Rivals face off as Vancouver Canucks look to destroy struggling Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL Preview
Two of the biggest rivals in the National Hockey League (NHL) collide on Saturday, February 18th, 2012, when the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs faceoff at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
Form goes out the window in rivalry games and the Toronto Maple Leafs hope that is the case when they enter Rogers Arena.
The Maple Leafs have been struggling off late and are in great danger of dropping out of the playoff spot.
Toronto is currently eighth in the Eastern Conference with 64 points with just one point separating them from Washington Capitals.
The Leafs ended a four game skid on Wednesday with a 4-3 win in overtime over Edmonton Oilers but will face a completely different attacking threat against Vancouver.
The Canucks are no Oilers and are in complete confidence of their abilities. Vancouver has won five of its seven games in February and unlike the Leafs are second in the Western Conference with 78 points.
Maple Leafs (29-23-6, 64 pts)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling of late and their poor form has seen them come very close to dropping out of the playoff spots all together.
The Leafs barely managed to end a four game losing run on Wednesday against Edmonton Oilers. The 4-3 overtime win could not have come at a much better time since before that game Toronto had lost its last two games by big margins.
They were shutout at home against Montreal Canadiens in a 5-0 loss and followed that woeful showing with a 5-1 loss on the road to Calgary Flames.
Against the Oilers, Toronto’s lead was pegged back twice as both teams drew 3-3 in regulation time.
The Leafs though just about managed to prevent a fifth straight loss as Tim Connolly’s overtime winner ended their four game skid.
"We've been in a little bit of a rut," Connolly said, "and to come out and battle in a game like that where it's going back and forth, and really grind it out and get the win is a huge two points for us."
Canucks (36-15-6, 78pts)
Vancouver Canucks are sitting comfortable in second and unlike their big rivals have been winning consistently this month.
The Canucks continued their chase for the top position in the Western Conference on Wednesday, with a 3-1 win over Colorado Avalanche to make it two straight wins in a row.
Vancouver’s brilliant performances will make them heavily confident of victory over Toronto and with a capacity crowd backing them up the Leafs are in for a rough night on Saturday.
There is no love lost between the two teams’ players and the Canucks Alexandre Burrows put the rivalry wonderfully in context saying.
"The Leafs have always been a team I hated as a kid. I know a lot of fans in Vancouver don't like this team. ... It just makes it extra special."
Predictions
The Canucks will easily edge out the Leafs and send them out of the playoff spots.
It can become a big goal fest as the Leafs struggling defence has struggled off late.
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