comfortable with how I’ve been playing for the majority of the season.”

Ballard says that he doesn’t feel any added pressure after this latest stint watching games instead of playing in them. “I’m comfortable with my game and comfortable with the contribution I can make,” he said. “I’ll focus on that.”

Ballard had back-to-back minus-2 nights against the Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes late last month, and that seemed to coincide with him being split up with Chris Tanev, the partner he’s had the most success with in his days in Vancouver.

“When we’re going back for pucks, what I’m thinking usually ends up being what he’s thinking,” Ballard said. “It’s similar instincts. Takes some of the guessing out.”

DOUBLE TROUBLE: With winger David Booth suffering a left ankle injury late in the first period Saturday from an endboards entanglement — and Zack Kassian listed as day-to-day because of a recurring back ailment— that search for a third-line centre is on the backburner. The front-burner issue is now a wing and a prayer because both won’t play Monday in a first-place Northwest Division showdown with the Minnesota Wild and the best recall option from the Chicago Wolves is probably right winger Nicklas Jensen, 20, who’s just getting re-acclimated to the North American ice surface. After leading AIK Stockholm in goals with 17 during 50 Swedish Elite League games,  Jensen scored in consecutive games this week for the Wolves but has played just four games. But he can score. He had six in four regular-season games for the Wolves last spring and two in four playoffs games. A longer option might be to recall Jordan Schroeder, who also played wing for the AHL affiliate.

The fact that Booth was seen leaving Rogers Arena on crutches Saturday and will have an MRI (magnetic resonance image) of his ankle is crushing news for the struggling winger. A fracture would mean a four-to-six week healing window and the best-case scenario would be returning for the playoffs. The worst is the end to a horrible season. Booth missed the first 14 games of this season after suffering a groin injury in training-camp testing and has but one empty-net goal in his dozen outings. “He’s gone for some time,” said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault.

The news on Kassian is also concerning. Vigneault admitted that the pain the winger was feeling is related to the discomfort he felt when the short training camp opened. The back concern flared up while Kassian was playing with the Wolves during the NHL lockout. He injured a facet joint which is any one of four projections that link one vertebra of the spine to an adjacent vertebra. He has five goals in 26 games but hasn’t scored in 19.

“I’ve has some spasms but nothing major,” Kassian said at the time. “It just takes a little time to heal. I don’t know how I hurt it. I woke up and it was tight and I had another little issue. Skating and playing games probably didn’t help, but we’ve got it solved.” Apparently not.

2. YOUR SERVE, CORY: Hard to imagine Vigneault won’t have to flip that imaginary coin to determine his starting goaltender Monday. The first two third-period goals that Roberto Luongo allowed Saturday were troubling on several levels, from technical breakdowns to the mental strain of wondering what’s next between the pipes. For starters, Luongo’s hard push on Henrik Zetterberg’s second goal was an overplay and the Red Wings winger was wise enough to shoot the other way and find the stick side to make it 3-1 at 1:20. Luongo was probably surprised to see the shot get away that quickly off a short pass. Less than five minutes later, the air went completely out of any comeback balloon when Luongo was on his knees as Daniel Cleary beat him stick side. Luongo slammed his stick in disgust for two reasons — he probably should have had the shot and Alex Edler was in no-man’s land. He didn’t take away the shot and screened his goalie.

Aside from being an amiable tandem, Luongo and Schneider have talked at length about rhythm and how vital it is to work through problems in their games with the confidence that they’re going to see the net again no matter the outcome. Are three consecutive games enough for either one to do that? Obviously not. But wins are even more vital now with the injuries mounting and slipping from third to seventh in the Western Conference on Saturday is a sobering reminder that passing the goalie baton back and forth hasn’t worked. It keeps getting dropped.

