Botchford’s Army THE GAME DAY – Canucks @ Devils
By Always90four
4 years agoTHE INTRO
The Canucks have to play a game against one of the worst teams in the NHL, AND I’M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE CANUCKS! Vancouver’s professional hockey team takes on (what we’re supposed to believe) New Jersey’s professional hockey team, the Devils. New Jersey is not good this season, people.
Jack Hughes doesn’t deserve this. Taylor Hall is probably starting to feel like his Hart trophy was just a waste of time and if I might? Can I just, you know? For one second? Why is Damon Severson not a Canuck? Why?
Vancouver looks to add to their impressive four-game win streak with a matinee affair in the swamp and for once, we’re all excited to wake up early on a Saturday morning.
(I have kids, I’d be up anyway)
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN +108 / NJD -134) courtesy of OddsShark.com
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN650 / 10:00 AM (You read that correct)
LINEUPS
Does Adam Gaudette not deserve to get back into the lineup? Tyler Motte isn’t exactly the flashiest option and Gaudette won’t take out a winger so it’s a lost cause. Or you know, YOU COULD JUST PLAY HIM ANYWAY!
Jacob Markstrom is back! But he’ll probably start tomorrow against the Rangers. Thatcher Demko has played two amazing games this week and at the very least he deserves to keep it going.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 J.T. MILLER Rating: 75.3#29 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.2#22 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 76.5#16 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.31#18 FL1 |
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.2#59 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 75.2#40 C |  JOSH LEIVO Rating: 71.8#71 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 73.39#19 FL2 |
 MICHEAL FERLAND Rating: 71.7#85 LW |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 72.6#89 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.2#83 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.85#16 FL3 |
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 69.9#127 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.7#173 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.6#161 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.39#31 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 77.2#6 LD |  TYLER MYERS Rating: 74.0#30 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 75.60#12 DL1 |
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 74.7#26 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 72.9#59 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.81#15 DL2 |
 JORDIE BENN Rating: 72.4#79 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 73.5#43 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.94#15 DL3 |
Jack Hughes is centering the top line between Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. Will Butcher is day-to-day and Connor Carrick will replace him today. Nico Hischier is also day-to-day with an upper-body injury. His status is unknown. Maybe he’s ok, maybe he’s not. It’s unknown.
Mackenzie Blackwood is the likely starter but don’t we deserve Cory Schneider?
Devils lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TAYLOR HALL Rating: 80.6#4 LW |  JACK HUGHES |  KYLE PALMIERI Rating: 74.2#36 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 77.38#10 FL1 |
 BLAKE COLEMAN Rating: 72.5#95 LW |  TRAVIS ZAJAC Rating: 72.3#98 C |  WAYNE SIMMONDS Rating: 70.2#101 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.64#29 FL2 |
 NIKITA GUSEV Rating: 73.4#53 LW |  PAVEL ZACHA Rating: 72.7#87 C |  JESPER BRATT Rating: 71.2#99 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.48#9 FL3 |
 MILES WOOD Rating: 71.3#96 LW |  KEVIN ROONEY Rating: 71.1#127 C |  JOHN HAYDEN Rating: 68.4#115 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.25#26 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 DAMON SEVERSON Rating: 72.0#91 LD |  P.K. SUBBAN Rating: 75.8#18 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.86#19 DL1 |
 SAMI VATANEN Rating: 72.1#89 LD |  CONNOR CARRICK Rating: 71.7#77 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 71.88#28 DL2 |
 MIRCO MUELLER Rating: 70.6#115 LD |  MATT TENNYSON Rating: 71.6#83 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.07#26 DL3 |
GAME NOTES AND A STAT OR TWO
- There’s word Jack Hughes has 75 family members coming to the game today to see him play. Quinn Hughes only has one family member watching him play today: Jack. Calder, schmalder. Quinn is easily the better Hughes brother in this game and he’ll get the first chance to show little Jack how the NHL works. Quinn’s in for a big game today.
- Things look OK when Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and J.T. Miller are on the ice together. They share a very respectable 64.86 CF% when sharing the ice together. Sure, it’s early but those are numbers that just don’t lie. Pretty sure Jack and Kyle Palmieri don’t have that kind of chemistry. I looked, they don’t.
- Winning solves a lot of problems and specifically one: the Canucks haven’t beaten the Devils since 2015, a streak of nine consecutive games. It’s time to start climbing the mountain, Vancouver.
- J.T. Miller isn’t otherworldly but he’s producing at a 1.33 points-per-game clip right now. For once, we don’t have to fawn over Elias Pettersson but at the same time, when EP does turn his game on, expect both of their numbers to spike.
- The power-play still needs some work but the Canucks have been one of the top defensive teams this season. They stand atop the NHL in PK% at 95%. Lethal. Brandon Sutter is definitely earning his paycheques these days.
#CANUCKSTWITTER
MY 94 CENTS
I should have been paying attention closer, the Devils aren’t good. Coming into today’s game they have a 1-4-2 record so all the Taylor Hall trade talk makes sense now. Imagine if Jack Hughes went and played in the CHL for a year or overseas, anything would be better than what he has to endure right now.
I want to say it’s a trap game but the way the Canucks are playing this week they should further bury the Devils into the swamp. That being said, Mackenzie Blackwood could just dominate and Vancouver wins 1-0. I’m good either way.
AND ANOTHER THING…
The Canucks have always been surrounded by classy people. This proves it.
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