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Sam Gagner draws into the lineup as the Vancouver Canucks host the Jets |
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Monday November 19 - Vancouver Canucks vs. Winnipeg Jets - 7 p.m. - Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet 650
Vancouver Canucks: 22 GP, 10-10-2, 22 pts, third in Pacific Division
Winnipeg Jets: 18 GP, 11-5-2, 24 pts, third in Central Division
There isn't much immediate personnel relief in sight, but some injured Vancouver Canucks are at least starting to skate as the undermanned team prepares to take on the Winnipeg Jets tonight.
Here's the first note from Rogers Arena on Monday—three players on the ice ahead of the optional game-day skate, but still not ready to return to action.
Anders Nilsson has stayed out with Jacob Markstrom for the main skate, although Travis Green said Sunday that he suffered a slight setback in his recovery from his broken finger. Alex Edler is also skating with the main group, but Green said Sunday that neither Edler or Boeser is ready to play yet.
This was the snapshot that Green gave from the infirmary after practice wrapped up on Sunday:
After being recalled from the Toronto Marlies on Sunday, Sam Gagner is on the ice and will draw in for his first action of the year.
Once again, Jacob Markstrom gets the nod in net.
The Canucks' pretty-good puck luck through the early part of this season shifted when they blew their 3-1 lead in the last 2:27 of regulation in Buffalo a week ago, ultimately dropping a 4-3 decision in the shootout. Since then, they've been outscored 16-7 in their four losses and gone just 11-for-16 on the penalty kill (68.75 percent).
The power play has been a little better. It's 3-for-19 over those four games but has produced goals in the last three games. And the Canucks are drawing opportunities; Vancouver has still played more games than every other team in the league except Anaheim but while the Ducks are tied for 25th in power-play chances so far this season (60), the Canucks are just behind Nashville in second place overall (75). If they can keep that up when they're healthy, they could be dangerous.
As for the Jets, they've been rolling ever since they got home from Finland, where they split a pair of games with the Florida Panthers. Winnipeg has just finished up a four-game homestand with a 3-0-1 record, beating Colorado, New Jersey and Washington before losing in a shootout to the now-streaking Sabres (who are on a five-game winning streak of their own).
Best known for their offensive firepower, it's the defensive side of the game that has been most impressive for Winnipeg this season. They're second in the league, behind Nashville, allowing an average of just 2.44 goals per game and while they rank just ahead of Vancouver with an average of 3.06 goals per game, their power play is lethal—best in the league with a 33.3 percent success rate. Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler leads the league with 13 power-play points—all of them assists.
Backup Laurent Broissoit took the loss against Buffalo on Saturday, but Connor Hellebuyck is expected to get the start against the Canucks on Monday. The 2018 Vezina Trophy runner-up started the season a bit slow but has given up just five goals in his three starts since returning from Finland. He now has an 8-5-1 record with a .915 goals-against average and 2.72 save percentage.
The Canucks hung in with Winnipeg before dropping a 4-1 decision at the end of their first road trip of the season, back on October 18 at Bell MTS Place. Last season, Vancouver lost all three meetings by a combined score of 10-3. Their last win over Winnipeg came on December 20, 2016—when Jannik Hansen was named first star with two goals, including the game winner.
Elsewhere over the weekend, Reid Boucher scored his team-leading 10th of the year while Ashton Sautner got his first and Lukas Jasek his fifth, but the Utica Comets fell 6-3 on the road to Hartford on Saturday night. The Comets return home to roll into U.S. Thanksgiving against the Laval Rocket on Wednesday night before travelling to Rochester on Friday, then returning to Utica to take on Belleville on Saturday.
And the Canucks prospects at the University of Michigan had a good weekend in a pair of games against high-scoring Penn State. A relatively recent addition to the NCAA hockey scene, Penn State has only been icing a Division I team since the 2012-13 season, but has risen quickly and made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the last two seasons. This year, they've scored a bonkers 63 goals in 11 games to lead the entire NCAA with 5.73 goals per game. Second-place Minnesota State is at 4.50.
Michigan is ranked 11th in the country at 3.73, but went with the flow in beating Penn State 6-4 on Friday night before dropping a 7-6 overtime decision on Saturday. Quinn Hughes had one assist on Friday and three on Saturday, so he's now tied for second in team scoring with 13 points in 11 games. With four assists on Friday and his fourth goal of the year on Saturday, Will Lockwood is right behind him with 12.
Do you have World Junior fever yet? I do.
I suspect it was fuelled by the appearance (at last) of my profiles of Canada's Calen Addison and Olivier Rodrigue and Team USA's Grant Mismash and Cayden Primeau in the recent Prospects Unlimited edition of The Hockey News.
I've been waiting since August to see how the rosters for the tournament shake down. Team Canada's selection camp will convene in Victoria starting on December 11, and pre-tournament games will be played around the province starting December 18.
As usual, preliminary-round games kick off on Boxing Day.
Enjoy the game!
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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