Two dwelling video games, two days. Will the Canucks have sufficient vitality left over to greatest the Rangers on dwelling ice?
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New York Rangers (5-2-0) at Vancouver Canucks (4-2-0)
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When/the place: Saturday, 7 p.m., Rogers Area
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TV: Hockey Night time In Canada. Radio: Sportsnet 650
The excitement: The Canucks host their second sport in two nights on Saturday towards the New York Rangers. It’s the primary back-to-back situation for Vancouver, whereas the Rangers shall be rested, having arrived in Vancouver on Friday after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Thursday. The 2 groups have comparable information however for very completely different causes: each groups have had high quality goaltending, however the Canucks have scored on 13.2 per cent of their five-on-five photographs to date, whereas the Rangers have scored on simply 6.8 per cent of their five-on-five photographs. That’s a little bit bit of fine luck within the Canucks’ favour, a little bit little bit of unhealthy luck for the Rangers.
Canucks Report
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The historical past: New York received each conferences final yr, 4-3 within the Huge Apple on Feb. 8, then 6-4 every week later again in Vancouver. These had been early days for Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, who was solely simply dialing down on his group’s defensive sport on the time. The Rangers are a robust, deep offence; Tocchet shall be stressing “staples” greater than ever on Saturday.
The hope: The Rangers are, once more, a robust playoff contender. Their coach, Peter Laviolette, simply wins video games. He has an extended historical past of success. It is a massive early measuring stick for the Canucks. They wish to, once more, present they’ll compete with one of the best.
The worry: The Canucks shall be a little bit drained for the primary time this season. Will they lose observe of their “staples,” as Tocchet calls them?
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The highest weapons: Coming into Friday’s motion, Elias Pettersson has 10 factors on the season, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser have eight apiece. Quinn Hughes seems to be like a person on a mission each evening. Thatcher Demko performed Friday towards St. Louis, so anticipate backup Casey DeSmith in purpose. For the Rangers, Artemi Panarin stays the straw that stirs the drink for the Blueshirts: he has 10 factors on the yr. Captain Chris Kreider has 5 objectives, whereas star blueliner Adam Fox has eight factors.
The wounded: Canucks: Teddy Blueger (ankle) and Guillaume Brisebois (concussion, LTIR). Rangers: none.
The quote: “He’s extra concerned down low, breaking apart performs. There’s been a variety of performs the place he’s damaged up (the opposite group): my purpose final sport. Good battle from him to get on that ‘D’.” — Phil Di Giuseppe laying out what Brock Boeser has been doing effectively to date this season, a mirrored image of the group’s total high-energy ethos.
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The lineup:
• Mikheyev-Pettersson-Kuzmenko
• Di Giuseppe-Miller-Boeser
• Joshua-Suter-Garland
• Beauvillier-Lafferty-Höglander
• Hughes-Hronek
• Cole-Friedman
• Soucy-Myers
The prediction: The Canucks are brimming with confidence however these Rangers aren’t any joke. Search for the Rangers to take an in depth one, 3-2.
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