CANUCKSARMY GDT 50 – CANUCKS VS. AVALANCHE
By Always90four
6 years agoThe Canucks get back to the grind after a small break to allow the NHL’s best to compete against each other. Tonight, Vancouver hosts the Colorado Avalanche in a classic Northwest Division clash.
It isn’t quite a Joe Sakic/Peter Forsberg stacked team but Nathan Mackinnon and Gabriel Landeskog can bring it with the best of them. Travis Green could have his hands full figuring out how to keep those two players off the scoresheet. Of course, NHL All-Star MVP Brock Boeser might have something to say about that.
No rest for the wicked.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET-P
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Brock Boeser did not practice yesterday but he was busy travelling back from Tampa Bay from the All-Star Game. Erik Gudbranson is back from his back… spasms. Does that mean he gets into the lineup? We shall see. He practiced with Derrick Pouliot so take what you will from that.
Jacob Markstrom is still the number one Canucks goalie so he should see the net this evening.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  BROCK BOESER |
 THOMAS VANEK |  BO HORVAT |  LOUI ERIKSSON |
 SVEN BAERTSCHI |  BRANDON SUTTER |  MARKUS GRANLUND |
 SAM GAGNER |  NIC DOWD |  JAKE VIRTANEN |
Tyson Barrie could return this evening for Colorado, he’s pretty good. It’s hard enough to beat the Avalanche without him, that can’t make it any easier. Semyon Varlamov returned to practice but is still not slated to return yet. J.T Compher and Colin Wilson are both healthy and will play. One of the hottest teams in the NHL might get a bit better and the NHL needs to watch out.
Jonathan Bernier should get the start tonight.
Colorado Avalanche lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 GABRIEL LANDESKOG |  NATHAN MACKINNON |  MIKKO RANTANEN |
 DOMINIC TONINATO |  ALEXANDER KERFOOT |  NAIL YAKUPOV |
 BLAKE COMEAU |  CARL SODERBERG |  MATTHEW NIETO |
 GABRIEL BOURQUE |  TYSON JOST |  JT COMPHER |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Nathan MacKinnon has come into his own. He’s four points back of the league-lead and unfortunately for Canucks fans, he could put a serious dent in that lead by nights’ end. The one thing he can’t lay claim to is scoring 24 goals in 46 games, that would be Brock Boeser. MacKinnon needed two more games to accomplish that feat. Just saying.
- Special teams will be on display tonight but its the age-old battle of immeasurable force versus immovable object. VAN holds the 6th best PP% at 22.1 while COL is 2nd in the NHL with a PK% of 83.8. Who bends and who breaks?
- Back to MacKinnon for a second, he is 2nd in the NHL at 5v5 with a P1/60 of 2.7. Those are MVP-like numbers.
- In game #50, Daniel and Henrik Sedin continue to lead the Canucks in CF% with 53.85 and 53.15, respectively. Their possession numbers will not be forgotten unless they retire because then and only then will many people realize what they did for this team. Hopefully, it’s not over quite yet.
- Could tonight be the night Troy Stecher returns to stardom? He has three points this season, two of which were right before New Years and the other one was the second game of the season. Bold prediction: Stecher puts up a three-point night.
THE TWITTER TAKE
Can you imagine how hard that would have been to tweet that with those hockey gloves on? Simply stun… I’ll see myself out.
MY 94 CENTS
It’s only been a few days since the Canucks last played but their stinker against the Sabres should still smell fresh. It should be clear, this Canucks team is nowhere near the caliber of this year’s Avalanche team but with Brock Boeser being everything to everyone, the Canucks could reap the rewards of a newly-minted MVP.
OVER / UNDER
Nathan Mackinnon goals (+/- 1.5) Mr. All-Star will bring his red-hot Avalanche squad into Vancouver for what they’ll see as a game of shinny. Mackinnon should have no problem getting at least a goal. Two? Take the under.
Loui Eriksson goals (+/- 0.5) I have been ragging on him lately but sometimes the best teams bring out the best in the worst players. Take the over… but not by much, maybe an off the butt goal or something?
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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