Canucks Army Game Day 46 – Canucks Vs. Coyotes (Rebirth of Shotgun Jake Edition)
By Always90four
5 years agoTHE INTRO
After an extended break, the Canucks are back in action tonight against the visiting Coyotes who are coming off of a very impressive 5-0 win over the Rangers earlier this week. The Canucks haven’t scored in over a week when they toppled the Senators in OT courtesy of Elias Pettersson. This game could be a nice bounce-back effort and could bump a few slumps in the lineup.
Vancouver is well rested but that also can be a problem because it gives them more time to think about all the things they’ve done wrong and why there haven’t been any goals going in. Tonight is a game for Jake Virtanen to shine, it’s time for him to step it up.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
Josh Leivo and Elias Pettersson are expected to skate today but neither will play tonight. Adam Gaudette was recalled and should slot in tonight between Sven Baertschi and Jake Virtanen. Looks like a decent line actually.
The defense has been a bit of a cluster lately and if things keep up the way they are, Jim Benning and Travis Green are going to have to make a decision on a few players, namely Erik Gudbranson and Michael Del Zotto.
Jacob Markstrom will get the start tonight.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.0#102 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 75.5#46 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 82.9#3 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.13#21 FL1 |
 SVEN BAERTSCHI Rating: 74.3#36 LW |  MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 70.3#154 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.1#85 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.92#25 FL2 |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.6#87 LW |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 71.2#134 C |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 70.8#107 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.22#26 FL3 |
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 69.0#132 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.9#193 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.1#111 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 68.66#31 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 75.9#23 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.8#59 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.85#22 DL1 |
 BEN HUTTON Rating: 70.6#105 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.0#98 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 69.82#29 DL2 |
 DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.5#106 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 72.2#53 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.39#20 DL3 |
Injuries have found their way to Arizona and it’s a plethora of pain infecting the Coyotes roster. Christian Dvorak is still sidelined and has been since the beginning of the season, Jason Demers is out for the season with a knee injury, Antti Raanta is out indefinitely and could miss the remainder of the season.
Former Canuck forward Michael Grabner is also out with an eye injury and has no timetable for return, Nick Schmaltz was just downgraded to out and could be done for the year as well with a lower-body injury and finally Kevin Connauton, he’s most likely out for this game with soreness of the body.
And we all thought the Canucks had it bad, sheesh!
Adin Hill may be the starter tonight but again, who ever really knows?
Coyotes lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 CLAYTON KELLER Rating: 74.2#38 LW |  DEREK STEPAN Rating: 73.3#72 C |  CHRISTIAN FISCHER Rating: 73.4#55 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 73.63#30 FL1 |
 RICHARD PANIK Rating: 72.3#68 LW |  BRAD RICHARDSON Rating: 70.6#150 C |  VINNIE HINOSTROZA Rating: 70.9#90 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.28#29 FL2 |
 ALEX GALCHENYUK Rating: 72.8#87 LW |  NICK COUSINS Rating: 71.7#120 C |  CONOR GARLAND Rating: 73.7#48 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.71#11 FL3 |
 LAWSON CROUSE Rating: 68.8#135 LW |  MARIO KEMPE Rating: 71.5#128 C |  JOSH ARCHIBALD Rating: 69.1#112 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.79#23 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON Rating: 76.3#18 LD |  NIKLAS HJALMARSSON Rating: 71.5#64 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.90#21 DL1 |
 JAKOB CHYCHRUN Rating: 72.9#56 LD |  ILYA LYUBUSHKIN Rating: 72.0#55 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.46#20 DL2 |
 JORDAN OESTERLE Rating: 71.4#84 LD |  ALEX GOLIGOSKI Rating: 73.3#48 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.36#11 DL3 |
YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME
- Vancouver has been shutout six times this season and three times in their last four games. That is cause for concern. Even with Pettersson in the lineup, they have failed to score a single goal six times and that is simply not good enough. We brought up a few games ago that the Canucks are on pace to have (4) 20-goal scorers this season but really, even if that happens there isn’t much after those four. Goals need to start coming or the losses will return and they might start to get ugly.
- Jake Virtanen has scored 8 of his 11 goals at 5v5 which for his totals, is impressive. He should be utilized more in the Boeser spot on PP2 and has done well off the rush. Jake also is getting pucks on net. His 83 at 5v5 are second only to Bo Horvat who has 85. It would be interesting to see Virtanen on a line with Tyler Motte and Bo Horvat even for just a period. All three players lead the Canucks in rebounds created. It might be an idea to cycle in that line after a Boeser rush or a prolonged controlled possession. Just saying.
- Brock Boeser is a hat-trick away from 50 career goals. He’s due for a big rush in points and without Pettersson, he’s due to get his dominance back. Hat-tricks aren’t a walk in the park but as far as we can see he’s healthy and that shot deserves some credit.
- Loui Eriksson has 62 shots through 45 games which just doesn’t seem possible. He also has seven goals which again, doesn’t seem possible. Loui last scored on Dec 20 against the Blues and hasn’t hit the scoresheet since. The stars on the team need to get things going but the bottom-six has been a dog’s breakfast for some time, maybe aside from Tyler Motte, and one goal in 10 games just doesn’t cut it.
- It’s Star Wars night at the game this evening. It would be great if Travis Green wore a Chewbacca mask for warmups and his assistants wear Storm Trooper helmets or something. The Canucks need some fun injected into the lineup and this would be a good start. Antoine Roussel pissing his opponents off would be nice too!
MY 94 CENTS
This game doesn’t scream cupcake but I mean, it’s not the hardest team to play. There are a handful of players on the Canucks roster that need some love and of the ones carrying the load, the next three, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and Jake Virtanen could use a bit of luck to get their games going again. Vancouver had a good thing going in December but January has been anything but memorable.
Thankfully, I was sick for all of Christmas or I’d have more to complain about with this group. Did I mention their power-play sucks?
THE FINAL WORD
On the outside chance this dreadful team makes the playoffs (they won’t) EP deserves Hart votes. When Boeser was going last year we thought he was the essential straw that stirs the drink but seeing Pettersson now, we weren’t even close on that thought a year ago.
BONUS CONTENT
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