3. WILD ABOUT MINNESOTA: One of two things were supposed to happen to Mike Yeo this season. Either the free-agent signings of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter were going to get the club to another level — and bring the enigmatic Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi along for the ride — or the coach was going to be the first to lose his job this shortened season. When the Canucks easily won 4-1 in St. Paul on Feb. 7, the Wild fell to 4-5-1 and the critics were calling for Yeo’s hide. Suter was struggling to find his game and a defensive partner while Heatley had been demoted to the second line and Setoguchi to the fourth. Since then, the Wild have gone 11-5-1 and have won four of their last five. They outscored the Avalanche 6-4 in Denver on Saturday and Setoguchi had two goals to up his count to eight. Minnesota looked like one of the best teams in the division on paper before the season started. Now the Wild look like it one the ice.

bkuzma@theprovince.com

twitter.com/benkuzma

They’re interested in Andrej Sustr, the Zdeno Chara-sized blueliner from Nebraska-Omaha.
And there’s Antoine Laganiere who goes to Yale. That school alone is enough right there to make the Canucks swoon. But at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he already looks like a pro.

This is why both GM Mike Gillis and Gilman flew east earlier this year to see him. You remember, the same trip many had assumed was about Roberto Luongo when Gillis and Gilman showed up at a Washington Capitals games.
Laganiere took part in the Canucks prospects camp in 2011, and last year participated in development camps with Pittsburgh and Edmonton.

Lain, 23, is a native of Oakville, Ont., and has played the last three seasons with the Lake Superior State Lakers of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Lain had eight goals, eight assists and 111 penalty minutes during the 2012-13 ...

Mike Babcock was surprised to see the Canucks in their Millionaires garb Saturday morning. (Getty Images.)

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock came down the tunnel, onto the visiting team’s bench during the Vancouver Canucks’ optional morning skate Saturday and blurted out, “What team is this?”

The Canucks were sporting the practice version of the Vancouver Millionaires’ uniforms they will display tonight against the Red Wings. It’s a tribute to the 1915 Stanley Cup winners. You know the ones: maroon jerseys, cream pants, big V.

“When I saw them, I didn’t know who anybody was out there,” he said.

Later, he explained: “When you’re an Original Six team, tradition is something you embrace big time. This is part of the tradition in Vancouver and what’s gone on here. I think it’s a special thing and good for them that they’re doing it.”

The Red Wings are coming off a 3-2 overtime win versus the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, but Babcock maintained that shouldn’t be a factor on Saturday.

“It’s just about mental toughness,” he said. “Yesterday, we were red rotten at the start and then we got mad enough at ourselves to dig in and compete and when you compete you have a chance. Today’s game, you can tell yourself a whole bunch of things. You can say we play all this hockey and travel this far, but there’s two points on the line and if we’re competitive and if we’re mentally tough, the legs will be fine. The mind drives the body. It has nothing to do with where you played or how much you slept.”

Chris Tanev skipped practice Friday after blocking a shot against Nashville on Thursday, but is ready to go against the Red Wings tonight. (Getty Images)

Chris Tanev skipped practice Friday after a taking a heavy Shea Weber shot off his knee in Vancouver’s win over the Nashville Predators Thursday.

The Canuck defenceman was back on the ice Saturday morning, one of a handful to take the optional skate, and is scheduled to play this evening against the Detroit Red Wings.

“I was just stiff and sore,” he said of Friday, “but I should be good to go tonight.”

He even had to get a new pair of shin pads.

“Same kind, but no crack,” he said.

Tanev, 23, has become quickly become an integral member of the Canucks. He’s averaging 17:38 minutes of ice time per game, but he had four games of 20 minutes or more when Kevin Bieksa was sidelined.

“I’m just trying to play my game and when they put me out there I’m going to go and try to contribute as best I can,” he said.

Andrew Ebbett is feeling good about his game, coming off a three-point night versus Nashville . (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

GAME DAY

Detroit Red Wings (13-10-5) vs. Vancouver Canucks (13-7-6)

Rogers Arena, 7 p.m.

CBC/Team 1040

Andrew Ebbett figures if he can keep his confidence on the upswing, he can keep his spot in Vancouver.

Ebbett, the diminutive centre recently promoted to the Vancouver Canucks from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, heads into Saturday’s visit from the Detroit Red Wings off a three-point night against the Nashville Predators on Thursday. He says that positive thinking is key to his game and he likes the way in this latest stint in Vancouver that he’s meshing with fellow speedsters Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen on the Canucks’ second line.

