Canucks Recreation Day: Again to again with the Broadway Blueshirts

Two dwelling video games, two days. Will the Canucks have sufficient vitality left over to greatest the Rangers on dwelling ice?

Get the newest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox

Article content material

New York Rangers (5-2-0) at Vancouver Canucks (4-2-0) 

Commercial 2

Article content material

When/the place: Saturday, 7 p.m., Rogers Area

Article content material

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. 

Article content material

Commercial 3

Article content material

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?

Commercial 4

Article content material

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.

Commercial 5

Article content material

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.


(FAN FORUM: Do you might have a selected query for a participant? Move it alongside to @provincesports and we’ll get it in a future version.)

twitter.com/risingaction

[email protected]

Really helpful from Editorial

Keep updated with the newest Canucks information: Click on right here to learn extra tales from beat author Ben Kuzma or join right here to have them emailed straight to your inbox.

Article content material

Feedback

Postmedia is dedicated to sustaining a full of life however civil discussion board for dialogue and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Feedback might take as much as an hour for moderation earlier than showing on the location. We ask you to maintain your feedback related and respectful. We’ve enabled e mail notifications—you’ll now obtain an e mail for those who obtain a reply to your remark, there’s an replace to a remark thread you comply with or if a consumer you comply with feedback. Go to our Neighborhood Pointers for extra data and particulars on the best way to regulate your e mail settings.

    Commercial 1