A blizzard saved the Canucks from getting out of Buffalo. A win in a Monday at Columbus would cap a terrific street journey with a 6-1-0 report.
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Vancouver Canucks (29-11-3) at Columbus Blue Jackets (13-21-9)
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When/the place: Monday, 10 a.m., Nationwide Enviornment
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TV: SN Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650
The thrill: Buffalo is legendary for its award-winning rooster wings and unpredictable winter climate. The Canucks discovered the arduous means Sunday that there’s no straightforward means out of a mammoth blizzard that began to blanket the world Saturday and was nonetheless howling the subsequent day.
A journey ban pressured the Canucks to enter a holding sample as they thought of choices to get to Columbus through a direct, or perhaps a round route, to play a Monday matinee at 1 p.m. ET. It meant even contemplating going by bus to Pearson Airport close to Toronto after which jetting to Ohio, or having the sport postponed till finish of the season, if the ban remained in impact all through Sunday.
Canucks Report
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They went for the bus possibility.
As for the sport, Rick Tocchet may play both goaltender Monday and anticipate a superb efficiency. All-Star Weekend sure Thatcher Demko is coming off a 26-save shutout efficiency Saturday in a 1-0 win over the Sabres.
The stellar Canucks starter is 22-8-1, and of stoppers who’ve performed 30 video games this season, solely Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets has a greater save share at .924. Demko is at .919.
Canucks backup Casey DeSmith is 7-3-2 with a 2.53 goals-against common.
The historical past: First assembly of the season. In 2022-23, the Canucks went 1-1-0 towards the Blue Jackets. They misplaced 4-3 in additional time on Oct. 18 at Rogers Enviornment and received 5-2 in Columbus on Jan. 27. At dwelling, Vladislav Gavrikov scored at 3:21 of additional time because the Blue Jackets rallied for his or her first win of the season. Bo Horvat scored twice for the Canucks, who dropped to 0-3-1 to start out the season.
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In Columbus, Elias Pettersson scored twice and Horvat had 4 assists with Tocchet on the teaching helm for his third sport after changing the fired Bruce Boudreau.
The hope: Bettering penalty kill makes a distinction. The Canucks killed all three Sabre power-plays Saturday in a 1-0 win at Buffalo and are on a roll with 4 excellent kill nights of their final six outings. The pairings of Teddy Blueger-Dakota Joshua, Nils Aman-Pius Suter and J.T. Miller-Pettersson have shaped formidable pairings.
The worry: Afternoon video games usually throw thoughts and physique out of sync. Gamers are creatures of preparation behavior and simply attempting to get to Columbus from snow-laden Buffalo ensured they’ll in all probability begin sluggish Monday.
The highest weapons: The Canucks proceed to make an impression within the NHL scoring race. Miller was fifth with 58 factors (19-39) coming into league play Sunday. Pettersson was sixth with 57 factors (22-35) and Quinn Hughes eleventh with 51 factors (11-40), which leads all blueliners.
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The wounded: Canucks: Guillaume Brisebois (concussion, LTIR). Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski (ankle, IR), Patrik Laine (fractured clavicle, IR), Boone Jenner (fractured jaw, IR), Nick Blankenburg (higher physique, IR).
The quote: “A mucky sort of sport — which is type of good. I really like when we now have these kinds of video games and also you see the resolve.” — Rick Tocchet following Saturday win in Buffalo.
The lineup:
Pettersson-Miller-Boeser
Mikheyhev-Suter-Kuzmenko
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Hoglander-Aman-Lafferty
Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Myers
Zadorov-Cole
The prediction: The Lotto Line has one thing to say and the Canucks enhance to 27-0-0 when main after two durations in a 5-2 triumph to finish superlative journey 6-1-0.
(FAN FORUM: Do you could have a particular query for a participant? Go it alongside to @provincesports and we’ll get it in a future version.)
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