“When you’re struggling [mentally], it’s tough out there,” said Ebbett, 30. ” I don’t want to go back to Chicago. I’ve been there, done that. I want to prove that I should be here for the rest of the year.

“I need to keep working hard. Hopefully the energy is there and the production comes from that. I’m trying to stay as positive as I can lately. If you have a bad shift, you try to erase it on the bench and start fresh. When you can string together positive shifts, it makes for fun hockey.”

Ebbett has 170 NHL games under his belt. His last three-point game came March 25, 2009, when his one goal and two helpers helped the Anaheim Ducks to a 7-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. That season, he put up 32 points, including eight goals, in 48 games and saw time alongside snipers like Teemu Selanne, Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry.

The fact that he’s played with high-end talent had a role in him getting the first crack at filling in for an injured Ryan Kesler on Vancouver’s second line this season. It lasted just two games and he was back in the minors by mid-February.

He thinks he was too conservative the first stint here this season. Ebbett had 11 goals and 32 points in 37 games with Chicago.

“When you’re in that top-six role, you have to take a few more chances,” said Ebbett. “If I can create some 2-on-1s and some give-and-gos with guys like Mason and Jannik, it’s big for the team.”

Ebbett was given Friday off from practice, due to all the playing time he received in Chicago prior to coming to Vancouver as well as the extra travel. Defenceman Chris Tanev also missed Friday, the result of blocking a shot with his knee against Nashville, and he, too, is slated to return tonight. Keith Ballard remains a scratch.

Coach Alain Vigneault said that winger Zach Kassian’s back was bothering him, and, after taking part in the optional morning skate, would be a game-time decision. If he can’t go this evening, Tom Sestito draws back into the line-up on the fourth line and Dale Wiese moves up and takes Kassian’s spot on the third unit.

PROJECTED LINES

Canucks

D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows

Raymond-Ebbett-Hansen

Booth-Higgins-Kassian

Wiese-Lapierre-Pinizzotto

Edler-Bieksa

Hamhuis-Garrison

Alberts-Tanev

Luongo

Brunner-Zetterberg-Filppula

Franzen-Datsyuk-Abdelkader

Nyquist-Andersson-Cleary

Miller-Emmerton-Tootoo

Ericsson-Kronwall

Smith-White

Kindl-Lashoff

Howard

We here at the Hat Trick don’t like to alarm Vancouver hockey fans but we fear today might do just that. We’ll come right out with it now. This edition concerns neither Roberto Luongo nor Cory Schneider, so we apologize in advance for the shock this must cause.

1. Who has been the Canucks’ most valuable player this year? No, the answer is not, “Who cares?” That’s because it is always an interesting exercise when there is no clear-cut winner, but the name Henrik Sedin might come up and so, also, might Daniel’s, although he’s not been quite the sniper he’s expected to be.

You could say Dan Hamhuis as well and get some applause.

But answer us this: Where would this squad have been without Chris Tanev? Granted, his minutes haven’t been as high as Hamhuis, Alex Edler or Kevin Bieksa — when the latter has been healthy — but as the one right-handed shot on the back end who’s managed to stay in one piece (despite several recent mishaps, the most recent of which was getting hit by a Shea Weber shot in the knee, the pad absorbing the blow cracking under the force), this team would have been scuttled without him.

Given Weber has twice injured teammates in practice and put them both out for the season, Tanev’s most recent brush with angst was not only good news for him, it was great for the Vancouver defence, which tends to turn into a scene from the Italian parliament when at least two right-handed shots are not present.

Tanev’s been used as a psychiatric defenceman at times by coach Alain Vigneault, as he’s often been paired with the most struggling left-handed shot of the day. Nashville coach Brent Peterson says of Tanev’s play this year: “He’s been really, really good for them.”

2. Andrew Alberts certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humour during all the time he’s sat watching games this season waiting for his opportunity. When told it was nice to see him getting a chance to “get the mothballs out” on Thursday night, the American defender quipped: “Oh, there’s still lots left in there.”

