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VANCOUVER CANUCKS (18-19-5) vs WINNIPEG JETS (17-15-7)
CANADA LIFE CENTRE, WINNIPEG, MB
7:00PM PST
TV: CBC, SPORTSNET, CITY. RADIO: SPORTSNET 650
OPPOSING BLOG: MATCHSTICKS AND GASOLINE
In any normal season, we likely would have been sick of playing the Calgary Flames by the time the end of January rolls around, but this is the 32 team NHL and now the Canucks will face off against the Flames four times over the next couple months. And given the current standings, these are massive games for both teams, but especially for the Canucks.
After putting together a fantastic performance against Winnipeg, led by JT Miller and Spencer Martin, the Canucks will have both Thatcher Demko and Jaroslav Halak, as well as Bo Horvat back in the lineup after coming out of COVID protocol. Miller’s four point night (3g 1a) was great to see, as Spencer Martin, who had played so well in his two previous outings but still had yet to seal the deal on his first NHL win, finally got the goal support he needed.
And while the Jets aren’t a terrible team, they’re not the Calgary Flames. And for a while, it looked like those Flames were going to be a serious threat in the Western Conference, but have since cooled off, and now find themselves having to fend off the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers as well as the Canucks for that final wild card slot in the West.
With a closer to normal lineup, there’s a chance the Canucks can get on a roll just in time for the All Star Break and of course they will...
LINEUPS
Canucks projected lineup
Vasily Podkolzin — J.T. Miller — Brock Boeser
Elias Pettersson — Bo Horvat— Conor Garland
Tyler Motte — Juho Lammikko — Matthew Highmore
Nils Hoglander — Jason Dickinson — Alex Chiasson
Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Tyler Myers
Scratched: Ashton Sautner, Justin Dowling, Justin Bailey, Spencer Martin
Injured: Kyle Burroughs (lower body), Guillaume Brisebois (undisclosed), Travis Hamonic (lower body), Brady Keeper (leg), Brandon Sutter (illness), Tucker Poolman (illness)
COVID-19 protocol: Tanner Pearson
Flames projected lineup
Johnny Gaudreau — Elias Lindholm — Matthew Tkachuk
Andrew Mangiapane — Mikael Backlund — Blake Coleman
Milan Lucic — Sean Monahan — Dillon Dube
Trevor Lewis — Adam Ruzicka — Brett Ritchie
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Oliver Kylington — Christopher Tanev
Nikita Zadorov — Erik Gudbranson
Scratched: Michael Stone, Brad Richardson
Injured: Tyler Pitlick (lower body)
The Flames are very healthy and have no one in protocol for the time being. The Canucks are now down to just Tanner Pearson in protocol, but have a number of injured players, the latest being Tucker Poolman, who missed the final two periods of the game Thursday after coming down with what appears to be a non-COVID related illness. Noah Juulsen is getting the call from Abbotsford and could be in the lineup tonight,
GAME DAY CHATTER
"Demko is starting tonight and Halak is backing him up. Horvat will play tonight, Poolman is still out."
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) January 29, 2022
️ Head Coach Bruce Boudreau#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/wTwfrwfQ8p
"I was able to skate with the Seattle Thunderbirds when I was there. It was great to be able to practice with those guys and somewhat be in practice situations...I feel ready to go"
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) January 29, 2022
️ Bo Horvat on his time away during COVID protocol#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/mZsBkrhhTp
Happy birthday Lammikko! #Canucks | @saveonfoods pic.twitter.com/5NwWPwgSGt
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) January 29, 2022
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Sweden’s WOLF have a new album coming out in April, but we’re gonna go back and check out their sweet cover of the BLUE OYSTER CULT classic ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ today. Crank this one, and I hope you’ve had a great Hockey Day In Canada. Go Canucks Go!
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