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VANCOUVER CANUCKS (16-17-3) vs WINNIPEG JETS (19-11-2)
ROGERS ARENA- VANCOUVER, BC
7:30PM PST
TV: SPORTSNET PACIFIC, TSN3. RADIO: SPORTSNET 650
OPPOSING BLOG: ARCTIC ICE HOCKEY
Talk about crashing back to reality, the Vancouver Canucks got a serious jolt on Monday night as they got schooled by the Winnipeg Jets, and lost Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter in the process. There was a chance they would be heading into tonight’s game with none of their top 4 center ice men in the lineup.
Next man up. Coach Green updates the status of Horvat, Sutter and Beagle and talks about juggling the lineup in order to prepare for all injury scenarios. pic.twitter.com/NLyZx6gHLs
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) March 23, 2021
Thankfully, the hockey gods appear to have taken their feet off our collective throats.
Travis Green on Horvat and Sutter taking part in morning skate: It’s a good sign. We’ll see if they’re ready to go or not tonight. #Canucks @Sportsnet650
— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) March 24, 2021
Now, this could all go full nightmare scenario if neither are good enough to go, but it really hammers home how bad the situation is to see them in the lineup if they’re not healthy. It’s just another episode of the Canucks Get Injured Way Too Much, but that’s something we don’t have time to get into here, because it’s been going on for years and it’s exhausting.
Remember that biggest game of the year on Saturday? Well, this one is pretty huge. A loss, combined with a Calgary win over Ottawa will see the Canucks drop into 6th place. And there’s literally no bright side without a regulation win. Even an Ottawa win sees them move to within 8 points of the Canucks, and let me assure you if the Canucks get lapped by the Senators, heads will roll. It defies logic, even Canucks logic that anyone should keep their job if this happens.
LINEUPS
Courtesy of nhl.com, this is a guess as to what’s gonna happen tonight:
Jets projected lineup
Paul Stastny — Mark Scheifele — Blake Wheeler
Kyle Connor — Pierre-Luc Dubois — Nikolaj Ehlers
Andrew Copp — Adam Lowry — Mason Appleton
Mathieu Perreault — Nate Thompson — Trevor Lewis
Josh Morrissey — Tucker Poolman
Derek Forbort — Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley — Dylan DeMelo
Connor Hellebuyck
Laurent Brossoit
Scratched: Sami Niku, Jansen Harkins
Injured: Nathan Beaulieu (upper body)
Canucks projected lineup
Nils Hoglander — Bo Horvat — Brock Boeser
Jimmy Vesey — J.T. Miller — Jake Virtanen
Tyler Motte — Adam Gaudette — Jayce Hawryluk
Antoine Roussel — Brandon Sutter — Zack MacEwen
Alexander Edler — Nate Schmidt
Quinn Hughes — Travis Hamonic
Jordie Benn — Tyler Myers
Thatcher Demko
Braden Holtby
Scratched: Jalen Chatfield, Tyler Graovac
Injured: Elias Pettersson (upper body), Jay Beagle (undisclosed), Tanner Pearson (lower body), Justin Bailey (upper body), Micheal Ferland (head)
COVID-19 protocol: Travis Boyd
So, let’s say Horvat and Sutter can’t go. That’s going to mean Graovac and Marc Michealis (who is not a center) will have to fill in. It’s less than ideal, and if things weren’t such a goddamn mess, they wouldn’t have to consider rushing guys back to play ahead of a 6 day break.
GAME DAY CHATTER
"It's a good sign. We'll see if they're ready to go for tonight." Coach Green comments on Horvat and Sutter taking part in morning skate.#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/nisilI1LT7
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) March 24, 2021
Nate Schmidt talks about the Tim Peel situation, COVID affecting the North Division and his experience with the trade deadline ahead of tonight's game against Winnipeg.#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/58lb3jjixU
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) March 24, 2021
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
As I was driving home from the grocery store today, this song came on, and it hits as hard as it did when it came out 35 years ago. Off their debut album ‘Life Of Dreams’, this is ‘Trapped’ by CRUMBSUCKERS. Enjoy the game, Go Canucks Go!