We presume that was self-deprecating humour, but Alberts also brings insight into the Canucks as a team after his time here, characteristics that will almost certainly make him an excellent coaching candidate when he retires, if that’s what he’d like to do. He’s bright, can express himself superbly well — as we’d expect he’d have to, living with a lawyer wife — and he sees the game, and his team, in a very clear light.

In explaining why the Canucks gave up the three-goal lead in the third period to Nashville — nearly blowing what had been a very energetic performance — Alberts said, “We took our foot off the gas, trying to make plays and look good, rather than keep going hard the way we had been. Nearly cost us.”

3. Not sure what the connection is, unless it’s hunting or their faith, but Mike Fisher and David Booth seem to be very good friends. Fisher came out of the Nashville room pretty late after the game, but still made a point to go and seek out Booth in the hallway for a chat, which lasted a few minutes and included some belly laughs — despite the fact the Preds were in a hurry to get away to their game in Calgary tonight.

Neither player has had a particularly good year so far, so perhaps they were chortling about how finally there appeared to be some light at the end of their respective tunnels. Each scored a goal, Booth of course breaking his maiden with that empty-netter he put right into the centre of the goal. While we’ve had some fun at Booth’s expense during this streak, he has been playing increasingly better, particularly stepping up his physical play. Getting involved — along with Zack Kassian, Dale Weise, Steve Pinizzotto and Tom Sestito — certainly combine to give the Canucks a much more physical look than they’ve had in their recent past.

This team is almost certainly nowhere near the level of that 2010-11 Stanley Cup finalist team, but it won’t get pushed around like that one did against Boston, if that’s any consolation.

Victor Bartley, a Maple Ridge native, plays his fourth NHL game with the Predators tonight in Vancouver. (Getty Images.)

Maple Ridge native Victor Bartley plays his fourth NHL game for the Nashville Predators tonight in Vancouver, and it’s been far from the common road to get here.

Bartley, 25, went undrafted after five solid seasons in the WHL, split between the Kamloops Blazers and the Regina Pats.

The 6-foot, 200-pound defenceman signed an amateur tryout agreement with AHL’s Providence Bruins after his final season with the Pats ended in 2008-09, but admits “things didn’t go so well.” He was released after 10 games.

He signed a two-way AHL/ECHL contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Utah Grizzlies the following year, but he tore a tricep 29 games in and was done for the campaign. For 2010-11, he found a gig in the second tier league in Sweden, and played well enough there  that a couple of NHL teams expressed interest.

One was Nashville. He signed with them and played for their AHL team, the Milwaukee Admirals, last season and to start the current campaign before getting promoted in time to play in their March 8 game versus Edmonton.

“I was told that I was going to get drafted,” Bartley said. “It didn’t happen. It’s just a bump in the road.

“It was a dream of mine to play in the NHL. Anything less than that would be a failure.

“In the back of my mind, I knew that if I kept working hard, good things would happen. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of staying consistent and working hard.”

Bartley is the younger brother of former Vancouver Giant power forward Mitch Bartley. His addition to the Predators has pushed Jon Blum, another former Giant, to the bench.

Blum, a former Nashville first-round draft pick, was expected to be a healthy scratch for a fourth straight game on Thursday. Rogers Arena hasn’t been kind to former Giants this year, as both defenceman Mark Fistric (Edmonton) and winger Tomas Vincour (Dallas) has both been healthy scratches on trips here.

CANUCKS: Vancouver will get a much-needed boost from the return of defenceman Kevin Bieksa tonight. Bieksa has missed the last five games and seven of the last eight with a groin injury. During that span, the Canucks went a concerning 1-4-2, the only win coming in a 2-1 shootout on Tuesday in Columbus.

“I’m just eager to get back in, generally, and to help the team out,” said Bieksa. “It’s been a tough stretch at times, but we’re coming off a gritty, chippy win in Columbus and we’re looking to get back on track.”

Bieksa was skating on a third pairing with Andrew Alberts in the morning skate, but you can bet head coach Alain Vigneault will give him extra playing time if he looks like he’s ready for it.

