THE INTRO
After another lengthy road trip, the Canucks are back for a few home games. Tonight, they take on the Montreal Canadiens in the early game on Hockey Night in Canada. When it ends you’ll still have your entire evening free to bask in the joy of an impressive result that awaits us, well that or you have enough time left in the night to forget about it.
Carey Price hasn’t been very reliable in his last five starts so if the Canucks can pepper him with shots, there’s a good chance he’ll cave. Shots lead to goals, goals lead to wins… most of the time unless it’s against Buffalo. Elias Pettersson will face Price for the first time in his career and everyone remembers the last time a famous Canucks rookie faced him, it went pretty well.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
CBC / SN 650 / 4:00 PM
LINEUPS
Finally, the Canucks are getting healthy again. They’ll be excited to hear that Brock Boeser, Brandon Sutter, Alex Edler, and Jay Beagle will all be back in the lineup this evening. It’s been pretty close to unbearable watching the players tread water in their absence but at least that has come to an end.
Actually, the only lineup change this evening is Jacob Markstrom will be in net. He wasn’t hurt, he just needed a break. Here’s hoping Elias Pettersson does to Carey Price what Brock Boeser did a season ago.
Jacob Markstrom was given a rest against Minnesota but he’ll be starting tonight.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LW | C | RW | Forwards |
---|---|---|---|
![]() ANTOINE ROUSSEL |
![]() BO HORVAT |
![]() JAKE VIRTANEN |
|
![]() NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN |
![]() ELIAS PETTERSSON |
![]() LOUI ERIKSSON |
|
![]() DARREN ARCHIBALD |
![]() MARKUS GRANLUND |
![]() TYLER MOTTE |
|
![]() TIM SCHALLER |
![]() ADAM GAUDETTE |
![]() BRENDAN LEIPSIC |
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
---|---|---|
![]() DERRICK POULIOT |
![]() CHRIS TANEV |
|
![]() BEN HUTTON |
![]() ERIK GUDBRANSON |
|
![]() MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO |
![]() TROY STECHER |
Paul Byron is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Joel Armia was injured earlier this week and has been sidelined for 6-8 weeks with a knee injury. Shea Weber is still out after having knee surgery in the summer but his return may come sooner than expected because he’s a medical marvel apparently.
Carey Price will be the goalie of record for the Canadiens this evening.
Canadiens lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LW | C | RW | Forwards |
---|---|---|---|
![]() TOMAS TATAR |
![]() PHILLIP DANAULT |
![]() BRENDAN GALLAGHER |
|
![]() JONATHAN DROUIN |
![]() MAX DOMI |
![]() ANDREW SHAW |
|
![]() KENNY AGOSTINO |
![]() JESPERI KOTKANIEMI |
![]() ARTTURI LEHKONEN |
|
![]() NICOLAS DESLAURIERS |
![]() MATTHEW PECA |
![]() CHARLES HUDON |
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
---|---|---|
![]() JORDIE BENN |
![]() JEFF PETRY |
|
![]() DAVID SCHLEMKO |
![]() NOAH JUULSEN |
|
![]() XAVIER OUELLET |
![]() VICTOR METE |
THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AND DEFINITELY SOME YOU DON’T
- Bo Horvat has been everything to the Canucks so far this season. You name it, he’s done it. His last five games have been no different. 3G / 4A / 1PPG / 1 SHG and a FOW% of 51.0 is All-Star level stuff. Bo deserves way more credit than he’s been given in light of the rise of Pettersson and the hope of a spectacular sophomore season from Brock Boeser. The future Canucks Captain has delivered in spades this season and even though he has never scored a single point against the Canadiens, all signs point to another game of Bo being Bo.
- Since the start of the 2014 season when Bo began his career, the Canucks haven’t been all that successful against the Canadiens. Only two players on the current Canucks team have scored on Montreal in that time and one of them, Brock Boeser, isn’t even in the lineup; Michael Del Zotto is the other. If you haven’t said “oh boy, this might not end well” yet, it’s probably safe to do so now.
