Both the Canucks and Kings cancelled practice Thursday and both flew to Vancouver in the afternoon. The Canucks have employed a sleep doctor the past two seasons and, based on his recommendations, the team makes decisions about practice and flight times. The Canucks opted to stay Wednesday night in Los Angeles instead of making the two-and-a-half-hour flight back home.
The Canucks did gather at the rink for some video work before being released late Thursday afternoon. They also announced defenceman Nolan Baumgartner, who played his first game of the playoffs Wednesday night, is out day-to-day with a lower body injury.
Andrew Alberts will play Game 5. Alberts' biggest problem might be between the ears. He's been in the doghouse the past two games after amassing 23 minutes in penalties in just over 17 minutes of ice time.
Comeback Kids
Vancouver's 6-4 win in Game 4 marked the 12th time this season it has won when trailing after 40 minutes. The Canucks readily admit the comebacks gives them a sense of confidence even when they're trailing late in games.
Laughing It off
Vancouver's woes on the penalty kill have been well documented. Los Angeles is 9-16 with the man advantage in the series, and had scored 6 straight power-play goals before the Canucks finally managed to kill a couple off in a row Wednesday night.
Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault laughed, "We're on a roll, baby. And we got past a minute or so on one of them, too."
Demitra Sighting
Pavol Demitra had his best game since the Olympic break on Wednesday night, refusing to let the fact he's playing on the fourth line hold him back. Demitra had several very good scoring chances, including a chance to pot the winner when he had the puck in the slot and tried to wait out Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.
Earlier, Demitra scored his first of the playoffs. He has been anchoring the team's second power play unit, playing on the point.
Family Feud
The seemingly always controversial Shane O'Brien did what he does best in Game 4, getting hot under the collar and trying to take on the entire Kings roster. At one point, even Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo tried to restrain the defenceman.
O'Brien and Canucks assistant soach Rick Bowness had it out at the bench and O'Brien was sent down the tunnel to 'cool down." He did return and was seen shaking hands with Bowness during the second intermission.
Home Sweet Home
Both teams have won and lost at home and on the road, but the Canucks will be very grateful to get back to GM Place for Game 5. Vancouver was one of the stingiest teams in the Western Conference this season, but has given up 17 goals in its last three visits to the Staples Center.