As much as the Canucks missed Bieksa’s five goals, they also missed his fiery presence on the ice.

“Kevin is obviously a very competitive individual who comes to play and competes real hard,” said Vigneault. “Any time you have that type of player and personality in your lineup you’re a better team. That being said, when you’re not healthy you’ve got to find ways to win. That’s my job and the players in that room.”

Roberto Luongo will get his second straight start in goal, after an excellent performance in Columbus.

Tonight’s game may also mark the NHL debut of 28-year-old rookie Steve Pinizzotto, who was recalled on Thursday from a conditioning assignment with the AHL Chicago Wolves. He was flying in from the U.S. Midwest, but Vigneault didn’t rule out the possibility that he might suit up. If so, he will take Tom Sestito’s spot on the fourth line.

“I haven’t made up my mind yet, but there is a chance he might play tonight,” said Vigneault. “He’s a 28-year-old rookie. He should be excited.”

PREDATORS: Nashville is coming off a 4-0 win in Dallas on Tuesday, but are still just 1-5-1 in their last seven on the road. The Preds are missing their leading scorer, centre Colin Wilson, as well as right wing Patric Hornqvist and third-line centre Paul Gaudstad. Expecting them to trap it up even more than usual? Oh yeah.

Nashville head coach Barry Trotz is used to dealing with challenging circumstances.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup, there’s always a way to win the game,” he said following his team’s morning skate. “You got to find that way and do it collectively. The other night our power play hit on a couple, our special teams were pretty good and Peks [goaltender Pekka Rinne] made a couple of outstanding saves. Everything helps.”

Pekka Rinne is expected to make his 16th straight appearance in goal.

SCRATCHES
Canucks: C Ryan Kesler (fractured foot), D Keith Ballard, D Cam Barker, RW Steve Pinizzotto
Predators: D Hal Gill (lower body, IR), C Colin Wilson (upper body, IR), RW Patric Hornqvist (upper body, IR), C Paul Gaustad (upper body)

EXPECTED LINEUPS
Canucks:
Forward
D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows
Booth-Higgins-Kassian
Raymond-Ebbett-Hansen
Sestito-Lapierre-Weise

Defence
Edler-Tanev
Hamhuis-Garrison
Alberts-Bieksa

Goal:Luongo

Predators:
Forwards
Kostitsyn-Fisher-Errat
Bourque-Legwand-Butler
Clune-Mueller-Yip
Spaling-Smith-Halischuk

Defence
Josi-Weber
Hannan-Ellis

Goal: Rinne

2. Speaking of Luongo and Cory Schneider, that little meeting at the bench early in the third period, after coach Alain Vigneault wisely called a timeout — after another of his between-period chats didn’t work out so well, and the team spent the first four minutes examining every square inch of its own zone — was so touching. Here was Schneider chortling on the bench, joking with Lui after he had taken a shot flush in the tummy, and the two were getting on like Laurel and Hardy.
I fear we will not know the true feelings of either of these two guys until long after the fact, long after one of them has changed addresses and speaks his mind. That’s always been the pattern with Luongo. You never know what he’s really thinking about an issue at the time, but it comes out after it’s no longer an issue. He calls it being professional and we call it something else quietly, especially if we’re lied to.
So it will almost certainly be the case this time. When the divorce finally comes along and Luongo is finally asked about his feelings of what it was like, then it will come out. Maybe there will be no change, but not until then will we really know what they truly believe about this idea of two No. 1 goalies.

3. We need to start a provincial lottery for high rollers on when David Booth will score his first goal. We know the commissioner doesn’t approve of gambling, but think of the money it could raise for some very worthy causes. Tickets could be drawn for the next 10 games at, say, a hundred grand per ticket and if the money isn’t won, there could be a carryover to the next 10, and so on, carrying over until next season, if necessary.
The drama would be immense, the candidate who had that particular game known in advance, his apprehension and excitement rising and falling and felt by all every time Booth got near the net with or without the puck. And when the blessed event occurs, think of the euphoria, the massive exchange of money to the winner and the selected charity. Booth could tweet a picture of himself posing with the puck, mounted like a hunting trophy, beside the lucky winner. The player or players who assist on the goal could, similarly, pose in a helpful way.
The game could be stopped, the money presented, with speeches from the CEO of the charity and the fortunate winner.
Shootout goals not included!

