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Canucks Army Game Day 81 – Canucks @ Predators (The Second To Last Edition)

Photo credit: Darrel Dyck/CP

By Always90four

Apr 4, 2019, 13:00 EDT

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THE INTRO

It’s an early start tonight as the Canucks make their way to Nashville to take on the playoff-bound Predators. There will be a fair amount of chatter about defense tonight, more importantly, the men who patrol the blue line. Lots of young talent on both sides of the ice. Quinn Hughes has made his mark so far on the Canucks and Dante Fabbro has been called up to the Predators to help them in their run to the Cup.

Both teams have been hot as of late with matching 6-3-1 records in their last 10 games. Vancouver has won their last three while the Nashville is coming off a single win. The wave will continue for one of these teams, sadly the playoffs are only possible for one as well.

Let’s Do This!™

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN +200/NAS -240) courtesy of OddsShark

TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP

SNP / SN 650 / 5:00 PM

LINEUPS

Word on the street is Brogan Rafferty may play in tonight’s game. He signed a one-year deal with the Canucks so they may see something they want to continue with in the fall. The Bulldog, Alex Biega, may be the odd man out at that point. Jake Virtanen is still day-to-day but could play. That being said, Tanner Pearson seems to be making the most of the same role.

Jacob Markstrom should see the start tonight. Thatcher Demko saw a win last game which took the Canucks to three wins in a row. Demko could see the final game on Saturday.

Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.9#50 LW	BO HORVAT Rating: 77.3#36 C	LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 72.0#83 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 74.41#28 FL1
SVEN BAERTSCHI Rating: 74.1#46 LW	ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.3#35 C	BROCK BOESER Rating: 80.9#5 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 77.41#5 FL2
RYAN SPOONER Rating: 70.4#147 LW	ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.0#161 C	JOSH LEIVO Rating: 73.8#53 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 71.43#25 FL3
TIM SCHALLER Rating: 71.0#107 LW	JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.1#186 C	MARKUS GRANLUND Rating: 70.3#117 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.80#30 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 77.5#11 LD	ALEX BIEGA Rating: 71.8#74 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 74.64#15 DL1
BEN HUTTON Rating: 70.8#112 LD	TROY STECHER Rating: 73.6#43 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.19#26 DL2
QUINN HUGHES	LUKE SCHENN Rating: 68.8#104 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 68.75#31 DL3

Zac Rinaldo and Miikka Salomaki have been sent down to Milwaukee on long-term injury loan. They’ll be ready for playoffs but won’t be in the lineup tonight. Markus Granlund’s more talented brother Mikael will be in the lineup and once again the Battle of the Granlunds is on!

Dan Hamhuis is now a mentor to young Dante Fabbro while he’ll watch his opponent Luke Schenn do the same thing with Quinn Hughes. A night of learning is on the horizon!

With the win against the Sabres, Pekka Rinne may get the night off and Juuse Saros could start now that Nashville has clinched a playoff berth.

Predators lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
FILIP FORSBERG Rating: 79.1#12 LW	RYAN JOHANSEN Rating: 75.6#48 C	VIKTOR ARVIDSSON Rating: 79.5#13 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 78.06#15 FL1
MIKAEL GRANLUND Rating: 74.4#43 LW	KYLE TURRIS Rating: 72.2#98 C	CRAIG SMITH Rating: 75.1#50 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 73.89#22 FL2
COLTON SISSONS Rating: 72.1#100 LW	NICK BONINO Rating: 71.5#116 C	AUSTIN WATSON Rating: 72.5#75 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.04#20 FL3
BRIAN BOYLE Rating: 71.3#124 LW	CALLE JARNKROK Rating: 71.9#105 C	WAYNE SIMMONDS Rating: 71.2#98 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 71.44#8 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
ROMAN JOSI Rating: 81.5#3 LD	RYAN ELLIS Rating: 79.4#11 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 80.43#2 DL1
MATTIAS EKHOLM Rating: 77.2#14 LD	P.K. SUBBAN Rating: 79.5#10 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 78.33#1 DL2
DAN HAMHUIS Rating: 71.2#103 LD	DANTE FABBRO Rating: 73.2#53 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 72.15#9 DL3

YOUR INFORMATIONAL NEEDS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME

The Canucks are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and in that time they have gone 3-2 against playoff-bound clubs. Vancouver has scored nine goals for and allowed 14 in those five games.
This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Canucks and Predators with each team coming away victorious so far. The Canucks have managed to take three of four points as they lost in OT midway through December in Nashville. Vancouver holds the edge in goals eight to seven and has a PP goal in each game.
If this game goes to OT tonight, Brock Boeser may not score the winner but he’s the odds on favorite to make the winning pass. Boeser is tied for the league-lead in overtime assists with five. Brock is one point back of Artemi Panarin for the most overtime points in the league as well. We’re pulling for you, Brock!
He’s been quiet for the final quarter of the season but Elias Pettersson has stats that still make him a lock for the Calder. Pettersson’s shooting WAR leads the NHL by just over 0.5. Pettersson has a 3.53 shooting WAR and the next closest is Alexander Ovechkin with 2.97. There are only seven players in the league above 2.00 and as stated above, Elias is the only one above 3.00.
Tanner Pearson has six goals in his last 10 games. His consistent deployment with Bo Horvat does help his cause. Pearson is an unlikely bright spot on the Canucks but he could become a stable source of offense next season if Bo and Tanner can find a speedy third wheel to supplement their talent.

MY 94 CENTS

There will be a sinking point before the season is officially over so tonight might as well be it. An upset of St. Louis on Saturday would be more fun anyway. These last couple of wins haven’t been very glorifying and somehow the Canucks have pieced together two points for a week now.

I can’t see them getting by the Predators tonight just based on what the Nashville can throw at the Canucks line after line. Vancouver isn’t quite built to go toe-to-toe with the legitimate playoff contenders. Thankfully, the Canucks’ netminding has been pretty amazing for the last few months so a 2-1 game isn’t out of reach.

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