THE INTRO
Road trips are a great test of character in sports, especially in hockey. Whether it’s a long trip to Austin, Massachusetts or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Canucks are finding ways to win against incredible odds. After getting royally thumped by the Stars, Vancouver has pumped out back-to-back wins against the Predators and the Capitals. Playing gritty hockey might be the key to success, or at least his team.
They take on the Flyers today and according to Moneypuck.com, the Canucks are slight underdogs in this one. Because of course, they are.
Let’s Do This!™
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The odds for tonight’s game are: (VAN +115/ PHI -135) courtesy of OddsShark.com
TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP
SNP / SN 650 / 4:00 PM
LINEUPS
Check for updates from wherever you get your info or at the site below, but we may see Jay Beagle back in the lineup today. Antoine Roussel is getting close and there is no news on Brandon Sutter’s status. Aside from some tweaking, this lineup stays the same.
Jacob Markstrom is playing some of his best hockey right now and Travis Green is unlikely to start Travis Demko for that reason. Not to say Demko hasn’t deserved to play as well but Markstrom has just been terrific. TERRIFIC!
Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.1#61 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 79.1#13 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 76.8#10 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.35#13 FL1 |
 J.T. MILLER Rating: 74.9#32 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 75.2#42 C | FL2 Rating Rating: 75.04#6 FL2 | |
 TIM SCHALLER Rating: 69.0#146 LW |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 71.2#139 C |  JOSH LEIVO Rating: 72.3#83 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.84#30 FL3 |
 LOUI ERIKSSON Rating: 69.9#137 LW |  TYLER GRAOVAC Rating: 72.7#96 C |  JAKE VIRTANEN Rating: 71.1#90 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 71.26#19 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 76.5#8 LD |  TYLER MYERS Rating: 71.9#80 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.21#18 DL1 |
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.0#24 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 72.4#71 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.72#14 DL2 |
 JORDIE BENN Rating: 72.0#88 LD |  TROY STECHER Rating: 72.7#60 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.34#14 DL3 |
Nolan Patrick is still out with migraine disorder. Morgan Frost has taken the top center spot. Migraines are the worst so best wishes to the former Brandon Wheat King.
Carter Hart is the expected starter. The guy tore up the WHL and now he’s making a mockery of the NHL, as well.
Flyers lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 CLAUDE GIROUX Rating: 78.1#8 LW |  MORGAN FROST Rating: 74.2#56 C |  TRAVIS KONECNY Rating: 75.1#24 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 75.78#17 FL1 |
 OSKAR LINDBLOM Rating: 73.1#60 LW |  SEAN COUTURIER Rating: 77.7#21 C |  JAKUB VORACEK Rating: 73.1#58 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.65#8 FL2 |
 SCOTT LAUGHTON Rating: 71.1#142 LW |  KEVIN HAYES Rating: 73.0#87 C |  JOEL FARABEE Rating: 73.1#62 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.38#13 FL3 |
 JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK Rating: 74.6#35 LW |  MICHAEL RAFFL Rating: 70.4#125 C |  TYLER PITLICK Rating: 69.8#114 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 71.62#11 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 IVAN PROVOROV Rating: 74.8#27 LD |  MATT NISKANEN Rating: 73.5#40 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.15#19 DL1 |
 JUSTIN BRAUN Rating: 71.0#97 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 70.99#30 DL2 | |
 ROBERT HAGG Rating: 69.2#121 LD |  PHILIPPE MYERS Rating: 73.4#42 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 71.30#24 DL3 |
GAME NOTES AND A STAT OR TWO
- The Flyers aren’t allowing much on the PK this season. They have an 85.5% kill rate. The Canucks are pushing hard this season to get things done with the man-advantage but they may need to get it figured out at evens. Philadelphia has also only lost one game outright this season at home. It’s gonna be a tough one.
- Philadelphia fans are known for throwing batteries at opponents but it’s the Canucks who’ll have a battery of their own to throw at the Flyers. Tyler Graovac is still in the lineup and has a PPG to talk about a few games ago against Nashville. He’s been on a line with Loui Eriksson and Jake Virtanen. He’s an above-average Corsi player as he is high-danger. Yet another Utica Comet making a difference on the big club. (The pun was legendary, admit it).
- Jacob Markstrom has been in three shootouts this season with a 2-1 record. He’s gone 10/13 and has faced the fourth-most shots. Markstrom has proven once the game gets that far he’s a wall. He’s helping his team pick up bonus points that the Canucks may need come April.
- Bo Horvat is starting to gain some steam. He has 2G/2A in his last five games and seven points in his last 11 games. The Captain hasn’t been the difference-maker yet but it feels like he’s on the cusp of a big run.
- Elias Pettersson is already one point away from 30 after 24 games. He had 23 points at this point in the schedule last year and he was ripper magoo at that point. He’s been quiet but his point totals say otherwise. Pettersson only had an assist in two games played against Philadelphia last season.
#CANUCKSTWITTER
“The Push”
Quinn Hughes literally gave J.T. Miller the shot in the butt he needed to breakup a T.J. Oshie breakaway chance… pic.twitter.com/8RWJsLUfby
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) November 23, 2019
Canucks Clay tellin it like it is:
Boeser and Miller have remarkably similar stats:
-Boeser 10-13-23, 5 PPG, 10 PPP
-Miller 9-14-23, 4 PPG, 10 PPP
-Boeser 14 S%, 19:37 TOI
-Miller 15 S%, 19:53 TOI
-Both have 5 multi-point games this season, both longest pointless streak was 2 games (twice for both) https://t.co/sGDypyzQhO
— Clay Imoo (@CanuckClay) November 24, 2019
MY 94 CENTS
I stated after the Colorado game that the Canucks, in a nutshell, were going to be that kind of team: able to beat the good teams, dig down deep to come back in tight matchups, and lose the ones where they still need to learn some lessons. Philadelphia is a playoff team as of today and they’ve been running hot at home.
The Canucks have a shot if Markstrom plays as he has of late. They also need to get their 5v5 game going again. Also, Gritty is awesome.
AND ANOTHER THING…
That’s it, it’s settled. Mikey DiPietro is now known as the Grinch.
On the bus after the game.
Me to Mikey DiPietro: Ever played in a teddy bear toss game before?
MD: Yeah, I shut out three straight one season in junior. They called me The Grinch.
— Joe Roberts (@RobertsOnTheMic) November 24, 2019
