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Canucks Army Game Day 37 – Canucks Vs. Lightning (The Test Edition)

Photo credit: Canucks.com/Getty Images

By Always90four

Dec 18, 2018, 15:27 EST

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THE INTRO

Godzilla meets Mothra, T-Rex meets Indominus, the Vancouver Canucks meet the Tampa Bay Lightning. Two teams on a collision course to greatness. Vancouver has brought everything to the table lately and their record is starting to mirror that. Tampa lost their last game in OT to the Jets but their current run has them atop the NHL standings.

The last time these two faced off, the Canucks stunned the Lightning after hanging on until the third period before some timely goals from Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson put them over the top. The Canucks have been playing some inspiring hockey as of late and tonight’s game will be their biggest test they’ve faced so far.

Let’s Do This!™

TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP

SNP / SN 650 / 7:00 PM

LINEUPS

Expect the usual suspects (Michael Del Zotto, Alex Biega, Tim Schaller) to be in the press box while Brandon Sutter and Sven Baertschi have yet to return.

It hasn’t been a landslide call but Jacob Markstrom should be the defacto #1 going forward but Anders Nilsson will get the start tonight after beating the Lightning 4-1 earlier this year.

Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.4#87 LW	BO HORVAT Rating: 76.1#43 C	LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 71.9#74 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 73.16#31 FL1
JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.3#53 LW	ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 78.3#31 C	BROCK BOESER Rating: 82.7#2 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 78.09#3 FL2
NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN Rating: 70.7#97 LW	ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 71.4#129 C	JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.5#85 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 71.19#20 FL3
MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 70.5#108 LW	JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.5#185 C	TYLER MOTTE Rating: 68.9#115 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 68.96#29 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#32 LD	CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.3#70 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 72.80#23 DL1
BEN HUTTON Rating: 71.0#99 LD	ERIK GUDBRANSON Rating: 69.2#93 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 70.10#29 DL2
DERRICK POULIOT Rating: 70.3#114 LD	TROY STECHER Rating: 71.7#59 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 70.97#18 DL3

Mathieu Joseph is the only one that’s questionable for tonight’s game. Tampa is 8-1-1 in their last 10 games so there won’t be much to change if at all.

Andrei Vaselevskiy should be the starter for the Lightning tonight.

Lightning lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ONDREJ PALAT Rating: 76.1#27 LW	STEVEN STAMKOS Rating: 82.5#8 C	YANNI GOURDE Rating: 75.8#30 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 78.15#14 FL1
TYLER JOHNSON Rating: 74.9#50 LW	BRAYDEN POINT Rating: 83.1#7 C	NIKITA KUCHEROV Rating: 86.1#1 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 81.38#1 FL2
ALEX KILLORN Rating: 74.4#58 LW	ANTHONY CIRELLI Rating: 76.2#40 C	J.T. MILLER Rating: 74.9#51 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 75.15#2 FL3
ADAM ERNE Rating: 69.9#118 LW	CEDRIC PAQUETTE Rating: 69.9#163 C	RYAN CALLAHAN Rating: 71.3#87 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 70.37#14 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
VICTOR HEDMAN Rating: 80.4#4 LD	DAN GIRARDI Rating: 72.4#43 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.39#8 DL1
RYAN MCDONAGH Rating: 77.0#12 LD	ANTON STRALMAN Rating: 75.0#28 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 75.97#3 DL2
BRAYDON COBURN Rating: 72.3#70 LD	MIKHAIL SERGACHEV Rating: 74.2#35 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 73.26#3 DL3

YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME

No one wants to hear this but the Canucks are only three points out of the playoffs going into this game. They’re also right in the middle of the league’s standings which means Jack Hughes is a pipe dream as of now. Are the Canucks too early to the party or are they kinda good? All in all, it’s a good story so far.
Tonight marks the 18th time these teams have faced each other in Vancouver with the Canucks holding a 10-5-2 record over the Lightning. Considering they only play each other twice a season and for a while just once in total, that’s a pretty good record. Vancouver has averaged 3.7 goals-for at home against Tampa in that time and given up 2.4 goals-against respectively. Par for the course in Vancouver this season. Matching these numbers tonight would keep pace with their current output and would likely result in a win.
It’s been said everywhere but Elias Pettersson will look to match Pavel Bure’s rookie point streak of eight games. Even if he doesn’t factor into the scoring tonight, there is a good chance he gets back to this spot before the new year. His 4G / 9A in that time has Elias tied for 4th and one point back of the top point-getters Johnny Gaudreau, Mark Scheifele, and Connor McDavid. Pettersson is also tied for most GWG in that time.
Pettersson has been such a magnetic subject but everything he does is magical. The rookie race is quickly becoming a one-horse race but it’s how he’s doing it that is equally impressive. He’s averaging 1.17 P/GP, he has the highest SH% of any rookie playing over 10 games with 27.9%, and he’s also played four fewer games than Colin White and Rasmus Dahlin who are 2nd and 3rd in rookie scoring. Check back here to see what his next four games amount to.
As Dekey Pete goes so do the Canucks. His point streak has also meant great things for the Canucks stats as well. Vancouver has 28 goals in that time, one back of Tampa, and they’ve only allowed 16 goals, which is two more than the San Jose Sharks for fewest allowed in that time. Winning is contagious. Maybe don’t get that flu shot just yet, Canucks. Actually, do get it… I hear the flu is bad this year.

MY 94 CENTS

I don’t know how they do it but the Canucks have that special spark right now. It’s a shame all this winning has them essentially in the same spot they were in prior to their run. Believing they can beat the Lightning again is no small task, doing it is even harder. However, like Nickelback, with some hard work and getting big contributions from their stars, the Canucks can pull off this big test. I think we’re in for a Grammy-worthy performance.

THE FINAL WORD