OPENING FACE/OFF
Calgary took the opening matchup in the current four-game series but the Canucks weren’t out of it. The Elias Pettersson/Brock Boeser hook up was a flash of what we remembered from a season ago. Tonight, they face off again and every game the Canucks continue to drop, the big decision looms closer.
Will Jim Benning get the axe? Is Travis Green safe? Will Jake shotgun a brew on the bench?
Will the Canucks score more than one goal? It’s anyone’s guess, but not mine. The Canucks are due for a breakout game and it seems ripe for the picking. They say nature is healing but lately, it feels like someone keeps pouring kool-aid into the wound.
Let’s Do This!™
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS GAME?
TV: CBC / RADIO: SN 650 / PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINEUPS
No Tyler Motte and no Justin Bailey; IR mode. Olli Juolevi is back in and with the injuries up front, is Little Things Loui Eriksson coming back to the spotlight or does Jake Virtanen get one more chance to showcase his talents before the organization burns it all down?
Braden Holtby will be the next man up as Thatcher Demko didn’t get the W last game. Who knows though? We’ve seen weirder things.
CANUCKS LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 J.T. MILLER Rating: 78.5#7 LW |  ELIAS PETTERSSON Rating: 77.7#14 C |  BROCK BOESER Rating: 74.1#41 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 76.78#8 FL1 |
 TANNER PEARSON Rating: 73.7#38 LW |  BO HORVAT Rating: 74.8#34 C | FL2 Rating Rating: 74.25#13 FL2 | |
 BRANDON SUTTER Rating: 70.1#131 C |  ADAM GAUDETTE Rating: 70.2#130 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 70.76#24 FL3 | |
 ANTOINE ROUSSEL Rating: 71.0#97 LW |  JAY BEAGLE Rating: 68.4#163 C | FL4 Rating Rating: 69.70#25 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER Rating: 74.3#26 LD |  NATE SCHMIDT Rating: 75.5#18 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 74.89#15 DL1 |
 QUINN HUGHES Rating: 75.2#15 LD |  JORDIE BENN Rating: 70.9#101 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.04#17 DL2 |
 TYLER MYERS Rating: 72.6#50 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 72.56#12 DL3 |
Don’t break anything up with these Flames. It isn’t taking much to beat the Canucks right now so they’d be wise to stand pat.
Jacob Markstrom will likely get the remaining starts against the Canucks. He’s been brilliant.
FLAMES LINES COURTESY OF DAILYFACEOFF.COM:
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 MATTHEW TKACHUK Rating: 78.0#9 LW |  ELIAS LINDHOLM Rating: 76.5#19 C |  DILLON DUBE Rating: 70.3#108 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 74.95#16 FL1 |
 JOHNNY GAUDREAU Rating: 76.0#19 LW |  SEAN MONAHAN Rating: 74.4#42 C |  SAM BENNETT Rating: 69.6#127 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 73.33#19 FL2 |
 MILAN LUCIC Rating: 70.7#103 LW |  MIKAEL BACKLUND Rating: 75.5#30 C |  ANDREW MANGIAPANE Rating: 74.2#36 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 73.48#4 FL3 |
 JOAKIM NORDSTROM Rating: 67.9#150 LW |  JOSH LEIVO Rating: 71.7#85 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 68.87#31 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MARK GIORDANO Rating: 77.9#6 LD |  RASMUS ANDERSSON Rating: 73.5#36 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 75.67#10 DL1 |
 NOAH HANIFIN Rating: 73.3#49 LD |  CHRIS TANEV Rating: 71.0#90 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 72.16#24 DL2 |
DL3 Rating Rating: 72.42#13 DL3 |
GAME NOTES, INTERESTING STATS, AND #THEDEPARTURE
- It feels like Jacob Markstrom has destroyed the Canucks for what seems like forever but it’s only been three games. Marky has only allowed three goals and made 90 of 93 saves. He knows way too much about his former team and he’s proving it on every shot. Vancouver needs to take a different approach and unfortunately, they need to start getting in his kitchen. Greasy hockey works.
- He’s still holding court with the top players and Brock Boeser’s 10th goal last game keeps him one behind Connor McDavid. This is the season we’ve been waiting for and it really doesn’t matter how hard this team falls from grace; Brock is among the best now and if you have hung out at CA since forever, you knew this already
- Tyler Motte is out of the lineup for the foreseeable future and his physical presence will be missed. Motte currently leads the league in hits with 70. If the Canucks want to bump the slump they may need to bump their opponents, maybe even bruise them a bit. It looks like talent alone isn’t getting it done. This team just isn’t scary.
- Nate Schmidt has been completely disappointing so far this season and his donations to random Canadian NHL charities are a telling tale. His 22 pizzas are tied for the most in the NHL. The ugly truth is that Tyler Myers is five giveaways back from being in the same conversation. Yuck!
- Will this be it for Benning? Is #TheDeparture near? There is no way the Canucks take this to OT and a loss might just be the final nail in the coffin. It’s a shame the only reactions will be broadcast on one station.
TWITTER TOLD YOU
Things are heating up and now it’s getting silly. What does the future hold for the Canucks? Put some money down and cash in:
Just bet a family member $50 that Gillis will come back in some role. Guess I am #teamgilly now
— Arpan Parhar (@arpan_on_BC) February 13, 2021
MY 94 CENTS
I’m actually quite intrigued about the final days of the current organization. It’s like watching all the wrestling promos; no one really cares about the game just the setup to it. Will it take a colossal loss or just another consecutive one? Statistically, there are a handful of players on the Canucks that are having pretty impressive seasons but if it doesn’t say “WIN” after the game, the fire burns hotter.
It would be pretty rich if Jake is back in the lineup and he potted a pair. Just when the end is near, something so Canucks would happen again.
I just want things to be normal again. Then again, what is normal?
THE FINAL WORD
The Canucks are due, they have to be. This run can’t continue; there is enough talent on this team that it shouldn’t continue to slide. Vancouver has scored 11 goals and allowed 29 in their six-game slump. This isn’t the Canucks we know but sadly it’s the Canucks we have. They drop a close one.
