OPENING FACE/OFF
It was quite the weekend for the Vancouver Canucks but Elliotte Friedman told us we should all calm down. So let’s keep calm and Can… I am not good at these. The Senators are in town to play those same Canucks and their record is actually worse than Vancouver’s, which is tough to do. There was a moment on Saturday where Vancouver actually was in the game but it might take more than one good period to beat Ottawa.
Let’s start with one game and if the Canucks can win this one, there might actually still be hope. Of course, they could lose and the wheels could fall off completely.
Let’s Do This!™
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS GAME?
TV: SNP / RADIO: SN 650 / PUCK DROP: 7:00PM
LINEUPS
Jay Beagle took a puck to the face yesterday but he’s a gamer so don’t expect him to miss the game. If he does, Adam Gaudette might slot back in. He probably shouldn’t be out of the lineup regardless.
Word is, Braden Holtby occupied the starter’s net at practice yesterday so he’s likely… starting. He didn’t look stellar against the Canadiens but consistency is something this team could use a bit more of.
CANUCKS LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 J.T. MILLER Rating: 78.5#7 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.7#14 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 74.1#41 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.78#11 FL1 |
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.7#38 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 74.8#34 C | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.25#11 FL2 | |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.0#97 LW |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.2#130 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 72.0#78 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.08#22 FL3 |
 TYLER MOTTE Rating: 68.8#144 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.4#163 C |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 70.1#131 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.09#30 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#26 LD |  NATE SCHMIDT Rating: 75.5#18 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.89#17 DL1 |
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.2#15 LD |  JORDIE BENN Rating: 70.9#101 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.04#14 DL2 |
 TYLER MYERS Rating: 72.6#50 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.56#8 DL3 |
Erik Brannstrom, Tim Stützle, and Cedric Paquette are all day-to-day. What you see below is likely the team you’ll get this evening. It should be noted the Senators went back to their 90’s uniforms. They’re ok, I guess.
Matt Murray should get the start.
SENATORS LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 BRADY TKACHUK Rating: 75.0#27 LW | FL1 Rating Rating: 73.71#26 FL1 | ||
 CHRIS TIERNEY Rating: 72.2#77 LW |  DEREK STEPAN Rating: 72.7#67 C |  CONNOR BROWN Rating: 72.6#66 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 72.48#29 FL2 |
 NICK PAUL Rating: 71.2#105 LW |  EVGENII DADONOV Rating: 73.1#53 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.16#13 FL3 | |
 ALEX GALCHENYUK Rating: 70.8#115 LW |  COLIN WHITE Rating: 70.3#129 C |  AUSTIN WATSON Rating: 69.1#140 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.07#26 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 THOMAS CHABOT Rating: 74.5#23 LD |  NIKITA ZAITSEV Rating: 70.5#97 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 72.54#29 DL1 |
 MIKE REILLY Rating: 72.4#64 LD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.36#22 DL2 | |
 CHRISTIAN WOLANIN Rating: 71.8#67 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 71.3#77 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.57#20 DL3 |
GAME NOTES, INTERESTING STATS, AND GUDDY’S BACK
- Bo Horvat has points in three straight and powerplay goals in two of three. Through the struggles this team has faced, Bo hasn’t given up and he might be the sole bright spot right now. He has six points in 12 career games versus the Senators, most of those assists so expect Nils Höglander to be the recipient of a few pucks tonight.
- J.T. Miller was the clubhouse leader last season with three points against the Sens. They’ll need him to find the back of the net like he did last season as he is all helpers this year with five assists.
- It might have been a lucky tip but Elias Pettersson got his first goal of the season. Pettersson hasn’t looked himself to start the year and is struggling in areas he normally excels in. His work along the boards is still spot on and his clapper is inches away from devastating goalies. He needs a pick me up and tonight might be his night.
- According to MoneyPuck.com, the Canucks have the 2nd worse Expected Goal % EV at 38.73% They’re also performing under their expected performance with a .985 PDO. I don’t normally bring this up but we’re reaching for straws right now.
- Let’s say Jim Benning gets the axe this season, what do you think the result of that would be? Things aren’t going to change overnight. They’ll still have Loui Eriksson, Sven Baertschi, Tyler Myers, and Roberto Luongo’s cap hit. Are the Canucks saved at that point? Boy oh boy, could it be a crazy week!
TWITTER TOLD YOU
I scoured the platform to find the right tweet and this one seemed to fit:
The same two agents who took Jimbo to the cleaners on the Eriksson and Myers contracts. This should go well. https://t.co/kOGVGq21qh
— Dave (@YLWNucksFan) January 25, 2021
MY 94 CENTS
I don’t think the Canucks continue their slide for very long. Tonight, they get a chance to bury the Senators but we’re all thinking about last season’s Senators because even this year’s team might be a challenge. There will be no Tim Stützle as he’s on IR. Bobby Ryan is also not on the Sens so that eliminates two players that could score a hat-trick. Pettersson could use a revival game, too!
THE FINAL WORD
This one doesn’t exactly scream “barn burner” but somehow it’s the only game on tonight. All the back-to-backs in a condensed schedule and somehow this is the only game. Stunning. That also means the Canucks get the spotlight to themselves so for one night maybe keep the #FireBenning and the “we can’t afford Hughes and Petey” talk to a minimum.
