Life Is Pain Princess, Anyone Who Says Differently Is Selling Something: Canucks @ Avs

On the same day that the city of Denver celebrates their Super Bowl win, the Canucks slink in a side door and attempt to breathe some life into what little remains of their playoff hopes. With the 4-1 loss to Calgary on Saturday - their fourth straight loss, third straight at home and a GF/GP ratio that's trending towards Toronto Maple Leaf land - Iain MacIntyre penned this rosy assessment of the situation. Hey it's just five points they couldn't take from a bad Calgary team and an even worse Columbus team, but whatever #narratives bring in the lunch money.

With the California teams slowly locking up the top three spots in the Pacific, the wild card is all that Vancouver has left which makes tonight a six point game against one of many teams they have to chase down. Like Vancouver, Colorado is also winless since the All Star Break. Thanks to their recent skid, they're one of the rare few teams around that barely (31.9 to 31.4) allow more shots against per game than Vancouver. They also sport a top ten offense and a 19.6% powerplay that sits 11th best. They're also pissed off.

So, once again, we're left to openly ask this team whose inconsistent play has created this precarious position: will the real Vancouver Canucks please stand up?

(...please stand up....please stand up....)

Human Guinea Pig Formations

Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Jannik Hansen

Sven Baertschi - Bo Horvat - Jake Virtanen

Alexandre Burrows - Linden Vey - Emerson Etem

Radim Vrbata - Brandon Sutter - Derek Dorsett

Alexander Edler - Chris Tanev

Dan Hamhuis - Luca Sbisa

Ben Hutton - Matt Bartkowski

Jacob Markstrom

Mikhail Grigorenko - Nathan Mackinnon - Matt Duchene

Gabriel Landeskog - Carl Soderberg - Blake Comeau

Alex Tanguay - Chris Wagner - Jarome Iginla

Cody McLeod - John Mitchell - Jack Skille

Francois Beauchemin - Erik Johnson

Nick Holden - Tyson Barrie

Zach Redmond - Chris Bigras

Semyon Varlamov

Three Questions

1. If the Canucks lose but the Kid Line does well, is it really a loss?

2. If winning it for mom is really a thing, why don't they bring them everywhere?

3. Find me a more expensive 4th line in the NHL right now. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Fearless Prediction

I'd love to think the Canucks come out on top in this one. But they won't. I'm all aboard #teamtank no matter what deadlines reporters have to hit and that cliff we're about to careen off has a beautiful view to boot. Avs win 3-1.

GCG Nah. I'm in this for the Kids + Etem / Markstrom (math!) while watching Vrbata's trade value tank on the 4th. Go necessary evils go!