OPENING FACE/OFF
The finish to Monday’s game was anti-climactic but the lead-up in the last few minutes was vintage 2018/2019 Canucks hockey. Heck, I even threw in the towel with a minute left:
Brock Boeser then scored and I immediately ate my words, with A1 sauce. We hadn’t seen a comeback this season and even though it should have been a win, the way it ended did bring out a bit of hope that this team has a new tool in its belt. Their “give a $h!# meter” is starting to gain momentum and no, they’re not moral victories, these are steps in returning to form.
Vancouver now heads to Calgary to potentially get a split in the four-game set. Did anyone have that on their scorecard? A little bit more discipline will go a long way and for PETE’S SAKE, SHOOT THE PUCK PETTERSSON!
Let’s Do This!™
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS GAME?
TV: SNP / RADIO: SN 650 / PUCK DROP: 7:00PM
LINEUPS
Will we see a shakeup tonight? Zack MacEwen could return and it wouldn’t shock anyone if Jake Virtanen sat in the press box. What a story this has become. Everyone was cheering for #shotgunjake and now they might want to #jettisonjake with his lacklustre play and invisible offence.
Jayce Hawryluk could even return and Canucks fans LOVE a good new guy story!
Was Monday’s game still good enough to keep Thatcher Demko in the net? Braden Holtby is probably due to make a start (the contract should dictate a few every now and then and Demko may need a night off as he isn’t quite THE starter yet)
CANUCKS LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.7#38 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 74.8#34 C | FL1 Rating Rating: 74.25#21 FL1 | |
 ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.7#14 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 74.1#41 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 76.78#2 FL2 | |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.0#97 LW |  BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 70.1#131 C |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.2#130 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.44#26 FL3 |
 LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 69.7#123 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.4#163 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 72.0#78 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.04#21 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#26 LD |  NATE SCHMIDT Rating: 75.5#18 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.89#15 DL1 |
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.2#15 LD |  JORDIE BENN Rating: 70.9#101 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.04#16 DL2 |
 TYLER MYERS Rating: 72.6#50 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.56#5 DL3 |
Mikael Backlund is day-to-day but that’s about it. Expect to see the same lineup again. I know, this section is boring.
Jacob Markstrom will start. Will he Finnish? (Tried so hard there. Didn’t even get the Nationality correct)
FLAMES LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 MATTHEW TKACHUK Rating: 78.0#9 LW |  ELIAS LINDHOLM Rating: 76.5#19 C |  ANDREW MANGIAPANE Rating: 74.2#36 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.25#12 FL1 |
 JOHNNY GAUDREAU Rating: 76.0#19 LW |  SEAN MONAHAN Rating: 74.4#42 C |  DOMINIK SIMON Rating: 70.1#132 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 73.50#19 FL2 |
 MILAN LUCIC Rating: 70.7#103 LW |  SAM BENNETT Rating: 69.6#127 C |  DILLON DUBE Rating: 70.3#108 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.19#28 FL3 |
 JOAKIM NORDSTROM Rating: 67.9#150 LW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.35#28 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MARK GIORDANO Rating: 77.9#6 LD |  RASMUS ANDERSSON Rating: 73.5#36 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 75.67#9 DL1 |
 NOAH HANIFIN Rating: 73.3#49 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.0#90 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.16#23 DL2 |
 JUUSO VALIMAKI Rating: 72.6#6 LD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.55#6 DL3 |
GAME NOTES, INTERESTING STATS, AND OT?
- The Canucks lost their first OT game of the season and it was only the second time they had played past 60-minutes in 2021. The shootout was their sole victory in bonus hockey. Take two things from this: the Canucks aren’t good enough to hold a game that long and get a point and they’re also not good enough to force overtime. Even the shakiest teams need bonus points. How shaky are the Canucks?
- Looking in the Cracked Rear-View mirror, it’s tough not to dwell on what has taken place up to this point. With a win tonight, the Canucks are right back in the mix, and even though they’re running out of Time, they can still force the playoff conversation. Much like this sneaky, awful Hootie and the Blowfish reference, the Canucks will need to get past their funk and strive to be the team they say they are. Of all the teams they’ll face, the Calgary Flames are the ones they need to prove they can beat. Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev are proving to be the ones that got away.
- The road has not been kind to the Canucks. They’re the fourth-worst road team with a 2-8 record. The New Jersey Devils have played 10 games… TOTAL! It’s hilarious that NJD has a 3-1-1 record away from the Prudential, not that the record isn’t possible but that the Canucks have already proven to be dismal on the road and most Devils fans still aren’t sure if their team is any good.
- There have been eight penalty shots this season with Tyler Ennis of the Oilers being the only one in the North to have an attempt. Does anyone else feel like the Canucks have been close to one? Nils Höglander is my pick for the Canucks first PS attempt. They do not allow wraparounds or lacrosse attempts, pretty sure.
- With a goal this evening, Elias Pettersson could tie Rick Rypien, Cam Neely, Anson Carter, and Jake Virtanen with five goals against the Calgary Flames all-time as Canucks players. ELITE company. Two goals would tie him with Mark Messier. He only had six. Meh.
TWITTER TOLD YOU-
Contradicting reports but Elliotte knows what’s up:
.@FriedgeHNIC on Virtanen rumours: I think its going to be hard. The biggest issue with Virtanen is next year. It's not only cap hit but dollar in dollar out. To get a deal done you've got to match up the dollars.
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) February 17, 2021
MY 94 CENTS
I saw that the Canucks could battle. They’ve shown they can sustain 60-minutes of effort and they can even take a lead. I believe Brock Boeser is currently the guy that has to lead the charge because Pettersson just isn’t trusting his weapons. Bo Horvat also needs to get back to being a menace but it’s going to take more than just a puck-moving power play.
The PP is still way too predictable. I’ve said this for years. I shouldn’t be able to figure it out but it’s too simple.
Canucks need something big tonight.
THE FINAL WORD
The only way the Canucks win is if they win the second period, they are the worst in the second by a landslide. A goal for the Canucks and keeping the Flames off the scoresheet can be a recipe for success tonight. Easier said than done.
