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Vancouver Canucks Game Day: December 13 vs. New York Rangers, AV Returns |
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Saturday December 13 - Vancouver Canucks vs. New York Rangers - 7:00 p.m. - CBC, TSN1040
Vancouver Canucks: 18-9-2 • 38 points • second in Pacific Division
New York Rangers: 12-10-4 • 28 points • fourth in Metropolitan Division
After a trip back from Montreal and three days of rest, the Vancouver Canucks will hope to show some jump when they host the New York Rangers on Saturday night at Rogers Arena.
The Canucks have maintained their spot in the Pacific Division standings during their downtime, though the Anaheim Ducks have now increased the gap to first place to seven points thanks to a six-game winning streak. Who needs Corey Perry? Or a second goaltender?
Though they've now played two more games than Vancouver, the Calgary Flames remain two points back as they've hit a bump in the road. A 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday has extended their losing streak to four games.
The Canucks got a point last weekend in Ottawa, but they also run the risk of being winless in four if they can't get back on track tonight against the Rangers.
It's great to hear that Shawn Matthias will be ready to play:
Now playing like a power forward, Matthias had four goals and six points in the five games before he was rubbed out by Stephane Robidas' elbow in Toronto last Saturday.
Now with six goals and 11 points in 27 games, Matthias is tracking nicely for a career year: his previous best was 10 goals and 24 points with the Florida Panthers in 2011-12, though his points-per-game were best in the lockout-shortened season: his 14 goals and 21 points would have projected out to 24 goals and 36 points over a full 82-game season.
Matthias' contribution has been important to the Canucks in recent weeks—as has Brad Richardson's—but both will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. As they playing themselves out of Vancouver's budget structure? Or setting themselves up to be the next recipients of the dreaded no-trade clause?
Willie Desjardins has stuck with his jumbled line combinations at today's morning skate:
Nice to see Derek Dorsett back in the mix. He missed Friday's practice due to the birth of his first child—a son.
Also nice, I think, to see that Matthias/Richardson/Vey is the one line that Willie has kept together.
The timing of the shuffle makes sense, with the team going through its first real slump of the season. Here's Willie's rationale:
As for the Rangers, they've struggled through another one of coach Alain Vigneault's patented slow starts. The situation hasn't been as dire as last season, when they opened with a long road trip due to renovations at Madison Square Garden, but New York is still less-than-stellar away from home, with a 3-5-1 record.
New York's position in the standings is hampered by the fact that the team has played a league-low 26 games so far—three less than the Canucks and five less than the busiest teams like the Ducks, Habs, Flames and Sharks. They'll need to win some of those games-in-hand if they hope to start moving up, but the points are still available to them.
The big story for the Rangers forwards this year has been the rebirth of Rick Nash. After being the media's whipping boy for scoring just three goals during last season's run to the Stanley Cup Final, Nash has bounced back with 18 goals (second in the league) and 28 points this season—on track for a career high. He could be a player to watch tonight.
The Rangers will be even more well-rested than the Canucks. Their last game was a 4-3 overtime win over Pittsburgh last Monday. Power forward and noted net-crasher Chris Kreider missed that game with a neck injury but is expected to play tonight in a fourth-line role.
Otherwise, New York is healthy. Ex-Canuck Tanner Glass recently missed four games as the first Eastern Conference player to pick up the mumps virus. He returned to action against the Penguins but will be a healthy scratch tonight against his old team in favour of Kreider.
For the Canucks, this will be new dad Derek Dorsett's first game against his old team since their run to the Stanley Cup Final last June.
Of course, we also have the second regular-season homecoming for coach Alain Vigneault—though his visit doesn't carry nearly the drama of the Torts-vs-AV storyline from last season.
In case you forgot, Vigneault's Rangers won both games against Vancouver in 2013-14: 5-2 at MSG on November 30, with Cam Talbot in net, then 3-1 here at Rogers Arena on April 1.
We'll see old foes Henrik Lundqvist and Ryan Miller facing off tonight. Enjoy the game!
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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