CANUCKSARMY GDT 42 – CANUCKS @ CANADIENS
By Always90four
6 years agoNo rest for the wicked. The Canucks caught a quick flight after the Leafs game yesterday (well, not Jacob Markstrom. He couldn’t make a catch to save himself lately) and traveled to Montreal for tonight’s bout against the Canadiens. It’s a Hometown Hockey matchup and for the Canucks, they get to welcome back one-third of the “Triple B” line in Sven Baertschi.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 4:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Grab a coffee, this might take awhile.
Chris Tanev (jaw/teeth/bleeding face) took a puck off his mouth against the Leafs and did not return. We’ve seen this before and his name is Sven Baertschi. Fun segway! Guess who’s back? It’s Sven Baertschi! It actually was ruined in the lede. Baertschi has been gone since early December so his presence is more than welcome. Brandon Sutter is still day-to-day but that just feels like a rubber stamp these days.
Ben Hutton has to be back in the lineup tonight. There isn’t a good reason for him to sit out and after the number of injuries that have plagued the back end, starting seven defensemen is probably the best plan of action. If someone needs to sit, there is a laundry list of options but most of them make too much money.
Anders Nilsson should start unless… no, he’s starting.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN |
 THOMAS VANEK |  SAM GAGNER |  BROCK BOESER |
 MARKUS GRANLUND |  NIC DOWD |  LOUI ERIKSSON |
 BRENDAN GAUNCE |  MICHAEL CHAPUT |  JAKE VIRTANEN |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER |  TROY STECHER |
 MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO |  CHRIS TANEV |
 DERRICK POULIOT |  ERIK GUDBRANSON |
Victor Mete will not be in the lineup this evening but will return to the Canadiens in the coming days after winning World Junior gold with Team Canada! Shea Weber is still out (lower-body) and won’t be in the lineup until at least after the All-Star break.
Carey Price has the flu. Not the Man-flu but the REAL flu. He did not practice yesterday so he’ll be a game-time decision. If he doesn’t have a Michael Jordan-esque type game in him then Antti Niemi will get the nod.
Montreal Canadiens lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 MAX PACIORETTY |  PHILLIP DANAULT |  CHARLES HUDON |
 PAUL BYRON |  TOMAS PLEKANEC |  BRENDAN GALLAGHER |
 ALEX GALCHENYUK |  JONATHAN DROUIN |  ARTTURI LEHKONEN |
 NICOLAS DESLAURIERS |  JACOB DE LA ROSE |  ANDREW SHAW |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 KARL ALZNER |  JEFF PETRY |
 JORDIE BENN |  JAKUB JERABEK |
 JOE MORROW |  DAVID SCHLEMKO |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Baer-witness to the return of Sven Baertschi. He’s back and the Canucks will absolutely be able to use his skill in the lineup immediately. Expecting fireworks from his opening shift is a bit presumptive but adding another scorer back into the fold can only benefit the Canucks.
- To manipulate the title from the famous Robert Frost poem, Brock Boeser’s OT clanger could be labeled as the “goal not given”. Take a look at this shot. Boeser said it was one of the hardest shots he had ever taken. Be scared Montreal, be very scared.
- This should be labeled “what NOT to watch for” when talking about the overpaid Loui Eriksson. Seriously, what is with this guy? There is nothing to suggest the Canucks should be icing this guy because points aren’t the reason they keep him in. His possession numbers are oddly top-six on the Canucks but it’s pretty obvious he isn’t being paid to do the Corsis well. Does Jim Benning have a plan for Loui, we’ll have to wait and see.
- From the doghouse to the penthouse, Sam Gagner has found a home on Vancouver’s top line. Brock Boeser has made everyone around him better in the absence of Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi and Gagner is reaping the rewards with four goals and four assists in his last ten games. Gagner looked lost until the promotion and combined with Thomas Vanek on that line the Sedins don’t have to provide all the offense like many of us thought may happen.
- Max Pacioretty is overrated. This might not be a “hot taek” or even news but looking at this guy as the leader of one of the most iconic teams in the NHL is scary. He’s on pace for 44 points and he’s 29 years old. It feels like he got the C by circumstance and they had to pick someone. With reports of Max being on the trade block, this wouldn’t be far off from the truth. Leading the Canadiens shouldn’t be a task put on just anyone. Maybe there’s more than meets the eye here?
THE TWITTER TAKE
Well, this is interesting.
MY 94 CENTS
The Canucks lost yesterday in a game they gave away. They hung in there with one of the better teams in the league and if it wasn’t for Boeser’s minute inaccuracy off both posts in OT, they played a pretty good game. I liked what the Canucks brought in that game and with Sven Baertschi returning I think Green’s crew could make some noise this evening.
I also don’t know how long the Canucks will be able to weather the injury storm. They’ve held their own but at some point, the bending will turn into a break and this team isn’t set up to handle that.
Godspeed, Canucks.
OVER / UNDER
Nic Dowd ice time (+/- 12:00) Take the over. Travis Green found his Jayson Megna
Thomas Vanek points (+/- 1) This one feels like a push, although, he could easily open up the treasure chest again and start producing at a rate we’ve been used to lately.
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