“I’ve been around for a ...

Which brings us to the Canucks who, after falling 4-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night, have won 11 games this season and lost 13 (including a league-high five shootout losses, for which they were given the loser point; they are still losses).

Now halfway through the season, and a game under .500 (in “anyone’s NHL”), it’s interesting to see the last time the Canucks were in this sort of pickle this late in the season.

It wasn’t during the 2011-12 season, when the Canucks won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s winningest team. They were 4-5-1 on Oct. 26, 2011 — a game under .500 — and rose from there.

It wasn’t during the 2010-11 season, when the Canucks won their first Presidents’ Trophy and were even more impressive. They were 2-3-1 on Oct. 19 — again, just a game under .500 — and climbed from there.

It wasn’t during the 2009-10 season, when the Canucks won the Northwest Division. They were 3-5-0 on Oct. 19, 2009 — two games under .500 — and they, yes, rose from there and never looked back.

But it happened in 2008-09. Between Jan. 8 and 19, 2009, the Canucks lost five straight home games, then a road game, then came home and lost two more. Eight in a row, which dropped their record to 22-20-8. That’s a winning record in Bettman’s NHL, but in reality a .440 winning percentage.

The good news? The Canucks turned it around overnight. They won nine of 11 in February, 11 of 15 in March and three of six in April, to win their first of four straight Northwest Division titles.

It should also be noted that the Canucks were, on March 20, 2008, just a point behind Minnesota and tied with Calgary — and just two points up on Colorado — with just over a couple of weeks left in the season. At 38-26-10, their winning percentage was just above .500; they were in sixth place in the Western Conference and in a real dogfight to make the playoffs. They promptly lost seven of eight to finish 39-33-10, in a tie for ninth, three points out of the last playoff spot. It spelled a disappointing end to Trevor Linden’s career — and to Markus Naslund’s 11 seasons in Vancouver.

There’s no lesson here. No grand point to be made. Other than the fact that the Canucks seem to be trending toward being in a pickle. That being said, they were 2-2-2 on Jan. 28 — a .333 winning percentage, though not much of a sample — and reeled off six straight wins.

Does that seem like a long time ago?

1. IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME: One of the first television images prior to the puck drop Sunday was a smiling and chuckling Alain Vigneault at the bench, perhaps encouraging a more cordial relationship with referees Paul Devorski and Chris Lee in the hope that his long-struggling team wouldn’t get the short end of the officiating stick. The last image was of the befuddled bench boss in a post-game media scrum wondering how the Canucks got off to another slow start and what adjustments could correct an 0-for-23 power play. And because the Canucks have just three wins in their last dozen games after getting off to an 8-2-2 start — and also slipping to sixth spot in the Western Conference after the lethargic loss in Minnesota — the vultures are starting to circle.

I expected more accountability from Vigneault on Sunday or at least to get out in front of a coaching story that will continue to evolve if there’s not a turnaround in team performance. I expected to hear: “We’ve got to be better prepared. We’ve got to do a better job as coaches.” And while the pleas of “my bad” and “mea culpa” may ring hollow, there has to be the sense that it’s a matter of adjustment and not a bad roster that has brought the Canucks to this point. Ryan Kesler and David Booth weren’t there to start the season, but the goaltending was and so was Kevin Bieksa. He’s never looked so good because the Canucks are 0-6 in his absence and have turned to collective mush by coughing up countless odd-man rushes and shoddy down-low coverage.

So, what do you do as a coach? How about getting the team back to its identity? How about using team speed to get through the neutral zone and get pucks in deep? How about being so tenacious in the offensive zone that the opposition has no choice but to take penalties? And how about getting some semblance of puck movement and finish on the power play? Nobody fears taking a penalty against the Canucks so face-washing or punching the Sedins could become the norm. The first line has to be the first power play choice and expect that Tuesday in Columbus. And get some speed and grit on the second unit in Mason Raymond, Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen. Let Alex Edler pound away from the point on the first power play — he might hit the net — and allow Jason Garrison to do the same on the second. He did ring a howitzer off the crossbar Sunday.

