Saturday January 10 - Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames - 7:00 p.m. - CBC, TSN1040
Vancouver Canucks: 23-13-3, 49 points, second in Pacific Division Calgary Flames: 21-18-3, 45 points, fifth in Pacific Division
Last time the Canucks and Flames met three weeks ago, both teams were mired in losing streaks. The Canucks came out on top thanks to an overtime goal from Chris Tanev, and have gone 4-2-1 in the seven games since. After picking up the single point, Calgary went on to win four straight, then lost three in a row.
One thing both teams have in common: their last game was a loss to the Florida Panthers. The Canucks lost the Luongo show 3-1 on Thursday, then the Flames dropped a wild 6-5 decision last night at the Saddledome.
Jonas Hiller has appeared in the last nine games for the Flames, but he was definitely sub-par against Florida on Friday. Regular Flames backup Karri Ramo was injured against Detroit on Wednesday, so AHL All-Star Joni Ortio could get the start. Assuming he'll be able to see:
@YLWNucksFan I think Ortio would have come in tonight, but his contact lenses got lost in travel. He was squinting on the bench tonight.
— Trevor Martins (@Tmart1040) January 10, 2015Ortio was a sixth-round pick by Calgary back in 2009, which offers an excellent segue into my look at where Calgary has picked the players currently in their lineup. As usual, from HockeyDB.com:
Sean Monahan - 6th overall 2013 Sven Baertschi - 13th overall 2011 Markus Granlund - 45th overall 2011 Johnny Gaudreau - 104th overall 2011 Joni Ortio - 171st overall 2009 Lance Bouma - 78th overall 2008 T.J. Brodie - 114th overall 2008 Mikael Backlund - 24th overall 2007
At the moment, Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund are the only first-rounders on the Flames roster—Baertschi's back in the minors yet again.
Calgary hasn't been able to load up on top picks, but has made some solid choices later in the draft. Johnny Gaudreau and T.J. Brodie have both been standouts for the Flames this year, while Lance Bouma has evolved into a reliable bottom-six forward.
As for the Canucks, they're 2-2 on their current homestand, so its ultimate success rests directly on the outcome of tonight's game.
Chris Higgins missed practice on Friday after sitting out Thursday's game with illness, but he's back on the ice for Saturday's optional skate:
Skaters at Nux optional: Higgins, Matthias, Sbisa, Horvat, Corrado, Hamhuis, Vey. No Miller or Lack. Trainer Dave Zarn in nets. #Canucks
— Elliott Pap (@ElliottPap) January 10, 2015There has been a fair amount of buzz this week that defenseman Frank Corrado might actually get some ice time during his latest recall to the big club. Willie wouldn't confirm or deny, but it's something to watch for after the put his D pairings in the blender during Thursday's game against Florida.
Willie confirms Higgins will return. Unsure yet if Corrado will make his season debut tonight. #Canucks
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 10, 2015Ryan Miller's expected to get the start in net.
Comets' Andrey Pedan Involved in Scary Fight Incident
In case you missed it, Utica Comets forward Andrey Pedan knocked out Montreal Canadiens prospect Jarred Tinordi in a scary-looking staged fight on Friday as the Comets dropped a 3-0 road decision to the Hamilton Bulldogs.
I won't post the video here, but it's embedded in this update on Tinordi's condition. He was knocked unconscious and his head hit the ice, hard, but first reports are that his condition's not as bad as was originally feared.
Originally a third-round pick of the New York Islanders, the Canucks acquired the 6'4" Lithuanian defenseman Pedan back in late November in exchange for Alexandre Mallet and a third-round pick. In 15 games since joining the Comets, Pedan has four assists and 29 penalty minutes.
In today's hockey world, it's strange to even see a staged fight. This one is a harsh reminder of why we're seeing this element gradually being eliminated from the game.
Here's hoping Tinordi's OK.
Mid-Season Town Hall
If you have 15 minutes (and a better WiFi connection that I'm experiencing right now), you might want to check in on Trevor Linden and Jim Benning as they meet with season ticket holders for their mid-season town hall. Though the team has performed well in the first half, I'm sure the customers still have plenty of questions and comments to share.