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Canucks Army THE PLAY-IN GAME DAY: Canucks Vs. Wild G2

Photo credit: © Bob Frid | 2020

By Always90four

Aug 4, 2020, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 4, 2020, 01:04 EDT

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THE INTRO

Yeesh, last game was fun, hey?

There was a lot to digest after that first game and at the same time, not a whole lot. Quinn Hughes was in mid-season form, Chris Tanev was one of the main reasons the game wasn’t 5-0 or worse, and a few puck bounces the other way and we might be talking about an epic OT win.

We’re not.

Vancouver’s PK was atrocious and thankfully Rogers Place turned out the lights for the Canucks so Vancouver didn’t have to do it all on their own.

The Canucks are still very much in this series but they’ll need some goals, even just one to start.

A loss tonight and the Canucks are pretty much out of this series. They’ll need to be much, much better this evening.

Let’s Do This!™

TV / RADIO / PUCK DROP

SN / SN 650 / 7:45 PM

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

The odds for tonight’s game are: VAN -105/ MIN -115 courtesy of OddsShark.com

LINEUPS

There was no practice on Monday so we might have to wait until just before puck drop to see if Travis Green puts Loui Eriksson and/or Jake Virtanen/Zack MacEwen in the lineup. There are some changes that should happen but hey, we’re not the coach, are we?

Jacob Markstrom should start again. It wasn’t entirely on him — well the two many men penalty was kind of on him — but that’s about it.

CANUCKS lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.7#38 LW	BO HORVAT Rating: 74.8#34 C	BROCK BOESER Rating: 74.1#41 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 74.20#25 FL1
J.T. MILLER Rating: 78.5#7 LW	ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.7#14 C	TYLER TOFFOLI Rating: 75.9#25 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 77.38#1 FL2
ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.0#97 LW	ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.2#130 C	MICHEAL FERLAND Rating: 71.7#83 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 70.96#22 FL3
TYLER MOTTE Rating: 68.8#144 LW	JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.4#163 C	BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 70.1#131 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.09#30 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#26 LD	TYLER MYERS Rating: 72.6#50 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 73.43#22 DL1
QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.2#15 LD	CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.0#90 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 73.12#16 DL2
OSCAR FANTENBERG Rating: 70.9#100 LD	TROY STECHER Rating: 71.9#63 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 71.42#20 DL3

I can’t imagine Dean Evason is going to make any changes to his lineup. I don’t remember there being an 18-goal winger sitting in the press box on Sunday. For HIS team, anyway.

When you win, you stay in. Alex Stalock should be in net again to start Game 2.

WILD lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:

LW	C	RW	Forwards
JORDAN GREENWAY Rating: 71.2#94 LW	ERIC STAAL Rating: 74.2#45 C	KEVIN FIALA Rating: 78.3#8 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 74.58#24 FL1
ZACH PARISE Rating: 76.3#17 LW	JOEL ERIKSSON EK Rating: 71.6#100 C	LUKE KUNIN Rating: 72.5#70 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 73.45#17 FL2
MARCUS FOLIGNO Rating: 71.7#80 LW	ALEX GALCHENYUK Rating: 70.8#115 C	MATS ZUCCARELLO Rating: 71.8#84 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 71.44#17 FL3
RYAN DONATO Rating: 72.1#73 LW	MIKKO KOIVU Rating: 71.8#93 C	RYAN HARTMAN Rating: 71.2#96 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 71.68#3 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
RYAN SUTER Rating: 76.3#7 LD	JARED SPURGEON Rating: 76.1#16 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 76.21#5 DL1
JONAS BRODIN Rating: 73.7#41 LD	MATHEW DUMBA Rating: 74.5#27 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 74.07#7 DL2
CARSON SOUCY Rating: 71.8#79 LD	BRAD HUNT Rating: 72.1#71 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 71.97#14 DL3

GAME NOTES AND A FEW OTHER INTERESTING THINGS

You know that episode of Full House when Danny Tanner goes full-on meticulous house cleaner on Michelle and he gets a donkey and goes to the mountain? Well, Jake Virtanen probably feels a lot like Danny Tanner. See for yourself:

Norman…err… Jake just needs someone to listen to. Hopefully, we see his return tonight and a PLAYOFF #ShotgunJake.
Seven players on the Canucks had a Corsi of 50 or above last game and only Alex Edler and Tylers Myers were the defencemen below that bar. First off, Myers needs to be more efficient with his passes. There were two that almost led to a goal in his own zone solely due to carelessness. Bringing up contracts isn’t always fair but the sheets Myers signed were supposed to be in exchange for smart, effective play.
Three defencemen for Vancouver were noticeable last game and could easily see an uptick for Game 2. Troy Stecher played like a bulldog, no, not like Alex Biega. Quinn Hughes was all kinds of wizard-like, and Chris Tanev reminded us all that failing to sign him this offseason could be a big mistake. Troy Stecher led all Canucks defenders in a handful of categories last game, namely HDCF% 66.67 (no other Canuck had more than 50), he also didn’t start a single shift in the offensive zone, Stecher also was the top Canucks defender with a 57.14 CF%, and his SF% led the team with 61.54%. It was one game but Troy Stecher showed more than 2/3 of the Canucks last game. Imagine getting rid of him?
Despite the PK failing him, Jacob Markstrom finished Game 1 with a .933 SV%. He has played two straight games now where the Canucks haven’t given almost any goal support. As good as he’s been, he needs some help. It wouldn’t be the worst idea if he played the puck like 30% less as well.
If anyone needs to be pulled for a game, Antoine Roussel might be a safe bet. He’s T-4 in PIM with 10, sure it was a game misconduct at the end of the game but he wasn’t a threat. Tanner Pearson also had a terrible game taking two penalties, one of which resulted in the 2-0 lead for Minnesota. Everyone needs to be better but the guys that are relied upon for offence and grit can’t be handcuffing the team instead.
Elias Pettersson needs a stick that doesn’t break.

THE TWITTER TAKE

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