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CANUCKS ARMY GDT 80 – CANUCKS VS. GOLDEN KNIGHTS
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Photo credit: Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sprts
Always90four
Apr 3, 2018, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 3, 2018, 11:48 EDT
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For the final time this season the Canucks will take on the expansion Golden Knights. There will be a bit more emotion in the air due to “the announcement” yesterday but there is still a game to be played. Lots of roster tidbits to get through and somehow the Canucks have already equaled their nice season from a year ago (69 points).
Hopefully, Vancouver doesn’t cough up the lead early again. Things are going well right now.
Let’s Do This!™
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: SNET-P / RADIO: SN650 / PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINE COMBINATIONS
Here’s the rundown: Thatcher Demko was sent back to Utica as Jacob Markstrom is healthy-ish and Anders Nilsson isn’t sick. Reid Boucher broke his hand last game so he’s done for the season, Ashton Sautner, by the time this is released, may get sent back as well with Ben Hutton practicing and potentially being cleared to play. Maybe drag that out, Travis?
Brandon Leipsic should be back tonight as well but who sits?
Not much else.
Jacob Markstrom should start.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRW

NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN
Rating: 68.7#103 LW

BO HORVAT
Rating: 73.8#78 C

JUSSI JOKINEN
Rating: 71.9#73 RW

DANIEL SEDIN
Rating: 72.9#48 LW

HENRIK SEDIN
Rating: 70.9#162 C

SAM GAGNER
Rating: 72.1#118 RW

DARREN ARCHIBALD
Rating: 70.5#102 LW

BRANDON SUTTER
Rating: 71.9#125 C

TYLER MOTTE
Rating: 68.0#225 RW

BRENDAN GAUNCE
Rating: 69.8#194 LW

ADAM GAUDETTE

JAKE VIRTANEN
Rating: 70.7#75 RW
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS

ALEXANDER EDLER
Rating: 73.5#80 LD

TROY STECHER
Rating: 71.8#149 RD

MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO
Rating: 72.1#132 LD

DERRICK POULIOT
Rating: 70.7#208 RD

ASHTON SAUTNER
Rating: 72.4#121 LD

ALEX BIEGA
Rating: 69.3#237 RD
Brandon Pirri has been recalled from Chicago Wolves (AHL). No other big changes for the Golden Knights. This team is ready for the dance.
Marc-Andre Fleury should be the starter.
Vegas Golden Knights lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
LWCRW

JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT
Rating: 82.1#8 LW

WILLIAM KARLSSON
Rating: 79.3#20 C

ALEX TUCH
Rating: 73.7#38 RW

TOMAS TATAR
Rating: 73.1#47 LW

ERIK HAULA
Rating: 75.4#31 C

JAMES NEAL
Rating: 75.0#32 RW

OSCAR LINDBERG
Rating: 69.5#196 LW

CODY EAKIN
Rating: 70.0#187 C

RYAN REAVES
Rating: 67.7#113 RW

TOMAS NOSEK
Rating: 69.1#207 LW

PIERRE-ÉDOUARD BELLEMARE
Rating: 69.3#95 C

RYAN CARPENTER
Rating: 70.9#165 RW
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS

BRAYDEN MCNABB
Rating: 72.5#118 LD

NATE SCHMIDT
Rating: 75.4#47 RD

DERYK ENGELLAND
Rating: 72.1#129 LD

SHEA THEODORE
Rating: 75.7#44 RD

COLIN MILLER
Rating: 75.7#45 LD

JON MERRILL
Rating: 69.3#238 RD
CANUCKS, EXPANSION TEAMS, THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS, AND LEIPSIC
  • Including this season, the Canucks have a winning record against expansion teams in five of the eight seasons a new team was introduced (new Jets are relocation). Only the Thrashers, Predators, and this year’s Golden Knights have bested the Canucks in their first season.
  • Vancouver’s best showing was in the 1991/92 season when the Sharks entered the league. The Canucks had an outstanding 6-1 record, scoring 23 goals in the process. They haven’t played that many games against an expansion franchise since then but it holds up.
  • The Canucks enjoyed the most success on the score sheet when the Ducks came into the league. Vancouver put up an impressive 21 goals while only allowing 7. This was their best goal differential as well, beating out the Lightning’s first year when the Canucks scored 16 times and allowed only 5 goals.
  • Vegas is closing its inaugural season in epic style. They’ve clinched the Pacific division, they’ve won games with five different goaltenders (somehow possible), and their misfit cast has a chance to make a run for the Stanley Cup, something no other NHL expansion team has ever done. What a special story considering the tragic event in October, this team might just do the unthinkable.
  • Brandon Leipsic was sent away from Vegas, a team that picked him up from a team that left him exposed. Leipsic’s story might just be beginning with the Canucks and tonight would be awesome to see him show what his next step will be. He’s already made an impact on the Canucks and has a bit of feistiness that some of the players just don’t offer. The circus will undoubtedly be around the Sedins to close out the year but the stories inside the game are what we’ll all be watching getting ready for next season. Players are still dropping like flies on the Canucks so Leipsic needs to be smart.
A SLIGHTLY BOLD STANCE ON TWITTER 
Not sure if it was just a reason to post this youtube clip but if you cheer for this team I find it impossible to not be emotionally attached to the Sedins’ departure. It was the same feeling for Roberto Luongo; I was devastated even though I knew it was over. Same for Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden. If this is “your” team, any significant player of that level has to affect you emotionally otherwise they’re just turnstile players occupying space.
MY 94 CENTS
The news that dropped yesterday was pretty heavy. Thankfully, this isn’t the last one so most of us can still focus on the game at hand. The Golden Knights have been unbelievable this season and could very well be a contender for the Cup this season. The Canucks are trending in a different direction but winning out at home would be a nice send off for a couple of Swedish fellas on the team.
3 THINGS YOU’LL KNOW AFTER THIS GAME
  • The Sedins will never play the Golden Knights again.
  • Cheering for the Canucks to win games like these don’t make you a bad person but remember every win means a smaller chance of being rewarded with Rasmus Dahlin.
  • With a win, the Canucks will tie their record for the worst season against an expansion team, equalling their awful series against the Predators in 1998 (1-3). See, things aren’t so bad. Oh wait, that’s the season they got the Sedins. OK, things are pretty bad.
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