The Vancouver Canucks have visited the TD Garden just once since the Boston Bruins defeated them in seven games to win the 2011 Stanley Cup. In that game, all the way back on Jan. 7 2012 now, the teams combined for 107 minutes in penalties, and the Canucks sunk the B’s by a 4-3 final.
It’s no secret that there’s no shortage of animosity from either end. “There’s definitely some hate there,… Brad Marchand admitted after practice yesterday. The 25-year-old Marchand -- a player that recorded four goals and six points in the ‘11 Cup -- would know, recording 15 penalty minutes and skating in super-agitator mode (to a fault) in those two games against Vancouver.
And in two meetings since the Cup, the Canucks are 2-0 against Boston, outscoring them 10 to 5.
The B’s know what’s coming their way tonight.
“I think there are a lot of reasons to be ready for tonight,… Boston coach Claude Julien began. “Last time we were in their building they decisively beat us. Second of all, they’re coming off of a loss last night and they’re a proud team, they are going to come out hard tonight because of the circumstances, not just because of us. So more reasons for us to be ready to play this game.…
In their earlier meeting this season, the Canucks stayed away from the ‘rough stuff’, played their game, and absolutely dismantled the Black-and-Gold by a 6-2 final. Their version of the rough stuff was instead played by winning puck-battles along the wall, attacking a hesitant Boston defense with a pulverizing forecheck, and capitalizing on the few opening given to them by Tuukka Rask.
The 26-year-old Rask, who was yanked after surrendering four goals on 23 shots against Vancouver back on Dec. 14, will likely get the nod tonight for the B’s after leaving this morning’s skate early. Rask has just wins in his last eight games, posting an ugly .886 save percentage over that stretch, and was pulled after allowing three on 18 in his last start this past Thursday against Montreal.
With just three games left (two after tonight), a strong start tonight could be enough for Julien to decide that Rask’s unofficial first half can be closed on a strong note, giving him a rest on both Thursday and Saturday in order to give the franchise goaltender a breather before heading to Sochi for Team Finland. Struggles considered, Rask comes into tonight’s game with 15 wins, a .937 save percentage, and three shutouts in 23 contests at the Garden this season.
He’ll be opposed by the Canucks’ Roberto Luongo.
He’s a player that the 17,565 screamin’ in Boston have been waiting to see, too.
Sitting as the backup in Vancouver’s first trip back to the Hub in 2012, the 34-year-old Olympian gets the nod on Boston ice for the first time since June 13, 2011, when he failed to make it out of the first period a game after criticizing then-Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas for his aggressive style. “That’s an easy save for me,… Luongo didn’t say after any of his (bizarrely) awful showing at the Garden during the 2011 Finals. In those three games in Boston, Luongo went 0-for-3, allowing 15 goals on 66 shots (a .773 save percentage) and allowing the B’s to take a hold of the series.
That was admittedly a long time ago, and I’m sure that Bobby Lou doesn’t think about those games from almost three years ago when he takes to the ice tonight, but you can bet that the Garden crowd will do their best to give him some sensory flashbacks from the onset of tonight’s affair. Tonight will also be B’s captain Zdeno Chara’s last pre-Olympic break game with the club, as he’ll miss Thursday night in St. Louis and Saturday’s game against the Senators so that he can carry the Slovakian flag at the Opening Ceremony.
Chara asked the B’s for permission to do this, and knowing the importance of such an honor for his country, was given clearance by both general manager Peter Chiarelli and Julien.
Tonight will also be John Tortorella’s second game back behind the Vancouver bench after serving his 15-day suspension. The Canucks were shutout in his first game back (last night in Detroit), prompting the always entertaining Tortorella to tell the media that the Canucks have to completely change their identity as a hockey club if they want to compete this year and beyond.
Vancouver comes into Boston simply battered with injuries, and will have to deal with a few more tonight as both Dan Hamhuis and Chris Higgins will join Kevin Bieksa, Chris Tanev, Mike Santorelli, and Brad Richardson on a list of hobbled Canucks.
Stats of Note
- Marchand has eight goals and 14 points in his last 14 contests.
- Top-liner Milan Lucic has just four goals in his last 26 games.
- Carl Soderberg has two goals and five points in his last four contests.
- Winger Daniel Sedin has zero goals in his last 16 games. - Center Ryan Kesler has 14 goals in 29 road games this season.
Other notes and tidbits
It doesn’t look like Adam McQuaid (leg) will get in a game before the club’s Olympic break, and maybe that’s for the best. This is the third injury that’s kept McQuaid off the ice this season, and with Matt Bartkowski playing as well as he has (and same for Kevan Miller), there should be little rush to get No. 54 back into the rotation if he’s at anything less 100 percent.
Forward Jordan Caron and freshly recalled Providence defensemen David Warsofsky are expected to join McQuaid as the extra body in the press box tonight.
Raphael Diaz, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Dale Weise earlier this week, will suit up for Vancouver tonight. Diaz had 11 assists in 46 games for the Canadiens this year, and will wear No. 24 for Vancouver.