CANUCKS ARMY GDT 68 – CANUCKS VS. WILD
By Always90four
6 years agoRemember when everyone dreaded the games that the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks played? Yeah, well imagine if the trap was replaced by udder boredom. No, not by the Wild; it’s the Canucks.
Minnesota comes into Vancouver on a two-game win streak and a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games. The Wild are winning while the Canucks are spinning… downward… in a spiral.
The Canucks had a memorable game the last time they faced the Wild when Brandon Sutter returned from a lengthy injury and scored the OT winner. Thomas Vanek (no longer here) and Loui Eriksson (out for the season) also scored in that game so it’s safe to say expect the unexpected.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET-P
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Nikolay Goldobin split time with Sam Gagner on the top line yesterday at practice but it’s unlikely Goldobin gets that spot. He may even get healthy scratched. Reid Boucher has returned and took shifts with Nic Dowd and Tyler Motte. The line of Jake Virtanen, Brandon Sutter, and Darren Archibald is intriguing and would be my pick for line of the night.
Jacob Markstrom has kept the Canucks alive even when they haven’t backed him up. Expect him to start tonight.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 BRENDAN LEIPSIC |  BO HORVAT |  SAM GAGNER |
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  JUSSI JOKINEN |
 DARREN ARCHIBALD |  BRANDON SUTTER |  JAKE VIRTANEN |
 REID BOUCHER |  NIC DOWD |  TYLER MOTTE |
Nothing is changing with this Wild team. They’ll run with the winning lineup.
Devan Dubnyk should be expected to start.
Minnesota Wild lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 JASON ZUCKER |  ERIC STAAL |  MIKAEL GRANLUND |
 ZACH PARISE |  MIKKO KOIVU |  CHARLIE COYLE |
 NINO NIEDERREITER |  JOEL ERIKSSON EK |  TYLER ENNIS |
 DANIEL WINNIK |  MATT CULLEN |  MARCUS FOLIGNO |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Wouldn’t you know it, the Canucks have a three-game win streak going against the Wild going into tonight’s matchup. Somehow, someway, the Canucks have a good thing going against a team that has given them fits over the years.
- Jake Virtanen is already having his best season as a Canuck and with just over a month left to go he’ll try and cement himself as one of the core guys on this rebuilding team. Virtanen has shown flashes of brilliance with his Bertuzzi-like drives to the net and Canucks fans will need something to lean on now that Brock Boeser is done for the year. Jake Virtanen has the goods to be that guy, will he deliver?
- One season ago, Bo Horvat led the Canucks with 20 goals and he’s two back of that total having only played 49 games this season. Willie Desjardins totally misused Bo and is now benefiting from one more season under his belt and maturing through some hardship. Horvat will need to lead the charge to end this season because it can’t be all on the Sedins, it’s not fair.
- Brandon Sutter has new linemates in Jake Virtanen and Darren Archibald. Sutter leads the Canucks in goals and points against the Wild since the beginning of the 2016 season. Tonight would be a great night to see one of those random Sutter games where he’s hitting guys, making passes and scoring goals; a trap game if you will. See what I did there?
- Powerplays may again be the story this evening with both teams in the top eight in powerplay percentage. Minnesota leads Vancouver by 0.3% on the PP with 21.9%, Vancouver sitting at 21.6%. Any opportunity this evening will need to be killed because, on the other side of the spectrum, both teams penalty killing units are dreadful.
THE TWITTER TAKE
Far from the story of the game this evening but imagine a world where Jacob Markstrom is the NHL’s league leader in points for a goaltender. Random.
MY 94 CENTS
I’m not going to lie, there isn’t a whole lot of excitement leading up to this game. The 2017/18 post-Boeser era is well underway and it’s a dud thus far. However, the secondary storylines are as intriguing as ever and many of them should keep you watching this one. Leipsic has promise to cement himself as a mainstay on the Canucks, the wait for Jake Virtanen may almost be over and his story can finally begin, Reid Boucher is back and possibly for the final time if things go well.
There won’t be many wins to finish up this season but these three players may keep interest in the Canucks when it looks like the Canucks aren’t interested.
I’m calling for a win.
EITHER / OR
Who is more likely to score this evening: Jussi Jokinen or Mikko Koivu? With 3G/5A in his last five games, Mikko Koivu is the runaway winner here.
Will the Canucks allow more shots in the first, second, or third periods? Those Canucks sure are tricky but they tend to drag in the first so that would be the pick to go with.
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