Canucks Recreation Day: Will Andrei Kuzmenko draw again in?

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Vancouver Canucks (14-6-1) vs. San Jose Sharks (3-15-2)

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When/the place: Saturday, 7 p.m., SAP Middle

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TV: Hockey Night time In Canada Radio: Sportsnet 650

The thrill: The final time Andrei Kuzmenko confronted the Sharks, he scored a purpose and his staff put 10 up on San Jose. Quick ahead three weeks and the query isn’t whether or not Kuzmenko will rating once more and bust his hunch, however whether or not Kuzmenko will play in any respect towards San Jose? It’s been a tough sophomore NHL season for the flashy winger. He has simply three objectives on the yr. Per week in the past, he was ripped by his coach. And now he’s been scratched.

The historical past: These Sharks are all-time dangerous. The Canucks blew them up Nov. 2. Final Monday, the Canucks made fast work of them 3-1.

The hope: The tough-love message for Kuzmenko has been tried earlier than. Bruce Boudreau scratched him a yr in the past over effort degree. That appeared to spark him, as he went on a scoring rampage when he returned to the lineup. Later within the season, head coach Rick Tocchet benched Kuzmenko twice, not lengthy after he signed his large contract extension. That did appear to re-focus Kuzmenko to shut the season. All this stated, the Canucks have had the puck within the opposition’s finish a lot whereas Kuzmenko and his centre, Elias Pettersson, have been on the ice. Is it simply dangerous luck? Or do they really want to play extra direct, as their coach is urging them to?

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Will Kuzmenko even draw again in, given how effectively the Canucks performed Friday night time in Seattle? Then once more, there’s a load administration argument to get him again within the lineup.

Tocchet was non-committal about getting Kuzmenko again into the lineup when he was requested post-game Friday.

The concern: That Kuzmenko and Pettersson — who has only one purpose in seven video games himself — don’t get unlocked. There’s suspicion Pettersson is enjoying by means of an harm, probably his groin. And the place Pettersson goes, Kuzmenko will comply with.

The highest weapons: Quinn Hughes remains to be ripping it up: he has 32 factors on the season and is on a 10-game factors streak, the longest energetic streak within the league.  J.T. Miller has 30 factors. Nils Höglander scored his seventh of the season on Friday and has factors in 5 straight. Tomáš Hertl is the one Shark with something going, and he’s solely acquired 12 factors on the season. This staff can’t rating.

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The wounded: Canucks: Pius Suter (undisclosed, IR-to-day), Carson Soucy (leg, LTIR), and Guillaume Brisebois (concussion, LTIR). Sharks: Logan Couture (decrease physique, week-to-week), Alex Barabanov (upper-body, week to week), Jan Rutta (undisclosed, week-to-week), Oskar Lindblom (decrease physique, week-to-week), Kevin Labanc (higher physique, day-to-day)

The quote: “Kuzy wants a reset. I feel he must get his recreation just a little sharper. Once you’re not scoring you’ve acquired to verify of your particulars in your individual finish. He’s considering an excessive amount of. There are some programs stuff that we have to rely on to be in these positions.” — head coach Rick Tocchet on scratching Kuzmenko on Friday.

The lineup:

Forwards

Mikheyev-Pettersson-Lafferty

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Di Giuseppe-Miller-Boeser

Joshua-Blueger-Garland

Beauvillier-Åman-Höglander

Defence

Hughes-Hronek

Cole-McWard

Friedman-Myers

Casey DeSmith is predicted to begin Saturday after Thatcher Demko began Friday.

The prediction: The Sharks aren’t going to be a lot, even enjoying the drained Canucks. Search for Vancouver to win this in a little bit of a monitor meet, 5-4.

(FAN FORUM: Do you’ve gotten a particular query for a participant? Go it alongside to @provincesports and we’ll get it in a future version.)

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