Canucks Army Game Day 58 – Canucks @ Ducks (New Guys Edition)
By Always90four
5 years agoTHE INTRO
Vancouver is covered in snow as is the rest of British Columbia right now but the Canucks found the perfect time to book a California road trip. Yes, this was determined before the season even started but the timing feels right. As the wheels spin on why spending draft picks on good goaltending is or isn’t important, the Canucks continue to play the games and tonight they’ll take on Ryan Kesler and his Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks have a new coach (it’s actually their GM too!) and Bob Murray feels he can stop his ship from sinking after the team has dropped to last in the West and is currently in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. The Canucks should feel like they can beat the struggling Ducks but when life has given the Canucks lemons this season, no one seems to know how to make lemonade.
Regardless, this one is important and two points are up for grabs.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SN1 / SN 650 / 7:30 PM
LINEUPS
Zack MacEwen had a great NHL debut and it looks like he’ll get another chance to prove his supporters right this evening. Brandon Sutter is now on IR (groin/LBI) and with that, the Canucks have recalled Adam Gaudette and the town rejoices!
Vancouver also made a trade yesterday for Marek Mazanec in the wake of the goalie emergency. His work Visa issues were resolved last night and he’ll be in the lineup tonight. If Jacob Markstrom continues to have back spasms, Mazanec will start.
Mike DiPietro will hang around the Canucks for a bit but it’s rumored Thatcher Demko is nearing a return.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 72.8#69 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 76.3#47 C |  ZACK MACEWEN | FL1 Rating Rating: 74.54#29 FL1 |
 JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.9#43 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 79.1#27 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 82.3#3 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 78.42#1 FL2 |
 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.7#98 LW |  MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 71.4#136 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 72.1#75 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.39#24 FL3 |
 LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 71.0#103 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.5#193 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 69.4#117 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.28#31 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 CHRIS TANEV Rating: 72.0#64 LD |  ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.1#102 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 70.56#31 DL1 |
 BEN HUTTON Rating: 72.0#73 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 73.2#45 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.56#22 DL2 |
 DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.8#102 LD |  ALEX BIEGA Rating: 70.9#89 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 70.84#26 DL3 |
Injuries have taken the Ducks talent away as well. Ondrej Kase was placed on long-term IR due to shoulder surgery, Ryan Miller is still out with a sprained MCL, John Gibson is still injured after a collision last week against Ottawa, and Patrick Eaves and his beard will also not be in the lineup due to illness.
Chad Johnson will be the likely starter for Anaheim. Looks like the Canucks aren’t the only ones with goalie troubles.
Ducks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 RICKARD RAKELL Rating: 76.9#40 LW |  RYAN GETZLAF Rating: 76.6#44 C |  COREY PERRY Rating: 73.5#57 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 75.67#25 FL1 |
 DEVIN SHORE Rating: 70.2#114 LW |  RYAN KESLER Rating: 71.2#139 C |  JAKOB SILFVERBERG Rating: 72.7#71 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.37#31 FL2 |
 NICK RITCHIE Rating: 71.8#88 LW |  ADAM HENRIQUE Rating: 72.5#105 C |  DANIEL SPRONG Rating: 74.8#43 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 73.03#8 FL3 |
 BRIAN GIBBONS Rating: 70.0#173 LW |  DEREK GRANT Rating: 69.9#175 C |  CARTER ROWNEY Rating: 68.8#121 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.55#28 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 CAM FOWLER Rating: 74.5#31 LD |  JOSH MANSON Rating: 72.5#54 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.52#25 DL1 |
 HAMPUS LINDHOLM Rating: 74.7#27 LD |  BRANDON MONTOUR Rating: 74.4#35 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 74.56#9 DL2 |
 JAYCOB MEGNA Rating: 72.8#62 LD |  MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO Rating: 71.5#79 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.12#15 DL3 |
YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME
- The Ducks are losers of seven-straight and most of those haven’t been pretty. However, the Canucks weren’t able to beat this Ducks team back in November when they lost 4-3. Times have changed and the Canucks are looking to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
- Brock Boeser has two goals in his last five games and credit needs to go to Elias Pettersson for the ridiculous vision he has for finding Boeser through traffic to set up goals that look unthinkable. Boeser is still one goal away from 20 while Bo Horvat netted his 20th against San Jose. Jake Virtanen is eight back of that mark and it’s looking more and more like he’ll fall short of that this season.
- Anaheim has a league-worst 124 GF. The Canucks haven’t been world beaters but their 162 goals should make fans feel a bit better as their team isn’t the literal bottom of the barrel.
- If anyone still had questions about the Canucks defense, comparing them to the Ducks should give you a pretty good idea of how bad they both are. Vancouver has given up 178 goals this season while the Ducks have allowed only two more. Maybe they should swap defenders Gudbranson and Michael Del Z… oh wait.
- Slow starts have been plaguing the Canucks in 2019 but the Ducks are a breath of fresh air for Canucks fans. Anaheim has a .529 Win % when leading after period number one. The Canucks? They’re the fifth-best team with a .846 Win % when leading after the first period.
MY 94 CENTS
There are so many reasons the Canucks should win this one but we all know the Canucks never make the easy ones, easy. Vancouver will have a young lineup tonight with the addition of Gaudette and MacEwen as well as the rest of the up and coming Canucks roster. Goaltending might be an issue again if Markstrom can’t play but the Canucks have to keep it out of their zone (Gudbranson!) if they’re going to play as the favorite.
THE TWITTER TAKE
There has to be another Gudbranson, right?
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