THE INTRO
Every point is so crucial this time of year and tonight is no different. The Canucks welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets to their rink this time in a very meaningful March tilt. A win tonight would bump the Canucks to 78 points, still one point back of the 6th place Flames. Columbus could use a win after getting trounced by Edmonton last night 4-1. The Blue Jackets can jump to 6th with a W and be four points clear of 9th.
You could say that this one has implications.
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN -150/ CBJ +130) courtesy of OddsShark.com
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
Nothing likely to change here. The Big Fella, Zack MacEwen, should now be a mainstay after his impressive performance against the Avalanche on Friday.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

J.T. MILLER
Rating: 78.4#7 LW

ELIAS PETTERSSON
Rating: 77.5#15 C

TYLER TOFFOLI
Rating: 76.3#20 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 77.39#5 FL1

TANNER PEARSON
Rating: 73.3#49 LW

BO HORVAT
Rating: 75.4#31 C

LOUI ERIKSSON
Rating: 69.2#138 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 72.64#22 FL2

ANTOINE ROUSSEL
Rating: 69.6#124 LW

ADAM GAUDETTE
Rating: 69.6#136 C

ZACK MACEWEN
FL3 Rating
Rating: 69.62#30 FL3

TYLER MOTTE
Rating: 68.9#136 LW

BRANDON SUTTER
Rating: 70.5#112 C

JAKE VIRTANEN
Rating: 72.8#61 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 70.75#14 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

ALEXANDER EDLER
Rating: 74.9#17 LD

TROY STECHER
Rating: 71.4#79 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 73.13#22 DL1

QUINN HUGHES
Rating: 75.6#10 LD

CHRIS TANEV
Rating: 70.6#102 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.10#15 DL2

OSCAR FANTENBERG
Rating: 70.1#117 LD

TYLER MYERS
Rating: 72.9#45 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 71.51#15 DL3
GOALIES

THATCHER DEMKO
Rating: 66.2#45 G1
There haven’t been many changes to the injury woes of the Blue Jackets. Ryan Murray is day-to-day and didn’t play yesterday, he’ll be a game-time decision. Click the link below to catch up on any other injuries you may have missed from last week.
Blue Jackets lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRWForwards

ALEXANDER WENNBERG
Rating: 69.6#125 LW

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS
Rating: 74.8#35 C

EMIL BEMSTROM
Rating: 71.6#93 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 72.00#29 FL1

NICK FOLIGNO
Rating: 73.0#51 LW

BOONE JENNER
Rating: 72.0#89 C

GUSTAV NYQUIST
Rating: 72.4#77 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 72.45#23 FL2

KEVIN STENLUND
Rating: 72.4#68 LW

RILEY NASH
Rating: 69.6#137 C

ERIC ROBINSON
Rating: 69.6#131 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 70.53#25 FL3

JAKOB LILJA
Rating: 70.8#96 LW

DEVIN SHORE
Rating: 69.8#133 C

STEFAN MATTEAU
Rating: 72.7#68 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 71.10#9 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

ZACH WERENSKI
Rating: 78.2#4 LD

MARKUS NUTIVAARA
Rating: 72.4#59 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 75.26#12 DL1

VLADISLAV GAVRIKOV
Rating: 72.4#62 LD

DAVID SAVARD
Rating: 72.8#47 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 72.58#19 DL2

SCOTT HARRINGTON
Rating: 71.2#92 LD

ANDREW PEEKE
Rating: 72.7#51 RD
DL3 Rating
Rating: 71.93#9 DL3
GOALIES

ELVIS MERZLIKINS
Rating: 69.3#20 G1
GAME NOTES AND A STAT OR TWO
  • Zack MacEwen has been a great story this season and further proof a trade for Wayne Simmonds would have been a bad one. MacEwen put up two goals on Friday in only 7:15 of ice time. He brings energy, toughness, some silky mitts too!
  • It feels like an eternity since Jake Virtanen scored his last goal. In fact, it was six games ago against the Canadiens when he hit the back of the net. Vancouver was buzzing on Friday and I can see Jake being a factor early on tonight. It would be great to see #ShotgunJake materialize at home. Those Sedin cans might get abused tonight.
  • Relying on perimeter scoring hasn’t been a strong point for the Canucks this season but since they’ve plunked a screener in front of the net, they’ve put up results. J.T. Miller (6) and Tanner Pearson (4) lead the NHL in deflected goals. It’s a shame Bo Horvat isn’t even in the top-20 of this. He could be key in the playoffs if they start using him there.
  • Closing out the game tonight could put Tanner Pearson at the top of the list for ENG. Pearson is tied with three others for most empty-net goals. A feat that really shouldn’t be celebrated, and yet, here we are. The Insurance Line is a thing of beauty.
  • Setting the defenseman rookie record for points is probably not going to happen for Quinn Hughes but he can still make a push. He sits 15th, two points behind Denis Potvin and four behind Dale Tallon’s Canucks record. He’s one big game away from putting his name in the record books.
#CANUCKSTWITTER
International Women’s Day and how bout these cool jerseys/sweaters:
MY 94 CENTS
I can’t imagine the Canucks blow this game tonight. Back-to-back losses with a healthy lead wouldn’t sit well with Canucks Nation. It’s time to right the wrongs and makes a push towards the postseason. Thatcher Demko will get another chance to shake off the naysayers as well. There isn’t much room for error going forward and if the Canucks play anywhere near the game they played Friday, they win tonight.
Oh, and Quinn Hughes gets two points.
AND ANOTHER THING…
With everyone else going up there, it probably will only be a matter of time: