GAME DAY PREVIEW- GAME 63: CANUCKS vs ANAHEIM

Vancouver Canucks (26-28-8) vs Anaheim Ducks (24-29-9)

Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC

When: 7:00 pm PST

Where to Watch: Sportsnet Pacific

SB Nation Opposition Blog: Anaheim Calling

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The only reason why this game is interesting is a) It’s the Canucks For Kids Telethon tonight, so if you can, please give generously and b) to see what their respective rosters look like after the smoke clears. The Ducks made a move yesterday sending D Brandon Montour to Buffalo, and there’s rumblings that Michael Del Zotto is being shopped by the Ducks.

The Canucks did nothing today apart from activating Thatcher Demko off the IR, and sending Marek Mazanec and Zack MacEwan to Utica.

The Canucks are coming off another game where they didn’t play so bad, but were let down once again by their power play. They put up an impressive amount of shots against the Islanders, who are the best in the NHL at shot supression, but couldn’t find a way to beat Robin Lehner.

He’s adorable. You should not get your hopes up though. This team does not have the horses to get them across the line.

Here’s what we should see lineup wise, minus Del Zotto, who was traded to the St Louis Blues for a 6th round pick. (via the Province)

CANUCKS LINEUP

Forwards

Nikolay Goldobin — Bo Horvat — Josh Leivo

Ryan Spooner — Elias Pettersson — Brock Boeser

Antoine Roussel — Adam Gaudette — Markus Granlund

Loui Eriksson — Jay Beagle — Tyler Motte

Defence

Ben Hutton — Troy Stecher

Ashton Sautner — Erik Gudbranson

Derrick Pouliot — Alex Biega

Goal

Jacob Markstrom — Marek Mazenec

DUCKS LINEUP

Forwards

Rickard Rakell — Derek Grant — Corey Perry

Max Jones — Adam Henrique — Troy Terry

Devin Shore — Sam Steel — Jakob Silfverberg

Nick Ritche — Ryan Kesler — Carter Rowney

Defence

Hampus Lindholm — Josh Manson

Cam Fowler — Michael Del Zotto

Jaycob Megna — Brendan Guhle*

( * Guhle acquired in trade Sunday for Brandon Montour)

Goal

Ryan Miller — Kevin Boyle

INJURIES

Canucks: Alex Edler (concussion, dat-to-day, IR), Sven Baertschi (undisclosed, IR), Thatcher Demko (knee, IR), Chris Tanev, (ankle, IR), Brandon Sutter (lower body, IR), Jake Virtanen (rib fracture, IR).

Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf (upper body, day-to-day), John Gibson (upper-body, IR), Chad Johnson (head, IR), Ondrej Kase (shoulder, IR).

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power play

Canucks: 28th (15.2%)

Ducks: 27th (15.1%)

Penalty kill

Canucks: 19th (80/1%)

Ducks: 13th (80.8%)

Mazanec and Zack MacEwan have been sent back to Utica, so looks like we should expect to see Demko get a start at some point this week. They are not sure yet if Alex Edler and Chris Tanev will be accompanying the team on their upcoming 3 game road trip that will see them visit Colorado, Arizona and Las Vegas.

And with the breaking news that Jim Benning has sent Erik Gudbranson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tanner Pearson, we should expect Luke Schenn in the lineup tonight. We should also expect Canuck Nation to get their drink on!!! We’ll dissect this trade once we come back inside from streaking.

GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN: WHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!