- Both Montreal and Vancouver missed the meeting at the start of the season on having a successful power play. We’ve seen how putrid Vancouver’s has been, clocking in at 18.3% but if you keep scrolling down the screen the Montreal Canadiens will disgust even further with a horrific 12.7% completion rate. The PK for each team is good enough that if either team is on the power play it might end up being runtime.
- Erik Gudbranson is visually the happiest he’s been since joining the Canucks. Multiple surgeries and rehabs will do that. This season, Gudbranson has embraced his role and has been a force on the ice. His hits are right on pace for his average since joining Vancouver but the timing and effectiveness of them seem to be making an impact. Add to that the scoring touch and Gudbranson has been a pleasant surprise. Good things come to those who wait.
- Carey Price has had his way with the Canucks since entering the league. His 10-2-0-2 record speaks for itself and he also has two shutouts in that time. Read below to see why I think tonight’s a different night.
MY 94 CENTS
I can’t imagine the Canucks will be wholly rested and feel 100% after the long trip so beating the Canadiens tonight won’t be easy. Having the last change and a home cooked meal is a step in the right direction. I do like the potential for a power play outburst against Montreal. Pettersson and Adam Gaudette are primed for a big night and their consistency will hopefully pay off.
I’m even inclined to say Erik Gudbranson finds a way to get his name on the score sheet. Optimism always seems to litter this section of the preview and this one is no different.
THE FINAL WORD
Anyone looking for some @_EPettersson dangles? pic.twitter.com/KRL1h9p5Ta
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) November 16, 2018
This is the reason the Canucks will do well tonight.
Having the last change should benefit Elias.
I wouldn’t take the Habs lightly. Price may be inconsistent these days, but he did beat the Flames single handed. Shots were 40 something to 22, four nothing Habs. He embarrassed Mike Smith.
Get in his face, block his view, and knock some heads.
Is this a winnable game? I think so.
Praising Guddy, wow, maybe this site has turned the corner. Lets hope so.
Haha! Bloody unlikely. The usual suspects will never admit their constant and tiresome haranguing of said player to make a point about their incredible analytics prowess, is absolutely petty and ridiculous. This writer will be forced to turn in his Canucks Army badges if he keeps it up with this praise. Of course, if he turns them into backhanded compliments, his future in this “business” will be bright.
this schedule sucks = Canucks have played 21 games ( most in N.H.L. ) only 7 at home and 14 on the road ( again most in N.H.L.) all the teams in the East have played 10 or less some only 5 road games ; Canucks only play 2 at home and back on the road ???? then to slap us in the face we have to accommodate the East with a 4 p.m. game this is pure B.S. = no wonder their exhausted
No doubt the schedule has been tough but if you had to choose I suppose it’s good to get so many Eastern games out of the way early. A trip through California next week then things look reasonable with a very soft January.
Games get scheduled where they make money. Don’t think the 4 pm start is a big deal.
The Habs have been one of the NHL’s shockers this year. I knew they’d robbed Vegas in the Pacioretty trade, and so did everyone in Montreal, but I honestly though Bergevin had been shafted trading Galchenyuk for Domi. That trade probably saved his job. Should be a most entertaining tilt tonight.
Carey Price was unbelievable against the Lames and he emphasises the importance of having elite goaltending. Being 30th in goals against already we need Bobrovsky next season in the same way we needed Luongo way back when.
Because of obvious geographic considerations teams like Vancouver and to a lesser extent Cal and Edm must always get on a plane to play a road game. The NYI/NYR/WASH/NJ/PHIL configuration are all very short bus rides and are in bed by 200A after a game in this region home or away. Hopefully when Seattle gets in the NHL makes the league in general more regional for all divisions and teams in the PAC Div can stay mostly in their own time zone. (Edm and Cal are mountain time but still manageable)With all the teams now on the left coast we don’t need to go to the Cen Div anymore. Yes, the scheduling has sucked.
I meant not go to the Cen Div AS MUCH. Sorry.
Tough loss!
Canucks giving up late goals like that has to stop, same with giving up the first. Canucks should’ve won this one, or at least gotten one point. Oh well.
It’s giving up those penalties. It’s been a big problem all year.