Canucks Army GDT #36 – Canucks vs. Kings
By Rhys Jessop
9 years agoAfter a short two-game road swing to close out 2014, the Vancouver Canucks are back at home to ring in the new year against the Los Angeles Kings. Los Angeles has struggled to gain traction on the road this season, but there’s a reason why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions: they’re still really good and will run you out of the building if you’re not careful as Vancouver learned earlier in 2014-15.
The playoff race in the Pacific division is also as tight as ever with four teams within one point of one another. The Kings will overtake Vancouver, San Jose, and Calgary with a win tonight, so the Canucks should be extra motivated to put forth their best effort.
Read past the jump for a preview of tonight’s game.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM PST
TV: Sportsnet Pacific
Radio: TSN 1040
Lineups
Courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Daniel Sedin |  Henrik Sedin |  Radim Vrbata |
 Chris Higgins |  Nick Bonino |  Derek Dorsett |
 Shawn Matthias |  Brad Richardson |  Linden Vey |
 Alexandre Burrows |  Bo Horvat |  Jannik Hansen |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Alexander Edler |  Chris Tanev |
 Ryan Stanton |  Kevin Bieksa |
 Luca Sbisa |  Yannick Weber |
Jannik Hansen will skate on the second line with Derek Dorsett playing with Alex Burrows and Bo Horvat on line 4. Zack Kassian is healthy and cleared to play, but likely will not dress tonight. Ryan Miller will start in net.
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 Marian Gaborik |  Anze Kopitar |  Jeff Carter |
 Dustin Brown |  Jarret Stoll |  Justin Williams |
 Tanner Pearson |  Trevor Lewis |  Tyler Toffoli |
 Kyle Clifford |  Mike Richards |  Dwight King |
| Defensive Pairings | |
|---|---|
 Jake Muzzin |  Drew Doughty |
 Alec Martinez |  Matt Greene |
 Brayden McNabb |  Jamie McBain |
No word on any roster changes or starting goalies for Los Angeles. Expect Jonathan Quick to play.
Head to Head
Storylines
- No Zack Attack – After some controversy about whether he had been cleared to play on Tuesday, Zack Kassian has definitely been cleared to play this time around, but won’t dress against the Kings. Vancouver could use his size against an abrasive opponent like Los Angeles, but more importantly, they could use another good winger and Kassian is a good winger. Coupled with the recent trade rumours, it makes you speculate about Kassian’s standing with the organization.
- Back on Track – The Kings have put an uncharacteristically poor start in terms of puck possession behind them and once again become one of the NHL’s premiere teams in terms of Corsi%. They’re just 4-3-3 in their last 10 games, but 1-5 in the shootout, and have dragged themselves back into the playoff race. With a win tonight, they’ll move into second in the Pacific division.
- Road Woes – While the Kings have a dominant 14-4-2 record in Los Angeles, they’ve struggled on the road. Away from home, they’re just 4-8-6 with an even goal differential at 5-on-5. They’re still very dangerous though, as they have an NHL-best 54.2% Corsi on the road.
Game Day Reading
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