CANUCKSARMY GDT 52 – CANUCKS VS. LIGHTNING
By Always90four
6 years agoSaturday nights mean one thing and one thing only: Hockey Night in Canada. Tonight, the Vancouver Canucks take their impressive two-game win streak and put it on the line against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
Steven Stamkos and his league-leading Lightning squad are fresh off a routine walloping of the Flames and what a showcase it will be when they’re put against the enigma that is the Canucks.
Will it be a blowout like Buffalo or pure luck like in Pittsburgh? One thing is for sure: Brendan Gaunce can’t possibly score in two straight games.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: CBC
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Tonight’s game will not be for the faint of heart. Canucks head coach Travis Green iced a pretty competitive crew on Thursday versus Chicago so it’s possible we see the same lineup. Ben Hutton and Derrick Pouliot were scratched as was Nic Dowd. The lines should be updated with Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and Sven Baertschi together. The rest could be a mix again.
Jacob Markstrom is earning that number one job. This might be his biggest test to date.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  BROCK BOESER |
 SVEN BAERTSCHI |  BO HORVAT |  THOMAS VANEK |
 MARKUS GRANLUND |  BRANDON SUTTER |  LOUI ERIKSSON |
 BRENDAN GAUNCE |  SAM GAGNER |  JAKE VIRTANEN |
A convincing win over Calgary on Thursday means, yes friends, no lineup changes are expected.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will compete for the win tonight.
Tampa Bay Lightning lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
 VLADISLAV NAMESTNIKOV |  STEVEN STAMKOS |  NIKITA KUCHEROV |
 YANNI GOURDE |  BRAYDEN POINT |  TYLER JOHNSON |
 CHRIS KUNITZ |  CEDRIC PAQUETTE |  RYAN CALLAHAN |
 ALEX KILLORN |  MATTHEW PECA |  MICHAEL BOURNIVAL |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Brock Boeser – His two-goal performance came against the Kings well over a week ago and he hasn’t scored since. There was an assist against the Avalanche but his output on the scoresheet has been missed. Add to that Boeser only scored in two games in January, it’s time to see BB light the lamp. HNIC is always a good place to get some love.
- Lightning strikes – Steven Stamkos has two goals in 13 games, Nikita Kucherov has one goal in 10. Don’t sleep on these guys. The All-Star Game was proof they make scoring goals look easy. If tonight is the night for goals, they might not stop.
- Gaunce but not forgotten – Brendan Gaunce seems to have found a place on the Canucks. Travis Green has obviously had one of his famous “chats” and the results are mounting. Knowing the Canucks have a serviceable forward like Gaunce on their fourth line can help them address a bit more grit and truculence at the trade deadline. Not a buyer in the traditional sense of the term at this time of the year but moves can be made.
- Since 2010/11, the Canucks have faced the Lightning 10 times and in those games, Vancouver has six PPG. That sounds pretty good except for the fact their clip is a toxic 17.6% through 34 opportunities. That seven PP night probably contributed to that. Their production has improved this season and notching a few PPG against the top NHL netminder is a nice feather in the cap.
- Erik Gudbranson getting pulled mid-game for a trade. Make this a thing.
THE TWITTER TAKE
Yikes.
MY 94 CENTS
Here it is again, the feared possibility of a three-game win streak. No big deal though, it’s not like the Lightning is the best team in the NHL this year and are the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup. If the Canucks can play disciplined and score early on Tampa, I do actually like their chances. Green will have to flex that Triple-B line tonight and get Brandon Sutter winning faceoffs.
Goaltending will have to be lights out but that seems to be the case lately. The Canucks can win this but it won’t be easy. No prediction is given this evening.
OVER / UNDER
Canucks win streak (+/- 2.5) I’m doing it… I am. Take the over
Henrik Sedin Goals (+/- 0.5) Henrik scores. Plain and simple. We’re all amazed. Not as amazed as when Brendan Gaunce scores, but amazed all the same. Take the over.
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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