THE INTRO
Today, the Canucks will take on the visiting Anaheim Ducks and they’ll be looking for their second-straight win. The win after the Sedin ceremony was massive but they held the fort despite giving up 49 shots. If you continue to read the CA game-day report you’ll know that the power play is discussed heavily. This continues to be a serious issue for the Canucks and if you are on #TeamPlayoffs or potentially #TeamCupRun then you know the PP needs to figure their issues out immediately.
Scoring goals has also been a bit of an issue lately but expect the Canucks to remedy that today. It would be nice to see Ryan Miller in the net today but we’ll have to wait until warmups.
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for today’s game are: (VAN -160/ ANA +140) courtesy of OddsShark.com
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 2:00 PM
LINEUPS
So, Tyler Motte was in full-contact jersey yesterday and could be close to a return per Brendan Batchelor. He won’t play today. Brock Boeser is likely still out as well, Josh Leivo… out, Tyler Graovac… still out, Oscar Fantenberg continues to be a non-lineup decision as well.
As for Micheal Ferland, he suffered a setback in Utica suffering from concussion-like symptoms. This is too serious and the Canucks and Ferland need to evaluate what the next step is. Manny Malhotra was told he was done after his eye injury because the Canucks didn’t want him to get hurt.
This is one of those times.
The power play remains unchanged and Brandon Sutter is a PP1 participant.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

TANNER PEARSON
Rating: 73.6#46 LW

BO HORVAT
Rating: 75.4#31 C

LOUI ERIKSSON
Rating: 69.3#135 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 72.78#29 FL1

J.T. MILLER
Rating: 76.7#11 LW

ELIAS PETTERSSON
Rating: 77.9#15 C

JAKE VIRTANEN
Rating: 72.7#59 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 75.78#4 FL2

ANTOINE ROUSSEL
Rating: 71.0#103 LW

ADAM GAUDETTE
Rating: 70.5#130 C

BRANDON SUTTER
Rating: 71.3#93 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 70.93#23 FL3

TIM SCHALLER
Rating: 68.7#138 LW

JUSTIN BAILEY
Rating: 72.1#83 C

JAY BEAGLE
Rating: 67.1#145 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 69.33#28 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

ALEXANDER EDLER
Rating: 74.5#24 LD

TROY STECHER
Rating: 71.4#80 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 72.95#19 DL1

QUINN HUGHES
Rating: 76.3#8 LD

CHRIS TANEV
Rating: 71.6#76 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.95#11 DL2

JORDIE BENN
Rating: 70.7#107 LD

TYLER MYERS
Rating: 73.4#37 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 72.04#12 DL3
GOALIES

JACOB MARKSTROM
Rating: 71.6#10 G1
Ryan Kesler is still sidelined with yet another devastating injury, this time potential career-ending hip surgery. He has more reason to cheer for the Canucks today than he does Anaheim.
Both Erik Gudbranson and Ondrej Kase are day-to-day.
Ducks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

DEVIN SHORE
Rating: 69.5#130 LW

RYAN GETZLAF
Rating: 73.7#51 C

RICKARD RAKELL
Rating: 74.2#34 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 72.46#31 FL1

MAX JONES
Rating: 70.9#109 LW

SAM STEEL
Rating: 71.3#108 C

JAKOB SILFVERBERG
Rating: 73.9#38 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 72.04#24 FL2

NICK RITCHIE
Rating: 71.2#97 LW

ADAM HENRIQUE
Rating: 73.9#46 C

TROY TERRY
Rating: 70.9#101 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 72.01#12 FL3

NICOLAS DESLAURIERS
Rating: 68.6#139 LW

DEREK GRANT
Rating: 71.9#90 C

CARTER ROWNEY
Rating: 69.5#129 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 70.03#23 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

HAMPUS LINDHOLM
Rating: 73.8#39 LD

JOSH MANSON
Rating: 72.0#73 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 72.86#21 DL1

CAM FOWLER
Rating: 74.9#20 LD

MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO
Rating: 72.8#54 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.82#13 DL2

BRENDAN GUHLE
Rating: 71.5#87 LD

KORBINIAN HOLZER
Rating: 69.8#106 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 70.63#25 DL3
GOALIES

JOHN GIBSON
Rating: 68.9#24 G1
GAME NOTES AND A STAT OR TWO
  • Quinn Hughes remains at the top of the rookie leader board with 44 points. He’s been every bit as important as Jacob Markstrom and Elias Pettersson. Hughes has become a “core 4” member in less time than it took for Brock Boeser to get on the power play. This may be the leading story for awhile.
  • The Canucks have a 19-6-3 home record this season while the Ducks have stretched themselves on the road going 11-16-4. Rogers Arena has been a tougher place to play this season and if they can harness their talent and take the lead early, they should be able to beat the Ducks today. No guarantees.
  • Slightly worrisome stat – Jay Beagle, Tyler Motte, and Tim Schaller are three of four of the worst centers in CF% in the NHL. Beagle’s 36.55 is an NHL worst. Both Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller are both in the 54’s. Imagine having such a complete polar-opposite setup as the game progresses. Maybe need to fix that, Jim.
  • Slightly worrisome stat #2 – the Vancouver Canucks have a pretty nice spot in the West right now, 69 points. Dissecting their power ranking via Moneypuck.com is a test in anger management. Vancouver’s expected goal % at EV is 45.59%, third-worst in the NHL. If we’re all worried about the power play (as I am), their expected even-strength goal percentage isn’t exactly positive. When they are getting shots off, their unblocked shot-attempts for % is also third-worst in the league with 46.5%. Maybe shoot the puck a bit more and save the drop pass for a rainy day (wait it rains all the time).
  • Vancouver finished with 81 points last season which could be matched quite soon. A win today could put the Canucks in a position to jump their previous season’s total against… the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb 29. That’s also a pretty massive win streak if it gets that far.
#CANUCKSTWITTER
MY 94 CENTS
Today there will not be a ceremony to honour anyone although, Ryan Kesler will probably be in the house. Vancouver needs to keep the shots surrendered down because it’s getting out of hand and that will eventually burn them over and over.
Anaheim is going to be playing for a lottery pick but they won’t just give up. The Canucks have always had problems with the Ducks including the last time they played each other with Anaheim taking it in OT.
Jacob Markstrom has been as dominant a goalie as there has been in the NHL but it needs to not be about him today. Let’s see some scoring.
AND ANOTHER THING…
This is trash! I’m not even invited? Guess I should start the NAT bracket challenge