Canucks Army Game Day 33 – Canucks @ Predators (Str3king Edition)
By Always90four
5 years agoTHE INTRO
Vancouver heads to Music City to take on the Nashville Predators in the sequel of the home and home Thursday series this month. The Canucks are surging on a three-game win streak while Nashville is coming off of a win as well. The bounces are starting to go Vancouver’s way and everyone that knows hockey knows that puck luck evens itself out.
If Jacob Markstrom (possibly Anders Nilsson) can manage to stop the first shot of the game, the Canucks have a chance to make something happen. Travis Green is getting contributions from his entire lineup and the team game is starting to pay off. It’s not out of the question that the Canucks challenge for a win this evening.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 5:00 PM
LINEUPS
Sven Baertschi is close. It doesn’t sound like game action for him quite yet but he’s close and that is great to hear. The top two lines have carried the Canucks on the scoresheet in the last few games but the bottom-six has made an impact as well. Tyler Motte is leading the rush in the energy department and his presence has been noticed.
Michael Del Zotto most likely is healthy-scratched again and it begs the question of how many more games he’ll see in a Canucks uniform?
Anders Nilsson is in net tonight. Let’s hope for the best.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.5#109 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 76.5#40 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.3#86 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 72.79#30 FL1 |
 JOSH LEIVO Rating: 72.9#54 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.9#33 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 82.6#2 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.81#3 FL2 |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.3#97 LW |  MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 70.1#161 C |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 71.3#96 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.92#26 FL3 |
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 70.2#116 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.3#190 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.4#108 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 68.94#29 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.2#35 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 70.3#88 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 72.25#26 DL1 |
 BEN HUTTON Rating: 71.0#99 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.3#96 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 70.16#29 DL2 |
 DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.4#112 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 71.8#57 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.07#24 DL3 |
There are no changes from last week’s matchup regarding injuries. Viktor Arvidson, P.K Subban, Kyle Turris, and Filip Forsberg are all out with injuries.
Pekka Rinne should start. He’s their guy and aside from his bad start last week, he should be ready to shut the door tonight.
Predators lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 RYAN HARTMAN Rating: 72.8#58 LW |  RYAN JOHANSEN Rating: 76.6#38 C |  KEVIN FIALA Rating: 75.7#29 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 75.03#26 FL1 |
 EELI TOLVANEN Rating: 73.3#49 LW |  CALLE JARNKROK Rating: 73.0#82 C |  CRAIG SMITH Rating: 75.7#32 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.00#15 FL2 |
 COLTON SISSONS Rating: 73.1#80 LW |  NICK BONINO Rating: 71.1#135 C |  AUSTIN WATSON Rating: 72.1#71 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.08#13 FL3 |
 MIIKKA SALOMAKI Rating: 69.7#121 LW |  FREDERICK GAUDREAU Rating: 69.7#167 C |  ROCCO GRIMALDI Rating: 72.6#64 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.66#12 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ROMAN JOSI Rating: 82.0#1 LD |  RYAN ELLIS Rating: 80.1#9 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 81.02#1 DL1 |
 DAN HAMHUIS Rating: 71.1#97 LD |  MATTIAS EKHOLM Rating: 76.8#14 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.94#13 DL2 |
 MATT IRWIN Rating: 71.8#82 LD |  YANNICK WEBER Rating: 70.8#79 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.30#21 DL3 |
YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME
- It’s low hanging fruit but Elias Pettersson has points in six of his last eight games, goals in his last three games, and multiple point games in three of his last four. He is changing the dynamic of who the Canucks are and how opponents prepare for them. It’s scary to think if a team focuses too heavily on EP40, Brock Boeser is still available to burn goalies with his laser beam of a shot.
- Live by the sword, die by the sword. Vancouver is only three goals-for away from the top-10 in the league but as much as they have improved their scoring, they’ve also surrendered the third-most in the NHL. That ratio won’t drastically improve over the season but if they keep it relatively close to what it is right now, they could end up being a .500 team by seasons’ end. Too soon?
- Blocked shots are still the name of the game for the Canucks, they’re tied for third in the league with 485 blocked shots but since they’ve had a healthier, more diverse lineup they’ve dropped from their perch at the top. Less blocked shots mean the puck either goes unobstructed or the shot isn’t even happening. Again, the duo of Pettersson/Boeser has moved the puck into the attacking end which saves defensemen from injury. The Canucks are due for a healthy run.
- Loui Eriksson leads all Canucks with three goals against the Predators since the beginning of last season. Not particularly a great thing to boast but at least Elias Pettersson is a three-point game away from tying the team lead in points with five in… three fewer games.
- Jacob Markstrom has seen a ton of pucks this season. He sits sixth in both shots against and saves. Goals against is a touchy subject but if his porous defense can keep the puck out of the zone just a little bit he can give his team a better chance to stay in the game. That being said, the demand to have Thatcher Demko in a Canucks uniform ASAP has gone down to a dull roar or even casual chit-chat. It could be a lot worse and it already has been. Nilsson starts so a break will be welcome.
MY 94 CENTS
Every part of me wants to say the Canucks can continue the streak, it does. I can’t see Nashville pooching two games in a row against the lowly Canucks. There is a possibility the Canucks keep pace with them but they’re going into #Smashville and that crowd is tough to silence. Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser have been all-world lately so the W will “flow” through them.
I want a win but it won’t be overly disappointing if they don’t.
THE FINAL WORD
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