CANUCKS ARMY PRESEASON GDT VII – CANUCKS VS. FLAMES
By Always90four
6 years agoThe games are getting few in the preseason, but Canucks fans are rejoicing because they get to see 90% of what the opening night roster will resemble. There are some changes to be made still, but for players like Brock Boeser and Jake Virtanen, these games are the culmination of their work since training camp began. The Sedins/Eriksson experiment seems to have surfaced again, and with better line deployment, it could actually work this time.
Time will tell.
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET-P
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
A healthy Derek Dorsett and a PTO-motivated Scottie Upshall will have something to prove tonight as do the remaining prospects still hanging around.
Vancouver Canucks lines via Brendan Batchelor
Sven Baertschi – Markus Granlund – Brock Boeser
Sam Gagner – Alex Burmistrov – Jake Virtanen
Scottie Upshall – Brandon Sutter – Derek Dorsett
Darren Archibald – Michael Chaput – Jayson Megna
Michael Del Zotto – Troy Stecher
Andrey Pedan – Chris Tanev
Patrich Wiercoch – Alex Biega
Anders Nilsson
Aside from Micheal Ferland, that top line for Calgary is something fierce. It, unfortunately, continues down the lineup and even in preseason, the Canucks are in tough tonight.
Calgary Flames lines via Flames.com
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Micheal Ferland
Matthew Tkachuk – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Kris Versteeg – Sam Bennett – Troy Brouwer
Tanner Glass – Matt Stajan – Freddie Hamilton
Mark Giordano – Dougie Hamilton
TJ Brodie – Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak – Rasmus Andersson
Mike Smith
WHAT TO WATCH FOR TONIGHT
- Mike Smith gets lit up early, run by Upshall and blows a gasket. 82% chance this happens.
- Now that Brock Boeser has legitimate linemates, the writing is on the wall that he puts up a goal or two this evening. Against Smith, even more likely. Travis Green will get to see the next big thing go H.A.M on the Flames. 69% chance of happening.
- Chris Tanev somehow has a slapshot again so it should be noted this may come up during the game. It’s a great shot when he has time and space, but those are two things he probably won’t have a ton of against the Flames. He has the hulking Andrey Pedan as his partner so don’t count out Tanev. 50% chance of this happening.
- Calgary and Vancouver DO. NOT. LIKE. EACH. OTHER. It’s possible something ignites, and a bit of a slobberknocker ensues. Both teams have a few candidates to dust off the mitts. I like the Canucks chances on this. 89% chance of this happening.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Counterfeit is in our nature. That would be my take.
MY TAKE
The Sedins shouldn’t be the top line anymore. Unfortunately, Bo Horvat won’t play tonight so that can’t fully come to fruition. It will be interesting to see what Brock Boeser does with a few more “mature” linemates. Markus Granlund could end up being an excellent fit there, and like the handful of articles that were written last season, Loui Eriksson might be a fit up front still.
SCORE PREDICTION
THIS JUST IN… Canucks 5, Flames 2
Could be the final score, maybe make a ticket?
(nice)
Recent articles from Always90four
