CANUCKS ARMY GDT# 29 – CANUCKS @ CAPITALS
By Always90four
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Photo Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin – USA TODAY Sports
Quick turnaround for this one.
The Canucks had just enough time to fly to Washington, get a quick nap and get ready for today’s game. It’s an early start time (2 PM, ARE YOU SERIOUS?) so don’t forget and go and get your Christmas tree or something. The Capitals are rested and are coming off a 4-1 win over the Sabres. Another game the Canucks will need to be close to mistake free.
Plus, Alex Ovechkin still plays here.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: SNET-P
RADIO: TSN 1040
PUCK DROP: 2:00 PM
LINE COMBOS
Jannik Hansen is back, folks! He’s been gone so long, but he’s back and back for good. The Brandon Sutter experiment is over, and life can go back to normal. Still no Chris Tanev but we’re getting used to bad news already so it’s ok.
If Ryan Miller is loose enough, you have to believe he’ll start. Jacob Markstrom held his own but back to back games is tough. We know it’s not Thatcher Demko so stop wishing!
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Daniel Sedin |  Henrik Sedin |  Brandon Sutter |
 Loui Eriksson |  Markus Granlund |  Jayson Megna |
 Sven Baertschi |  Bo Horvat |  Alexandre Burrows |
 Brendan Gaunce |  Michael Chaput |  Jack Skille |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Ben Hutton |  Erik Gudbranson |
 Luca Sbisa |  Troy Stecher |
 Nikita Tryamkin |  Alex Biega |
Matt Niskanen could be back (concussion) after being rocked by Patrice Bergeron earlier this week. No other significant roster notes for the Capitals.
Brayden Holtby should be starting.
Washington Capitals lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Alex Ovechkin |  Evgeny Kuznetsov |  Justin Williams |
 Marcus Johansson |  Nicklas Backstrom |  T.J. Oshie |
 Andre Burakovsky |  Lars Eller |  Jakub Vrana |
 Daniel Winnik |  Jay Beagle |  Tom Wilson |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Karl Alzner |  John Carlson |
 Brooks Orpik |  Dmitri Orlov |
 Nate Schmidt |  Taylor Chorney |
GAME NOTES, STATS AND OTHER INTERESTING INFO
- The Canucks are back to the win one, lose one pattern again. It’s win one night/afternoon/day. Take it for what it’s worth; they need to start again somewhere.
- I checked, and the Capitals do not employ any former Canucks Army writers so there is a good chance the Canucks could win without advanced stats information provided to their opposition. The downside is the Canucks have the information and choose not to use it.
- All signs POINT to Daniel Sedin getting on the scoreboard today. He has three PPG and two assists in his last four games. I could have said that without the terrible pun but I figured you read this far, what the heck?
- So, if Hansen is back then Bo Horvat should somehow benefit through osmosis or something and he scores, and we win? I’m asking for a friend. Gang, I honestly think this is the turning point in the season for the Canucks. They could be so dangerous now. And then with Virtanen, oh wow, I’m going to stop. I’m too excited already.
- Don’t look now people, but Jack Skille could be a write-in vote for the All-Star Game. He has the moves, the speed, the apparent skill(e) and he can finish the work Rory Fitzpatrick never completed.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Very good question, I’d like to know the same thing.
MY TAKE
Hansen being back in the lineup is beyond a good thing. One key player changes so much for a lineup and unfortunately, we rely heavily on Hansen with the Sedins. That said, we are all excited to see Brandon Sutter off that line and some normality back throughout each line. Have to have Hansen when you’re facing Ovechkin.
IS THERE STILL HOPE FOR THIS TEAM?
Oh sure, there is. Somehow, the Canucks will progress and things will indeed get better. For now, we are stuck with win one, lose one. This afternoon is a winning one… so there’s that.
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