Canucks Army Game Day 2 – Canucks @ Flames (The Sequel)
By Always90four
5 years agoTHE INTRO
The Canucks took the season opener between these two teams a few nights ago and now the Flames will do their best to rebound from a seemingly one-sided affair on Wednesday. All anyone in B.C. has talked about since the first game was Elias Pettersson and how absolutely amazing he is. The smile meme, the post-game speech, the first shot that preceded the first goal; Pettersson may dominate Canucks headlines for the foreseeable future and after a season to forget last year, his presence is quite welcome.
Calgary took a beating both figuratively and literally on Wednesday when Travis Hamonic took on the Canucks’ Erik Gudbranson in a fight and Gudbranson proceeded to hand him a facial fracture with his fists. Tough to take after one game but the Flames will be ready to bounce back. These aren’t the most skilled teams in the Pacific division but their history will carry every match up to a classic finish.
Let’s Do This™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
CBC / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
The formula should stay the same tonight after a successful debut on Wednesday night. The latest on Antoine Roussel:
It’s no secret, the Canucks did a thing in that first game and everyone is going to look to see if they can do it again, or at the very least prove it wasn’t a one-off. The defense may change, though.
Jacob Markstrom is coming off of one of, if not his best performances as a Canuck. He should have the net again.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 SVEN BAERTSCHI Rating: 73.5#46 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 75.2#46 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 80.4#6 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.37#21 FL1 |
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 71.0#85 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 72.7#58 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.89#29 FL2 |
 BRENDAN LEIPSIC Rating: 71.8#73 LW |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 72.3#99 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.0#114 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.03#22 FL3 |
 MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 71.3#78 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.1#182 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 70.5#94 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.99#21 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#29 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.3#67 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 72.83#25 DL1 |
 MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO Rating: 72.2#61 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 71.0#74 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 71.61#24 DL2 |
 DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.9#95 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.7#85 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 70.31#26 DL3 |
No Travis Hamonic as stated above but Dalton Prout slots in, wow! That’ll show ’em! There isn’t going to be a “price to pay” is there?
Mike Smith should also see his second start as well.
Flames lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 JOHNNY GAUDREAU Rating: 77.7#15 LW |  SEAN MONAHAN Rating: 78.8#25 C |  ELIAS LINDHOLM Rating: 73.6#70 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.70#20 FL1 |
 MATTHEW TKACHUK Rating: 77.1#17 LW |  MIKAEL BACKLUND Rating: 73.8#64 C |  AUSTIN CZARNIK Rating: 72.2#105 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.34#18 FL2 |
 DILLON DUBE |  DEREK RYAN Rating: 74.3#53 C |  JAMES NEAL Rating: 75.3#32 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 74.79#2 FL3 |
 SAM BENNETT Rating: 70.6#94 LW |  MARK JANKOWSKI Rating: 73.7#67 C |  MICHAEL FROLIK Rating: 72.1#72 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 72.14#2 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MARK GIORDANO Rating: 78.0#6 LD |  T.J. BRODIE Rating: 76.5#18 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 77.23#7 DL1 |
 NOAH HANIFIN Rating: 74.7#28 LD |  DALTON PROUT Rating: 69.1#92 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 71.88#21 DL2 |
 JUUSO VALIMAKI Rating: 72.2#62 LD |  MICHAEL STONE Rating: 70.8#79 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.47#19 DL3 |
ALL THE INFORMATION YOU WANT AND SOME THAT YOU DON’T
- The stats are pretty rough to start the year but after one game, Alex Edler is T-7 with 31 shifts/game. His ice time is up there as well but he can’t be on the ice the entire game. Edler, like a few other Canucks, has seen his fair share of injuries and Travis Green needs to spread the opportunity around. The last time Edler played a full season was 2011/12. He’s been injured every season since. People want him to waive his NTC but he has to prove he can stay healthy. He also doesn’t want to waive, so there’s that.
- Small sample sizes make players look better or worse than they actually are and until there is a larger sample, game one is the barometer. Six players on the Canucks were 50% and above in CF% at 5v5: Elias Pettersson (50), Jay Beagle (53.33), Nikolay Goldobin (58.33), Erik Gudbranson (59.09), Brendan Leipsic (63.64), and Derrick Pouliot with a whopping (65.22). This might be the only time Gudbranson and Pettersson are paired in the same positive stat category… maybe ever again. It’s interesting if nothing else.
- Back to Pettersson. His debut was everything we all wanted and yes I’m painting everyone with the same brush. It was spectacular, it was genuine, it was the future of Canucks hockey. No more comparisons to Henrik or Gretzky or Datsyuk or WHOEVER! Elias Pettersson is himself and Canucks fans are being treated to a one of a kind talent that has already taken the NHL by storm. This is very good news for Brock Boeser for two reasons: the spotlight is now off Brock to be “the” guy in the “spot” and when they start connecting on the PP or get the odd shift together, awesome will meet awesome.
- There’s the whole Gudbranson thing going on as well tonight. Is this a story still? Whatever the Flames may have planned isn’t going to be worth their time and it will probably be a non-event. If they go after him, there’s a good chance the Canucks benefit in the end. They wouldn’t actually target the Canucks Corsi King would they?
- Finally, Loui Eriksson. Has he been resurrected from the depths of oblivion to a meaningful spot on the Canucks roster? Not quite yet but his two assists had tens of people mentioning his name. He didn’t register a shot but neither did Boeser. Expecting a sequel to that performance is unrealistic but maybe this is the year we’re all wrong?
MY 94 CENTS
Show me that Pettersson track again, I need that on repeat. One game does not make a season but it felt like an entire season of pain was lifted after one game. Hope is a funny thing. We’ve been sold a bill of goods that hasn’t quite fit but the core pieces that have spear-headed the change are finally making their mark.
Change is coming and possibly sooner than we may think. For now, there is fun and joy again and really, that’s all most of us needed to get by right now.
My only prediction is a Boeser goal. That’s it.
THE FINAL WORD
Once again, they’re back! Great cause, great tee. Get. On. It. Now.
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