Canucks GAME DAY notebook: Plenty of tickets still available for Podkolzin’s Canucks debut
2 years ago
Before we begin, I wanted to give a quick update on how CanucksArmy’s coverage will be changing this year. As was announced earlier this month, I’m now full-time with The Nation Network, serving as the company’s Editor in Chief and covering the Canucks on a full-time basis.
That means we’ll be at every morning skate and game, and thus, the coverage will be more in-depth and up to the minute. I wanted to thank Ryan Hank, AKA always90four, who championed our game day coverage since the early 2010s. He has decided to leave after over nine years with CanucksArmy.
Our game day coverage will now consist of live notebooks, that will be updated with tidbits and quotes from players and Canucks head coach Travis Green after we hear from them after each morning skate.
That starts today, so let’s get into it!
Calgary’s in town… sort of
After falling 5-3 to the Seattle Kraken last night (BUT WINNING THE SHOOTOUT), the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Calgary Flames to the Abbotsford Centre for the Canucks’ first game in front of fans in over 500 days.
Unfortunately, the high cost of tickets appears to have served as a deterrent for some fans to buy tickets.
Plenty of tickets are still available for tonight’s game.
“With training camp only being $5.50 and my Abby Canucks seasons tickets $28 a seat, don’t think I need to pay $80 for a preseason game,” one fan wrote to CanucksArmy. “That being said it’s great to have hockey and fans back!”
Who you WILL see
The absence of Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes certainly plays into that, but fans will still get to see some NHL talent tonight.
Because they didn’t play last night in Spokane, it’s safe to assume that Bo Horvat, Tanner Pearson, Zack MacEwen, J.T. Miller, Conor Garland, and Vasily Podkolzin will form the Canucks’ top six forward group tonight.
It’ll be fans’ first chance to see Podkolzin in a Canucks uniform competing in a non-scrimmage scenario.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Tucker Poolman are likely to see a ton of ice time tonight, and again, it’ll be the first opportunity for fans to watch the new Canucks defencemen in a game for the first time.
Thatcher Demko is likely to start, with Jaro Halak and Michael DiPietro possibly making appearances in the crease at some point as well.
If you don’t plan on attending, this game can be streamed for free on canucks.com.
Additional notes and quotes
This section will be updated throughout the day. Travis Green and select players are set to speak to the media shortly after 11 AM, so check back around noon to see what they had to say!
Updates:
- Michael DiPietro will get the start in goal tonight. No word on whether it will be Halak or Demko coming in in relief.
- The injury to Brady Keeper has been unsurprisingly revealed as a broken leg. He got surgery this morning.
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson was asked a tough question about whether or not he saw that his clip of him finishing last in his bag skate group had gone somewhat viral. OEL handled himself perfectly, and laughed about the situation. He said it was his first time doing it and doesn’t feel like he’s out of shape. He added that it’s something he’ll improve on and be more prepared for next year.
- Today, the Canucks are acknowledging the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation tonight vs. Calgary. Bo Horvat, OEL, and Travis Green were all wearing orange shirts in support of the Indigenous community.
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