OPENING FACE/OFF

The Canucks celebrate Lunar New Year this evening with special red-themed jerseys. This would be cool and all if you know, people could see them in person. There was the other big issue looming and that was the cancelation of TSN 1040. Vancouver and the province of B.C. lost an icon Tuesday morning that will be tough to replace. When you think about the Canucks, 1040 usually goes hand in hand.
But we must move on and cheer for the common goal: a Canucks win. That’s the immediate goal, anyway. The Flames are in town and the Canucks could really use a boost. Calgary will have Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev to contend with along with the usual suspects for the Flames.
It’s another must-win.
Let’s Do This!™

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS GAME?

TV: SNP / RADIO: SN 650 / PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM

LINEUPS

Jake Virtanen was the extra forward at practice and Jalen Chatfield was paired with Jack Rathbone which leads us to believe Olli Juolevi is back as well. Loui Eriksson was placed on waivers again so he’s back to making popcorn in the press box.
Does Thatcher Demko get the call against his former battery mate?
CANUCKS LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
LWCRWForwards

J.T. MILLER
Rating: 78.5#7 LW

ELIAS PETTERSSON
Rating: 77.7#14 C

BROCK BOESER
Rating: 74.1#41 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 76.78#8 FL1

TANNER PEARSON
Rating: 73.7#38 LW

BO HORVAT
Rating: 74.8#34 C

NILS HOGLANDER
FL2 Rating
Rating: 74.25#12 FL2

JUSTIN BAILEY

BRANDON SUTTER
Rating: 70.1#131 C

ADAM GAUDETTE
Rating: 70.2#130 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 70.76#25 FL3

ANTOINE ROUSSEL
Rating: 71.0#97 LW

JAY BEAGLE
Rating: 68.4#163 C

JAKE VIRTANEN
Rating: 72.0#78 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 70.48#18 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

NATE SCHMIDT
Rating: 75.5#18 LD

TYLER MYERS
Rating: 72.6#50 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 74.02#22 DL1

QUINN HUGHES
Rating: 75.2#15 LD

JORDIE BENN
Rating: 70.9#101 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 73.04#16 DL2

ALEXANDER EDLER
Rating: 74.3#26 LD

OLLI JUOLEVI
DL3 Rating
Rating: 74.31#1 DL3
The Flames are 100% healthy except for disgruntled employee Sam Bennett. Knowing how this story plays out, he’ll pot two goals tonight.
Jacob Markstrom will get the start against his former team. It went well the last few times, and Calgary knows what’s up.
FLAMES LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
LWCRWForwards

MATTHEW TKACHUK
Rating: 78.0#9 LW

ELIAS LINDHOLM
Rating: 76.5#19 C

DILLON DUBE
Rating: 70.3#108 RW
FL1 Rating
Rating: 74.95#16 FL1

JOHNNY GAUDREAU
Rating: 76.0#19 LW

SEAN MONAHAN
Rating: 74.4#42 C

SAM BENNETT
Rating: 69.6#127 RW
FL2 Rating
Rating: 73.33#16 FL2

MILAN LUCIC
Rating: 70.7#103 LW

MIKAEL BACKLUND
Rating: 75.5#30 C

ANDREW MANGIAPANE
Rating: 74.2#36 RW
FL3 Rating
Rating: 73.48#4 FL3

JOAKIM NORDSTROM
Rating: 67.9#150 LW

BYRON FROESE

JOSH LEIVO
Rating: 71.7#85 RW
FL4 Rating
Rating: 68.87#31 FL4
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGSDefense

MARK GIORDANO
Rating: 77.9#6 LD

RASMUS ANDERSSON
Rating: 73.5#36 RD
DL1 Rating
Rating: 75.67#10 DL1

NOAH HANIFIN
Rating: 73.3#49 LD

CHRIS TANEV
Rating: 71.0#90 RD
DL2 Rating
Rating: 72.16#24 DL2

JUUSO VALIMAKI
Rating: 72.6#6 LD

NIKITA NESTEROV
DL3 Rating
Rating: 72.42#13 DL3

GAME NOTES, INTERESTING STATS, AND THE REUNION

  • Jacob Markstrom is carrying on his stat line from a season ago with a similar .916 SV% and an average 2.50 GAA. Those stats don’t tell the whole story but Canucks fans know it gets the job done. Markstrom is also one of the tidiest tenders in the NHL so far with a tight 3.06% rebounds per save — fifth in the league based on a minimum of seven games played. Braden Holtby is third at 2.55%.
  • Quinn Hughes STILL leads all defencemen in points with 17 and is only two points back (9) of Connor McDavid in total PPP (11). Hughes hasn’t looked stellar but he’s a gamer and he isn’t letting up. That contract is going to be expensive.
  • Is it fair to say Brock Boeser shouldn’t be performing the way he has? He’s at 3.6 goals above expected. The NHL and “stats” expect Brock to be five goals so far? C’MON MAN! He’s healthy and he’s snipe city every night. It’s so good to see Brock back and hopefully, he’ll hit the GAE of 5. THAT’S RIGHT, FIVE! Screw you, analytics!
  • Speaking of Brock, he still holds the four-spot in even-strength goals with six. Tyler Motte is also in the top-10 with five. Not a single Calgary Flames player has more than four. I suppose Calgary relies on the power-play… (they do, and they’re pretty good).
  • Penalties have been a big deal early on this season and if you continue to see this trend for the Canucks, they’re already done at that point. Vancouver hasn’t been as disciplined as previous seasons (not that they were behaving before) but they’re making mental mistakes that force them into the box. Vancouver is almost a full penalty higher than the Flames, 4.19 to 3.50, respectively. The longer this goes on, the more minutes that will be wasted not attacking the opposing net.

TWITTER TOLD YOU

John Horgan putting up bulletin board material ahead of the game:

MY 94 CENTS

I don’t even know what to think anymore. I believe the Canucks can pull this one off but are they so mentally damaged right now that their spirits are broken? Everyone keeps saying it looks like the team is waiting for something to happen but they need to be the ones that change. They’re the only ones that control that.

THE FINAL WORD

Every game the Canucks accumulate another loss before the end of this month, the fire gets a little hotter. There’s a good chance Jim Benning doesn’t make it out of the season but he might try and buy himself some time with a trade. There isn’t much to move and the writing is on the wall for Jake Virtanen to be shipped out. Even a Jake trade probably doesn’t solve anything.
Calgary doesn’t need to do much tonight to get the upper hand.