Monday, January 26, 2004

Canucks win game, lose Jovo

The celebration of the solid team performance by the Canucks on Sunday night was short lived, tempered by the news that Ed Jovanovski will be out of the line up for two to three weeks. With a 4-1 victory over Nashville, the Canucks won back to back home games something they hadn't been able to do for a while. It also marked a welcome trend for the Canucks, winning a game in regulation time, normally a home game features an extra five minutes of action. Brent Sopel and Marcus Naslund had big nights for the Nucks with three points each, the game also featured some improved play from the entire roster. Jovanovski was injured in the first period while driving to the net, crashing into the boards he injured his right shoulder. Coach Marc Crawford was not releasing too many details, but it has since been learned that Jovo suffered a right shoulder sprain and will be out of the line up for two to three weeks. The call has been made to Manitoba for a farmhand to help out during Jovo's recovery time.

For Sopel the game presented a chance to step up and answer some of the more vocal GM Place critics, he turned the catcalls into curtain calls with a fine performance on the power play and solid work in his own end. With Jovo gone for the next three weeks, Sopel will have to keep that pace up for every game.

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