Canucks leave for four-game road trip searching for answers

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It is being called the worst loss of the season. The Canucks held 3-0 lead going in to the third period of last night’s game against the Islanders, and the team collapsed in the last 20 minutes leading to a 7-4 defeat.

The loss is the 12th in the last 14 games for Vancouver. The team left for a four-game road trip this afternoon after practicing the morning at Rogers Arena.

Head Coach John Tortorella says he is well aware the fans aren’t happy with the Canucks recent efforts. “As a coach, this is my responsibility. It is on my watch. I know the area, the owners and my general manager are not sitting well with it.”

Vancouver sits 11th in the Western Conference standings and this upcoming road trip essentially decides its playoff fate.

Ryan Kesler says the boys in blue are taking it one game at a time and it starts tomorrow in Winnipeg. “We play for each other and we play hard. Tomorrow is going to be a good test and a very important game for us. We have to play for each other and get the two points.”

Tortorella is going back to Eddie Lack between the pipes for the contest against the Jets. The young Swedish netminder has struggled since taking over the number one goalie role last week after Vancouver traded Roberto Luongo. Tortorella knows it will take time for Lack to get comfortable in net.

“He has earned this opportunity. He is going to have to go through the process as far as what it is to be a number one. It is Batman and Robin. It is easy to be Robin, but when you become Batman it changes a little bit and we expect some bumps in the road with Eddie,” he explains.

It will be a milestone night for Henrik Sedin tomorrow. He will be playing in his 1000th NHL regular season game. He says he can’t believe he is already at the milestone marker. “It means a lot to accomplish it with Vancouver. You see guys around the league who do it, and they usually have played on different teams. I have been very fortunate to play on the same team in the same city for a long time. I know that is rare.”

His brother, Daniel Sedin will not join the team on the trip. He is still dealing with the left leg injury he suffered during the Heritage Classic.

Tomorrow’s game is at 4:30 p.m..

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