CANUCKSARMY GDT 45 – CANUCKS @ WILD
By Always90four
6 years ago2018 hasn’t seen anything like it; the Vancouver Canucks look to win two games in a row when they travel to Minnesota to play the Wild. A puck-luck filled game against the Blue Jackets on Friday busted a few slumps and with Brock Boeser’s homecoming today, hopefully, the most documented slump in Vancouver sports is overturned this evening as well.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 5:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Brandon Sutter is back, I repeat, Brandon Sutter is back. The infirmary has been releasing players one by one back to the Canucks and with Sven Baertschi, Chris Tanev, and now Brandon Sutter returning, the Canucks are starting to look like the team, on paper anyway, that was shocking teams to start the season.
Nikolay Goldobin was sent back to Utica to get some ice-time while the Canucks are on their bye week.
Jacob Markstrom will probably get the final start before the break. Maybe stop that first one, though?
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 THOMAS VANEK |  SAM GAGNER |  BROCK BOESER |
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  MARKUS GRANLUND |
 SVEN BAERTSCHI |  BRENDAN GAUNCE |  NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN |
 LOUI ERIKSSON |  NIC DOWD |  JAKE VIRTANEN |
This feels like a broken record, but it doesn’t look like there will be any lineup changes from the Wild’s big win yesterday versus the Jets.
Don’t be surprised to see Devan Dubnyk back in net today. Alex Stalock could start, though.
Minnesota Wild lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 JASON ZUCKER |  MIKKO KOIVU |  MIKAEL GRANLUND |
 TYLER ENNIS |  ERIC STAAL |  ZACH PARISE |
 JOEL ERIKSSON EK |  CHARLIE COYLE |  CHRIS STEWART |
 MARCUS FOLIGNO |  MATT CULLEN |  DANIEL WINNIK |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- The NHL Draft Simulator has been getting regular play on TSN 1040 these days, and the Canucks have yet to hit the jackpot with regularity. Currently, the Canucks sit 28th in the league but not much separates them from 29th. 11 points back of 8th place, games like tonight are crucial for the #teamplayoffs movement.
- Brandon Sutter makes his return to the Canucks and what a time to come back! Last season, Sutter enjoyed a 3G/2A series against the Wild and had two of his three tallies were on the power play. Nothing he couldn’t get going again, right?
- Hold onto your hats: Brendan Gaunce is T-5 in the NHL in GWG in 2018. Yep, Brendan Gaunce. Not Brock Boeser, not Thomas Vanek even, definitely not Henrik Sedin. The new world order has arrived.
- Daniel and Henrik Sedin are 8th/9th respectively in the NHL in Rel CF% with 8.91 and 8.41. At this point in their careers, these numbers feel surprising, but they shouldn’t be. One more season wouldn’t be so bad as a third line pair.
- The last time the Canucks played Minnesota, Anders Nilsson shut the door and earned the Canucks a 1-0 shutout. Tonight, a very different Canucks lineup will try and repeat the unlikely.
THE TWITTER TAKE
MY 94 CENTS
Just when it all made sense, the Canucks threw a massive curveball to us. The Brendan Gaunce goal, which looked like me when I let my 4-year-old score on me in the living room, was a shocker, combine that with the Erik Gudbranson rocket and nothing is what it seems anymore. Tonight, the Wild play their 2nd of back-to-back games this weekend, and with a convincing win over the Jets, the Canucks should be in tough.
This could easily be a trap game, and Vancouver blows them out. Who really knows? I do believe Brock gets off his slump and has a good game and adds a goal to his totals. Mathew Barzal had five points yesterday so one goal might need to be the start of his evening.
OVER / UNDER
Brock Boeser “Welcome Home/I heart you Brock/The Flow in the ‘So (like Minnesota) signs (+/- 2) The over is a safe bet. The rookie sensation is home, and he’s done some things since his last appearance.
Loui Eriksson goals (+/- 0.5) If everyone else had a good game in Columbus and Eriksson didn’t; then he has to be the guy tonight. Take the over. He scores.
The Pint is your home for all things game day. Come down for game day specials like $5 mugs of bud and bud light and get 20% off food if you’re a season ticket holders
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