Canucks Army THE PLAY-IN GAME DAY: Canucks Vs. Wild Game Four
By Always90four
3 years agoTHE INTRO
The Canucks are in rare air right now: they can close out the series against the Minnesota Wild this evening. It is by no means over yet and the Canucks will have to be more disciplined to have a shot but their energy seems to be contagious.
There was a lot to be happy about after a 3-0 win yesterday but it was just that, yesterday. Tonight, the Canucks need to bring the Tyler Motte hustle to every shift and force the Wild to make mistakes. Vancouver is showing it has horses to run and if a player like Brock Boeser can close it out against his hometown team, it would mean more than just a series win.
It means the REAL playoffs begin.
Let’s Do This!™
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SN / SN 650 / 7:45 PM
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: VAN +100/ MIN -120 courtesy of OddsShark.com
LINEUPS
With Micheal Ferland now OUT along with Tyler Toffoli, the Canucks have new permanent fixtures for the time being. Jake Virtanen is riding shotgun on the Brandon Sutter line, Zach MacEwen gets the energy line, and Loui Eriksson is back with Bo Horvat.
No other lineup changes should be expected.
Jacob Markstrom is the goalie until he’s not.
CANUCKS lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 J.T. MILLER Rating: 78.5#7 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.7#14 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 74.1#41 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.78#12 FL1 |
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.7#38 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 74.8#34 C |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 69.7#123 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 72.73#22 FL2 |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.0#97 LW |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 70.1#131 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 72.0#78 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.07#22 FL3 |
 TYLER MOTTE Rating: 68.8#144 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.4#163 C |  ZACK MACEWEN | FL4 Rating Rating: 68.57#30 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.2#15 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.0#90 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.12#22 DL1 |
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#26 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 71.9#63 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.11#16 DL2 |
 OSCAR FANTENBERG Rating: 70.9#100 LD |  TYLER MYERS Rating: 72.6#50 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.74#16 DL3 |
Ryan Suter could be a game-time decision after he was pulled from Game 3. That would be a huge blow to the Wild and their defence. A minute-muncher, veteran role-player, and face of the team. Follow this storyline.
Alex Stalock should start again, he’s been good. There’s no reason to pull him.
WILD lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ZACH PARISE Rating: 76.3#17 LW |  ERIC STAAL Rating: 74.2#45 C |  KEVIN FIALA Rating: 78.3#8 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.25#13 FL1 |
 MARCUS FOLIGNO Rating: 71.7#80 LW |  JOEL ERIKSSON EK Rating: 71.6#100 C |  JORDAN GREENWAY Rating: 71.2#94 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 71.51#28 FL2 |
 MATS ZUCCARELLO Rating: 71.8#84 LW |  ALEX GALCHENYUK Rating: 70.8#115 C |  LUKE KUNIN Rating: 72.5#70 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 71.70#14 FL3 |
 NICO STURM |  MIKKO KOIVU Rating: 71.8#93 C |  RYAN HARTMAN Rating: 71.2#96 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 72.04#2 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 RYAN SUTER Rating: 76.3#7 LD |  JARED SPURGEON Rating: 76.1#16 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 76.21#4 DL1 |
 JONAS BRODIN Rating: 73.7#41 LD |  MATHEW DUMBA Rating: 74.5#27 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 74.07#7 DL2 |
 CARSON SOUCY Rating: 71.8#79 LD |  BRAD HUNT Rating: 72.1#71 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.97#13 DL3 |
PLAYOFF POST-IT NOTES, KEYS TO THE GAME, AND BROCK BOESER
- 14 power plays. There were 14 power plays between the two teams in Game 3. That’s too many. Getting back to the Canucks side of things, Vancouver needs to capitalize on their half of those. Two goals aren’t good enough. The Canucks have been gifted a special teams series and that’s where they excel. Time to put the dagger in this one.
- Tyler Motte blocked a Canucks record seven shots last game. He’s in this one until the bitter end. If ever there was a game for Jason Botchford to be looking down on, that was the one. Charlie Hustle is going to keep giving 110% and he needs to be rewarded with a scoring chance.
- Is there anything Quinn Hughes can’t do? He is now tied for the playoff defenseman lead in points with four. Not a surprise. His three assists last game were just another stepping stone in the very young career of a potential Norris winner down the road. It hasn’t taken long for the game to flow through Hughes but here we are.
- Brock Boeser led all Canucks forwards in PP TOI in Game 3. If he can see the puck a bit more, that ice time will be more efficient when goals accompany it AND THEN he doesn’t need to be out there as much because he can rest after the goals. It’s actually a simple formula.
- Nothing would be Coulier than a Canucks win tonight, nothing.
MY 94 CENTS
I predicted that Loui Eriksson and Tyler Motte will both score in tonight’s game. You can ask me where I predicted this and I will tell you. This game has the feeling like something random like that would happen, except that it’s not random.
Loui Eriksson was ROBBED of a 2 on 1 goal when his stick exploded in his hands. It was like when Thanos snapped his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet. Hockey will repay Loui, mark my words.
As for Tyler Motte, is there a more deserving player for a goal than Motte? This guy doesn’t get enough credit but the score sheet is the ultimate compliment.
THE TWITTER TAKE
I love Brock.
AND ONE OTHER THING…
Are we all on the Brandon Sutter hype train now? Feels like a weird thing to be hyped up about.
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