CANUCKS ARMY GDT# 17 – CANUCKS VS. RANGERS
By Always90four
7 years ago
How does one not get excited for a game like tonight’s? The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers do battle again in a rematch of last week’s monumental bout.
Your Canucks emerged victorious in Manhattan and look to replicate that success in front of the hometown crowd at Rogers Arena. Troy Stecher is coming off his first NHL goal and Loui Eriksson just scored his second. Pat Quinn was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, too. We’re probably in line for a cool pre-game montage. Have tissues at the ready.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: SNET-P
RADIO: TSN 1040
PUCK DROP: 7:00PM
LINE COMBOS
It’ll probably be a while before Philip Larsen is in the Canucks’ lineup again. Stecher cemented his status, on a related note. That board pass to himself and the tying goal against the Stars secured that much. Brandon Sutter is with the Sedins, for whatever reason. Not sure what Willie Desjardins is onto with this one.
It’s an interesting time to be a Canucks fan, these lines are head scratchers.
Ryan Miller starts and rightfully so, he won last game. Sure, he let in four goals but his team scored five. Win-win.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Daniel Sedin |  Henrik Sedin |  Brandon Sutter |
 Loui Eriksson |  Markus Granlund |  Derek Dorsett |
 Sven Baertschi |  Bo Horvat |  Alexandre Burrows |
 Brendan Gaunce |  Michael Chaput |  Jack Skille |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Alexander Edler |  Troy Stecher |
 Erik Gudbranson |  Ben Hutton |
 Luca Sbisa |  Nikita Tryamkin |
Michael Grabner is scoring goals and the Rangers are back to winning games. Chris Kreider is out (upper body) and Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms) most likely sits again too. The Rangers recalled Cristoval Nieves and apparently he’s pretty fast. You know what that means, guaranteed first NHL goal night.
I can’t be wrong twice, Henrik Lundqvist will start in net vs. the Canucks. I have a feeling I’ll be wrong again.
New York Rangers lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Jimmy Vesey |  Derek Stepan |  Rick Nash |
 Chris Kreider |  Mika Zibanejad |  Mats Zuccarello |
 Michael Grabner |  Kevin Hayes |  J.T. Miller |
 Pavel Buchnevich |  Brandon Pirri |  Jesper Fast |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Ryan McDonagh |  Dan Girardi |
 Marc Staal |  Nick Holden |
 Brady Skjei |  Kevin Klein |
GAME NOTES, STATS AND OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Unless someone goes down today, Jake Virtanen won’t slot back in the lineup just yet. His AHL stint was shorter than the career of Chris Gaines. The expectation that he’s learned his lesson or that he got meaningful ice time down there is dumb. Put Jake with Henrik and Daniel for two games and see what he can do, I mean, it’s not like the Canucks are making the playoffs.
- You like those fancy stats? Alex Burrows does. Last game, Burrows kept it 100 on the 5v5 CF% and Ozone% starts. Amazing what happens when you put talented players in a position to succeed, ahem, ahem Jake Virtanen.
- Super-moons are cool and all but Nikita Tryamkin is larger than life and he’s right here! He hits, he hugs and he’s a friend to all his teammates.
- Don’t look now, but Loui Eriksson has 2 goals in his last 3 games. That sounds great and all but he has 5 shots total in those games. He’s a choosy shooter. If Virtanen was a choosy shooter he’d be choosing what shakers to use on his popcorn in the press box.
- If you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good, Brandon Sutter has hit the jackpot. I know I said it’s a bad idea to have him on that line but the trio of Henrik, Daniel and Brandon is a combined 111.5 PDO 5v5 in 55 minutes together since the start of last year. Not exactly a sustainable number but they might as well ride the wave while they can.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Overdue but still a special honour. He brought over the most exciting player to ever put on a Canucks jersey and because of that I’m a fan for life. Thank you, Pat Quinn. Gone but never forgotten.
MY TAKE
The game against the Stars on Sunday was somewhat similar to that run to start the season. It had goals, it had lead changes and it had a Canucks win. It bugs me they’re still dressing Jack Skille when it’s so obvious they want Virtanen to succeed. Or do they? It feels like depending on what the Canucks feel you bring to the team from the get-go is how you will be used in the future, case in point Stecher. Sure, Stecher and Virtanen aren’t exactly equals all things considered, but on defence Stecher proved he could hold his own over two guys, really, and when his opportunity came he attacked.
Virtanen is competing for any spot he’s given and it’s an entirely different battle. Give the kid a chance to succeed and stop BS’ing us about how he needs to earn it.
ARE THE CANUCKS CAPABLE OF BEATING THE RANGERS TWICE?
There are a lot of crazy things said on the Internet, some of them get you elected into the White House, but saying the Canucks will beat the Rangers twice in a week is some pretty nutty stuff right there. I can’t imagine Vancouver is overflowing with win potential but if the shoe fits…
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