THE INTRO
Welcome baaaack!
The Canucks get the night-cap of the Hockey Night in Canada doubleheader as they take on the visiting Los Angeles Kings. LA hasn’t been good lately but did win in OT last night while the Canucks have put together a handsome three-game win streak. It’s the talk of the town. Vancouver has been spreading the wealth around in that time, even more so over their last 10 games.
The push towards the postseason starts tonight and two points will go a long way.
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN -175/ LAK +155) courtesy of OddsShark.com
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
CBC / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
Alex Edler is back in the lineup and Jordie Benn sat last game. Asking for Tyler Myers to sit would be too much so Benn will probably sit again, which is a real shame. Oscar Fantenberg has been too impressive to sit but he does make less than Jordie so we’ll see there.
Josh Leivo is out until March most likely and Brandon Sutter is day-to-day.
Jacob Markstrom is well-rested and should start again this evening. Thatcher Demko has been activated which means Michael DiPietro has been sent back down to Utica.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

TANNER PEARSON
Rating: 72.3#74 LW

BO HORVAT
Rating: 74.2#55 C

LOUI ERIKSSON
Rating: 70.1#109 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 72.17#31 FL1

J.T. MILLER
Rating: 75.9#33 LW

ELIAS PETTERSSON
Rating: 79.7#13 C

BROCK BOESER
Rating: 76.1#16 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 77.24#3 FL2

ANTOINE ROUSSEL
Rating: 71.8#84 LW

ADAM GAUDETTE
Rating: 70.4#153 C

JAKE VIRTANEN
Rating: 72.2#67 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 71.48#22 FL3

TIM SCHALLER
Rating: 68.7#132 LW

JAY BEAGLE
Rating: 68.4#190 C

TYLER MOTTE
Rating: 69.0#125 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 68.69#31 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

ALEXANDER EDLER
Rating: 75.4#17 LD

CHRIS TANEV
Rating: 72.3#68 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 73.85#20 DL1

QUINN HUGHES
Rating: 74.8#25 LD

TYLER MYERS
Rating: 73.6#42 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 74.17#10 DL2

OSCAR FANTENBERG
Rating: 72.0#80 LD

TROY STECHER
Rating: 71.3#94 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 71.65#23 DL3
Derek Forbort (back) has been sent to Ontario for a reconditioning stint. Alec Martinez (wrist) is on the IR. He scored the series-ending goal in 2012 against the Canucks. Never forget.
Trevor Lewis (UBI) may play this evening but missed his game just before Christmas. Dustin Brown (down with the sickness) will not play tonight. Martin Frk (no vowels?) will play in his place.
Jonathan Quick would be the likely starter but Jack Campbell hasn’t been too shabby, he got the OT win last night.
Kings lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

ALEX IAFALLO
Rating: 71.6#89 LW

ANZE KOPITAR
Rating: 76.8#26 C

TYLER TOFFOLI
Rating: 74.4#35 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 74.25#25 FL1

ADRIAN KEMPE
Rating: 72.0#81 LW

BLAKE LIZOTTE
Rating: 73.4#78 C

AUSTIN WAGNER
Rating: 71.8#77 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 72.38#25 FL2

NIKOLAI PROKHORKIN

JEFF CARTER
Rating: 74.1#56 C

MARTIN FRK
Rating: 69.6#120 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 71.88#17 FL3

KYLE CLIFFORD
Rating: 71.2#96 LW

MIKE AMADIO
Rating: 71.7#116 C

MATT LUFF
Rating: 72.4#64 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 71.75#6 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

JOAKIM RYAN
Rating: 71.1#99 LD

DREW DOUGHTY
Rating: 75.1#20 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 73.09#25 DL1

BEN HUTTON
Rating: 73.0#59 LD

MATT ROY
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.00#21 DL2

KALE CLAGUE
Rating: 73.5#9 LD

SEAN WALKER
Rating: 73.6#39 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 73.58#7 DL3
GAME NOTES AND A STAT OR TWO
  • Brock Boeser hasn’t been scoring the goals a ton but he’s racking up the points. Boeser has two goals and nine assists in his last 10 games; three of those are on the PP. The Crown Prince was heating up just before the break and it’s possible he goes off this evening for a goal or two. In nine career games against the Kings, Boeser has 7G / 3A. Add to that the fact he’s potted 4 PPG and six PPP, he’s on deck for a big game.
  • Elias Pettersson has six goals in his last 10 and for whatever reason, we’ve expected more? He hasn’t done much on the PP but he does have two game-winners. Pettersson isn’t too far away from eclipsing his rookie point total of 66 points. At 39 points currently, it’s just a matter of when.
  • Chris Tanev is on pace for a career year this season. His current 10 game stat has him with a goal and six assists. Tanev is eight points away from tying his career-best of 20 points in 2014/15 when… the Canucks made the playoffs that year.
  • J.T. Miller is the clubhouse leader in CF% but he’s slipped to seventh in the NHL at 58.02%. The Lotto line, Quinn Hughes, and Alex Edler are all over 52% which is a nice change from being among the league-worst a season ago.
  • Oscar Fantenberg hasn’t been a mainstay with the Canucks all that long but he’s already played 170 minutes of 5v5 and is T-6 in GF% with 71.43. Not bad for a seventh defenseman.
#CANUCKSTWITTER
Will lacrosse be a mainstream activity in the NHL next season?
Jeff, we’re not speaking right now
MY 94 CENTS
The Canucks current three-game win streak is impressive, yes it is, but it doesn’t mean they’re in the playoffs yet. They’ve outscored their opponents 13-7 in that time and the first game back after the Christmas break is usually positive. The Kings have lost their last two games and have an abysmal 5-13-3 road record this season. Two Cups will do that.
Canucks make it four-straight tonight.
AND ANOTHER THING…
Utica? For real?