If outright urgency, tweaking special teams and better goaltending aren’t realized and the Canucks limp home, they’ll have a bigger problem. So will the coach. Everybody seems just a little bit too comfortable. Maybe that’s because nobody paid the price for that five-game playoff exit last spring. If this continues for too long, somebody will. Somebody will have to.

2. RIDDLE IN MIDDLE: It started with an offseason pursuit of Tyler Bozak, morphed into several speculated trade scenarios and wound up as a centres-by-committee approach to plug The Great Ryan Kesler Hole. The end result has proved that a long-standing NHL belief carries much merit. It’s all about strength down the middle and if you don’t have good goaltending and good centres, you’re not going to travel far down the playoff role. Coaches look great when all that’s in place. They look ordinary when it isn’t. The Canucks have auditioned Alex Burrows, Jordan Schroeder, Andrew Ebbett and Mason Raymond as temporary second-line fixes with Kesler out and not expected back until the end of the month from a broken right foot. Chris Higgins even played the middle between David Booth and Zack Kassian on Sunday before the Canucks shipped Schroeder back to the Chicago Wolves and recalled Ebbett.

Even when Kesler does return, that third-line centre concern is still there. The trade deadline is April 3 and the right UFA rental would only cost two later-round picks and bridge that centre gap until the offseason. Schroeder scored his first two NHL goals Feb. 9 against Calgary when he went to the middle with no fear, but faded fast with no goals and just nine shots in his last 13 games. Ebbett is a depth option. Maxim Lapierre is a fourth-liner.

3. YOUR TURN, LUONGO: The baton has been passed again and by this point it doesn’t really matter who’s holding it. Not dropping it is the key. Cory Schneider’s funky 2-3-3 run doesn’t look good and three-straight losses in which there was at least one goal he’d like to have back — and six starts where he surrendered the first goal — means Roberto Luongo starts on Tuesday in Columbus and maybe it will be the start of something special. Or not. He wasn’t good either in his last two outings and the foundation on what the Canucks have too often relied upon — great goaltending to bail out poor play — has shown some cracks. There can’t be McSofties or McShofties if the Canucks are going to top the Northwest Division for a fifth-consecutive season. There has to be the Luongo who rattled off four-straight wins earlier this season and gave up just four goals. And the guy who also blanked Nashville. Luongo’s future can be settled in the summer. He now needs to help settle down the Canucks.

bkuzma@theprovince

twitter.com/benkuzma

Remember Roberto Luongo?

You will tomorrow. The goalie who is reportedly frustrated, angry and fed up with his lack of playing time will get some in Columbus.

Sitting on the bench for eight of the past 12 games, there has been suggestions that Luongo has become increasingly agitated with his diminished role.

Actually, they weren’t suggestions. People are saying he’s getting antsy and bitter sitting on the bench.

He’s just not one of them.

“Coming into this season, I kind of knew what the situation would be,” Luongo said. “The last couple of games I was in there, obviously I had a really bad game in Detroit and I gave up one bad goal against Calgary.

“You have to look at yourself in the mirror sometimes and expect more out of yourself. That’s what I expect tomorrow.”

Yes, Luongo wants to play. It’s the whole reason he told the team, and everyone else, it’s time for him to move on back in the offseason.

He knew the direction the Canucks and it was down Cory Schneider Way.

“It is tough but you have to stay upbeat,” Luongo said. “There’s no point feeling sorry for yourself. “

But for all sorts of reasons, Luongo hasn’t been traded, and Schneider hasn’t excelled, going 2-3-3 in his past eight games. Impossible to say if the two are related, but you’re free to speculate.

Asked specifically if he was angry or frustrated, Luongo said:

“We’re frustrated and angry we are losing but other than that, I’m just trying to be ready when it’s my turn and make sure I give my team a chance to win.

“Something I didn’t do in Detroit and obviously that bad goal in Calgary may have hurt us.”

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