It's been a long time coming this season, a night that Todd Bertuzzi totally dominates a game. But Sunday at GM Place, Bertuzzi broke out of his personal funk and accounted for three of the Canucks four goals against the high flying Detroit Red Wings. The Canucks topping the Wings 4-1 in front of yet another sold out GM Place.
Bertuzzi's hat trick was just the trick to get his game back on track. Bertuzzi has glided in and out of play for most of the season so far. Some games he's looked like he's recaptured his old form, others he looks like he needs another four weeks of training camp to shake off the rust.
Sunday it was a case of returning to the game he plays well, that of the power forward heading for the net and setting up camp. Taking on the leagues leading goaltender in Manny Legace with a 1.87 average (a phenomenal stat considering the amount of scoring in the NHL these days) Bertuzzi seemed to score every time the puck crossed his path.
Bertuzzi's three goal performance was the fourth of his career and the first since St. Patrick's Day of 2003. Anson Carter picked up the other Canuck goal, while Dan Cloutier returned from the injured list to backstop the Canucks in fine form, giving up only one goal to the Wings who have made a habit of scoring of late.
For Bertuzzi the return to form comes at a good time for him personally and for the Canucks as well, who had recently run into trouble with games against Calgary and Colorado, losing in three consecutive games.
Canuck fans hope that Bertuzzi will keep up the high temp game now and help get his team back on track to the top of the North West Division and the Western Conference.
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