GAME DAY PREVIEW: Canucks vs Columbus

Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC

When: 1:00 PM PST

Where to watch: SN 360, FS-O

Where to listen: Sportsnet650

Opposition Blog: The Cannon

Another win for the Canucks last night as they continue to see their lottery chances dwindle away. It’s a very frustrating time for Canucks fans, knowing that a top pick is crucial to this team being able to build itself out the hole they’re in now, and getting bashed for expressing frustration that they seem to be running into teams that are taking nights off against the Canucks. We saw it in the Chicago game (did you see how well they played against the freakin’ Jets last night?) and we saw it again with the Oilers. I mean, give a lot of credit to Troy Stecher and Alex Edler for doing a heck of a job on the Oilers top line, but after Conor McDavid’s ridiculous goal to open the scoring, how many times was he a serious threat to blow the game open like he has for the last two months? And Cam Talbot’s play on the winning goal by Derrick Pouliot was embarrassing. Not saying anything here, just saying...

Frustrations aside, there were some positives. Pouliot is a nice story, becoming the first player in NHL history to record GWG’s in his first 5 goals. Jacob Markstrom’s play over the last few weeks has been downright encouraging, as he really seems to be correcting a lot of the issues that plagued him throughout the season. And Stecher was a beast last night, recording almost 27 minutes TOI. Today’s game however is a much different beast, as our old pal Torts has his Columbus Blue Jackets rolling as they head into the post-season.

After losing back to back games against LA and Anaheim at the start of the month, the Blue Jackets have lost just once in their last 12, and outscored their opposition 12-4 in their last two contests in Alberta. At the deadline, it looked very much like the Jackets would struggle for a Wild Card spot, but the addition of Thomas Vanek, Ian Cole and Mark Letestu gave them depth in needed areas. Vanek has been playing tremendously well for Columbus since Jim Benning dealt him for Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen.

GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN

Izegrim hail from the Netherlands, and are a death-tinged thrash act led by Marloes Voskuil, who handles vocals and bass, and is a formidable screamer on par with any of the genre’s upper tier. They released a new EP last week, but this one is off their 2016 album ‘The Ferryman’s End’ on Listenable Records.