The goal drought has caught on and the Canucks should be the most interesting story in the league going into tonight as the San Jose Sharks come to town on the second half of their own back to back. As heard on TSN 1040 yesterday, if the drought continues into the second period at about the 2:43 mark, or 17:17 if you will, the Canucks would set the record for the longest goalless streak in franchise history on March 17, 17:17. Truly, a fitting way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
If everyone is going to cheer, let’s celebrate failure like we do so well.
Let’s Do This™ … together
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: CBC (HNiC)
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
The Sedins have resurfaced on the top line, if only for an evening, with Sam Gagner. Not a lot to be excited about with that but it is what it is. The second line with Jake Virtanen could show promise and really, that is where the opportunity rests with this team right now. It does look like Chris Tanev is back and he won’t be a world-beater but it absolutely can’t hurt to have him in the lineup and with Erik Gudbranson on the shelf for the rest of the season, anything that resembles a pulse in the Canucks lineup is a positive.
Jacob Markstrom should start.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 HENRIK SEDIN |
HENRIK SEDIN |
 SAM GAGNER |
 BRENDAN LEIPSIC |
 BO HORVAT |
 JAKE VIRTANEN |
 DARREN ARCHIBALD |
 BRANDON SUTTER |
 TYLER MOTTE |
 REID BOUCHER |
 NIC DOWD |
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER |
 CHRIS TANEV |
 MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO |
 TROY STECHER |
 DERRICK POULIOT |
 ALEX BIEGA |
Feels like a broken record but the lines you see below should be the ones that go. Jannik Hansen on the top line with Evander Kane is a thing that is happening. Odd.
Martin Jones could start but Aaron Dell is rested and should get the nod.
San Jose Sharks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 EVANDER KANE |
 JOE PAVELSKI |
 JANNIK HANSEN |
 TOMAS HERTL |
 LOGAN COUTURE |
 MIKKEL BOEDKER |
 TIMO MEIER |
 CHRIS TIERNEY |
 KEVIN LABANC |
 BARCLAY GOODROW |
 ERIC FEHR |
 MELKER KARLSSON |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 JOAKIM RYAN |
 BRENT BURNS |
 MARC-EDOUARD VLASIC |
 JUSTIN BRAUN |
 BRENDEN DILLON |
 DYLAN DEMELO |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Chris Tanev has returned to the Canucks lineup and just in time too! The Canucks need offense and Tanev can offer his two goals to the lineup. Yes, they came early on but he’s technically a goal scorer. Anything helps.
- Michael Del Zotto and Jussi Jokinen were the last Canuck players to score a goal. It’s been awhile and I barely remember both. This season can’t close out without another goal, it’s impossible. There needs to be a charge from the leaders. Henrik Sedin needs to bump the slump, Daniel needs to get back on a run, Bo Horvat needs to build up a campaign for the C and we all just want to hear “Holiday” from Green Day.
- The month of March has not been kind to the Canucks. They have two power-play goals. That’s it. They both came against Nashville and it was forever ago. It has fallen back to mediocrity with the loss of Brock Boeser but it feels like there wasn’t an answer to that injury. Tonight would be fun to see that get going again. Anything helps. Have you heard this before?
- Somehow, the Canucks through this trek through the desert of no goals have still managed to score more than four other teams in the NHL. Impressive. Buffalo has that title locked up for the season (166 goals so far) and even if the Canucks (183) didn’t score again this season, the Sabres would still probably walk away with it. Small things matter.
- Get to you seat/tv early tonight. Vancouver and San Jose are both in the top 10 for most goals allowed in the first period. Vancouver (74, T-2) and San Jose (63, T-9) like to allow goals early and often so if the Canucks were to score this evening, it’ll happen before the first intermission.
THE TWITTER TAKE
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) March 17, 2018
Evander Kane is in an exclusive club. Joe Thornton is a proud papa. The downside is they won’t forget how to do that this evening. Could be ugly, folks.
MY 94 CENTS
The Canucks win big. It’s such an unlikely event for so many reasons and after the Sharks lit up the Flames and Kane put up a four-spot, the complete opposite would be a Canucks shocker. No goals in what seems like forever could be remedied with one outlying game. It’s possible, it’s entirely possible. Unlikely? Yes.
I’ll be in attendance for the first time in many, many years and I just wanna see some goals. Score some goals for my kids. They don’t need to see their dad suffer publicly.
OVER / UNDER
Canucks scoring chances (+/- 10.5) The Sharks look like a high flying team right now and there are times where the Canucks play up to that level. This could be one of those nights. Take the over.
Jannik Hansen goals (+/- 0.5) If Evander Kane is scoring four goals a game, the residuals are bound to catch up with his linemates and Jannik Hansen is a very likely benefactor. Take the over.
The Pint is your home for all things game day. Come down for game day specials like $5 mugs of bud and bud light and get 20% off food if you’re a season ticket holders
Enjoy the game.
Interesting that you say you will be in attendance for the first time in many,many years. So then you make your observations and comments based on what you see on TV. Next you will be suggesting who the Canucks should be drafting based on what? How about some astute trades or free agent signings? How do you spell credibility?
That’s a bit harsh.
JD doesn’t even watch the games….
I agree. Always94, is usually pretty good at some rah-rah in his pre-game.
He makes it interesting at least.
JD has no credibility with me either. I know it’s difficult to be positive with this current team but the continued ragging on Benning, Gudbranson and others by people that may not even be watching the games is not warranted
Why exactly do you read CanucksArmy if you feel this way?
That is pretty harsh. I don’t think Always 94 lives in Vancouver. If he wrote something you disagree with what was it but kinda rough to call him out for something he hasn’t done.
Have you ever offered an opinion on a draft pick or UFA you have not seen play in person?
I was pointing out that if he has not watched a game in many years maybe he shouldn’t be blogging here.
any criticism from this mouth breathing, buffoon is a compliment, trust me. This is the type of person who spends life looking perpetually confused with his ass crack showing
Leipsic started off with a bang and needs to find his mojo again. Or at least someone like Boucher who’s had a decent year in Utica can help the team get off the snide.
What happened to that article about the Russian kid and the age thing? CA pull it down?
I suspect the Nation Network might have been a bit sensitive about being seen to perpetuate a rumour about the commission of fraud. One can argue Jeremy clearly stated he had no evidence it was true and that wasn’t the purpose of the article. Doesn’t matter. I had no reason to think that Russian kid wasn’t 18. Now I do and I read it here.
Pretty sure the link to that article ended up on several sites.
What is the point in Tanev playing….shut him down for the season ffs and let the man heal!