Canucks Army Game Day 23 – Canucks vs. Jets (Need Gagner To Win Edition)
By Always90four
5 years agoTHE INTRO
Tonight is the Canucks turn to host Hockey Fights Cancer. There will be purple rink boards, purple warm-up jerseys, and a moment to recognize who everyone is helping fight Cancer with. Once the hockey begins, Vancouver will try desperately to get back in the win column after losing four straight. There have been a few close calls where this could have been turned around but those were against teams either below them in the standings or on par with them.
The Jets are not one of those teams. Winnipeg is two points ahead of Vancouver with four games in hand. It will be an uphill climb all night but the Canucks have fought through injuries and bad breaks so this will be nothing new to them.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
This might be the best explanation. A full update on anyone and everyone that is banged up. Oh, and Sam Gagner was recalled yesterday. Many of us thought he was exiled to the AHL never to return but we should have known better; the Canucks are always injured and even Sam Gagner has a place on this team still.
Jacob Markstrom should see the start tonight.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 69.6#127 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 76.5#37 C |  MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 71.7#80 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 72.59#31 FL1 |
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.4#106 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 75.1#48 C |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 73.3#56 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 72.92#24 FL2 |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 70.9#94 LW |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 71.8#119 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.5#82 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.40#22 FL3 |
 BRENDAN LEIPSIC Rating: 71.7#84 LW |  BRENDAN GAUNCE Rating: 71.7#120 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 68.7#114 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.70#13 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.1#119 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 70.5#89 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 70.29#31 DL1 |
 BEN HUTTON Rating: 70.4#109 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.9#95 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 70.13#31 DL2 |
 MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO Rating: 71.9#76 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 71.7#66 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.80#17 DL3 |
Dmitry Kulikov is currently on IR with an upper-body injury. Kristian Vesalainen has been recalled from the Manitoba Moose.
Connor Hellebuyck will be the likely starter.
Jets lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 NIKOLAJ EHLERS Rating: 76.1#28 LW |  MARK SCHEIFELE Rating: 85.0#5 C |  BLAKE WHEELER Rating: 82.3#2 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 81.13#2 FL1 |
 KYLE CONNOR Rating: 77.3#21 LW |  BRYAN LITTLE Rating: 73.4#71 C |  PATRIK LAINE Rating: 81.4#4 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.37#2 FL2 |
 ANDREW COPP Rating: 71.1#91 LW |  ADAM LOWRY Rating: 72.5#94 C |  BRANDON TANEV Rating: 70.2#100 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.25#25 FL3 |
 NICOLAS PETAN Rating: 67.9#137 LW |  JACK ROSLOVIC Rating: 71.1#134 C |  MATHIEU PERREAULT Rating: 73.9#45 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.97#10 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 JOSH MORRISSEY Rating: 74.4#32 LD |  JACOB TROUBA Rating: 77.3#19 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 75.90#12 DL1 |
 BEN CHIAROT Rating: 72.5#58 LD |  DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN Rating: 81.9#2 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 77.20#2 DL2 |
 JOE MORROW Rating: 70.3#111 LD |  TYLER MYERS Rating: 74.2#36 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.26#8 DL3 |
THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AND DEFINITELY SOME YOU DON’T
- Elias Pettersson has returned to the scoresheet and his latest against the Canadiens is proof he puts everything he has into his shots. No doubt, he has to feel good after returning to his scoring ways and after missing the first meeting against the Jets, he will want the fans to cheer him on once again after the puck leaves his stick. When that shot is open, there can’t be too many goalies that can stop it.
- Vancouver has put up 66 goals so far this season while Winnipeg has 55. With the four games in hand, the Jets are still ahead in GF/GP with a 3.06 to 3.00 edge. Winnipeg is also allowing one goal less per game than the Canucks. Stats don’t lie.
- Special teams were focused on last game even though Montreal and Vancouver were not all that special. However, the Jets are the complete opposite. Winnipeg boasts the top power-play unit in the NHL. They burnt the Canucks for two goals last month and if Vancouver isn’t disciplined, expect more of the same.
- Sam Gagner has returned and he has to be happy he’s getting another shot in the NHL. He most likely will make his season debut for the Canucks and any kind of positive game will not only be good news for Gagner, but the Canucks as well if they hope to include him in a trade this season.
- Nikolay Goldobin has a goal and an assist in his last five games but he’s trending upwards. His passing game has improved and he’s making strides with Pettersson. Don’t check out on this guy yet, there’s more to come!
MY 94 CENTS
The Jets owned the Canucks back in October. Their power play looked deadly and aside from the Bo Horvat goal, the Canucks couldn’t find the back of the net again. Vancouver had a decent outing against the Canadiens on the weekend but once again failed to close the door late. It’s nice to see goals getting scored but they’re giving them up just as easy when the pressure’s on.
Don’t expect the Canucks to wow in this one until they can prove they’re past the bump in the road.
THE FINAL WORD
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