Baertschi working in #Canucks PP2
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Canucks Army Game Day 75 – Canucks Vs. Flames (Tables Turned Edition)
Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin - USA TODAY Sports
By Always90four
Mar 23, 2019, 12:00 EDT
THE INTRO
Many years ago, the Canucks owned the Calgary Flames on the ice. Vancouver would flex its muscles and put the lowly Calgary club in its place.
Not so much anymore.
Now, the Flames are the ones taking it to a Canucks team that is still digging for its identity and occasionally steals one away from Calgary. Tonight, they do battle again in what will most definitely have the emotion that will carry through the entire 60 minutes. There isn’t a player on the Canucks team that doesn’t believe the pl&*#$%s (bleeped for foul language) are still possible as they’re only four points back of the final Wild Card position.
Will Bo Horvat continue to drive the play and give his team yet another opportunity to get closer to postseason play or will Calgary be too much for the blue and green and all but end the Canucks dreams of spring hockey?
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN +155/CGY -175) courtesy of OddsShark
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
CBC / SN 650 / 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
Sven Baertschi is cleared for gameplay. If he goes, either Markus Granlund or Tim Schaller would sit out. There isn’t much else to change right now. Bo Horvat has consistent linemates and even though they aren’t ideal, he’s getting the most out of them.
Jacob Markstrom will get the start tonight. Travis Green believes this is still a playoff team and will lean heavily on his new number one. Thatcher Demko would then start tomorrow versus Columbus.
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 72.0#84 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 76.3#42 C |  LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 70.8#103 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 73.04#29 FL1 |
 JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.3#53 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 78.2#28 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 81.3#4 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.60#6 FL2 |
 MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 71.2#132 LW |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.5#153 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 70.9#99 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.87#25 FL3 |
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 70.5#118 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 67.9#188 C |  TYLER MOTTE Rating: 70.2#116 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.56#31 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 76.0#22 LD |  ALEX BIEGA Rating: 71.5#82 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 73.74#23 DL1 |
 TROY STECHER Rating: 73.0#48 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.04#21 DL2 | |
 ASHTON SAUTNER Rating: 72.8#64 LD |  LUKE SCHENN Rating: 68.8#103 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 70.79#24 DL3 |
James Neal is injured with an LBI and not a tooth injury after his freak accident against the Canucks a little while ago. Calgary has won five of their last six so there won’t be any changes going into tonight’s matchup.
David Rittich should start based on the goalie rotation the Flames have been using lately. Mike Smith started last game so it’s DR’s turn tonight. But, it wouldn’t be a potential gong-show if Mike Smith didn’t start.
Flames lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 JOHNNY GAUDREAU Rating: 82.5#5 LW |  SEAN MONAHAN Rating: 79.5#19 C |  ELIAS LINDHOLM Rating: 78.0#30 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 79.99#6 FL1 |
 MATTHEW TKACHUK Rating: 81.8#6 LW |  MIKAEL BACKLUND Rating: 76.4#41 C |  MICHAEL FROLIK Rating: 75.8#34 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 78.01#4 FL2 |
 SAM BENNETT Rating: 71.6#94 LW |  MARK JANKOWSKI Rating: 72.1#106 C |  AUSTIN CZARNIK Rating: 73.0#64 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.20#18 FL3 |
 ANDREW MANGIAPANE Rating: 72.1#83 LW |  DEREK RYAN Rating: 74.3#62 C |  GARNET HATHAWAY Rating: 70.6#108 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 72.35#4 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MARK GIORDANO Rating: 80.7#4 LD |  T.J. BRODIE Rating: 77.1#14 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 78.90#4 DL1 |
 NOAH HANIFIN Rating: 76.1#21 LD |  TRAVIS HAMONIC Rating: 74.4#34 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 75.21#9 DL2 |
 OSCAR FANTENBERG Rating: 71.8#87 LD |  RASMUS ANDERSSON Rating: 73.3#46 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.54#8 DL3 |
YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME
- Vancouver’s goaltending has been stingy in their last 10 games. Only twice has the duo of Markstrom/Demko let in more than three goals and both times, Jacob Markstrom was the guy in net. That game in Vegas was one to forget but both goalies have fared well statistically (both sporting .910 Sv% and combining for five wins in 10 games) and have given the Canucks a chance every night to win. Green will need another big game from his goaltender against a team that can score from all over.
- Alex Edler has been a force since returning from injury. In his last 10 games, he has three goals and five assists which are one point better than rookie phenom Elias Pettersson. He’s the only defenseman making waves of that kind for the Canucks and only Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser (nine points apiece) have more. It’s no secret that Edler is a valuable piece of the Canucks’ makeup and if the team had to pick, Chris Tanev would be the guy to move with Quinn Hughes on the horizon and hopefully a healthy Olli Juolevi next season.
- Whether he could have played a full season or not, Sven Baertschi has scored at an impressive rate while he’s been healthy. Since Christmas, Baertschi has five goals in 12 games good for a 0.42 G/GP. Not a bad clip. Knowing what we know, Baertschi has delivered through some ridiculous circumstances and if he can stay healthy, Nikolay Goldobin may be on his way out. Can’t have two of the same player (technically only one is really that guy).
- Back to goaltending, Jacob Markstrom has stopped the puck 849 times since there were presents under the tree and his .919 Sv% doesn’t top the league but it does establish himself as one of the better goalies in the NHL. He’s faced a lot of rubber, plain and simple. The debate has raged on for weeks now whether Markstrom or Pettersson is the team’s MVP. The fact that this is a debate is reason enough to give Markstrom credit after he floundered for the first third of the year. It would be great to see him sign a two-year deal to slowly phase in Demko and create a true tandem that can challenge any team in the league.
- There are more than enough questions about the middle of the Canucks lineup to last until training camp but focusing on Eriksson for a second, he’s tied with whipping boy Goldobin for 27 points on the year. They’ve both come to those totals in very different fashions but Eriksson has done it as a nomad going up and down the lineup. There isn’t a whole lot for Loui to hold onto this season and hopefully, the Canucks find a trading partner to move this team forward. He’s been invisible but he’s been a defensive gem and has been a fixture on the PK. One can only imagine what he could fetch if the Canucks reached the playoffs and he was tested on the PK?
MY 94 CENTS
OK, I’m biting. This Canucks/Flames matchup has me excited. I don’t believe they can sustain their winning ways and make the postseason but I also don’t believe they’ve given up yet. The Canucks are the most consistently inconsistent team and they find ways to surprise even the most tenured fans and media alike.
There are a lot of personal milestones on the line as the season comes to a close with contracts hanging in the balance. IF the Canucks were to make it somehow into the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, the Flames would be their opponent. I could go for that.
THE TWITTER TAKE
Practically on the first unit.
Breaking News
- Gaffar: Canucks new GM will have full control on scouts and AGMs
- The uncertainty of the third overall pick puts some offseason decisions in flux for the Canucks
- CA Draft profiles: Viggo Björck has become one of this year’s more polarizing first-round targets
- WDYTT: Who do you want the Canucks to take with the third overall pick?
- Canucks’ Sasson named to Team USA for IIHF World Championships; Boeser not on preliminary roster