Game Preview and Gamethread #15: Canucks vs COTU

A couple days ago I posted a short article about my unhappiness over the PK system that Bruce is running. I showed at least two different issues surrounding the system.

My frustration is is two-fold. 1st off....the PK is 61.7% and last in the league. Secondly, if an idiot like me can see that the system is broken, how can an NHL coaching team not see it? And even if they said, “Westy, you’re an idiot, so why would we listen to you?”, they could go look at the 61.7%.

Today, the Canucks get sucked into the vortex that is the COTU. They face a team that has a revolving door of goalies due to injuries. They face a team that has more losses than wins, including one last night to Pittsburgh. They face a team that they beat both times last year.

All the omens!!!

Unfortunately that same team has a really good powerplay. And I hate to keep harping on it, but the Canucks do not have have a good PK. Hell, to call the Canucks PK below average seems glowing.

CANUCKS (4-7-3) at MAPLE LEAFS (7-5-3)

7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, ESPN+

Canucks projected lineup

Ilya Mikheyev — J.T. Miller — Brock Boeser

Andrei Kuzmenko — Elias Pettersson — Nils Hoglander

Vasily Podkolzin — Bo Horvat — Conor Garland

Dakota Joshua — Nils Aman — Jack Studnicka

Quinn Hughes — Tyler Myers

Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Ethan Bear

Riley Stillman — Luke Schenn

Spencer Martin

Thatcher Demko

Scratched: Jack Rathbone, Kyle Burroughs

Injured: Phillip Di Giuseppe (lower body), Travis Dermott (concussion), Tucker Poolman (undisclosed), Curtis Lazar (undisclosed)

Maple Leafs projected lineup

Alexander Kerfoot — Auston Matthews — Mitchell Marner

Nicholas Robertson — John Tavares — William Nylander

Michael Bunting — Pierre Engvall — Calle Jarnkrok

Zach Aston-Reese — David Kampf — Denis Malgin

Morgan Rielly — Timothy Liljegren

TJ Brodie — Justin Holl

Mark Giordano — Rasmus Sandin

Erik Kallgren

Keith Petruzzelli

Scratched: Wayne Simmonds, Jordie Benn

Injured: Matt Murray (adductor muscle), Jake Muzzin (neck), Ilya Samsonov (knee)

The last time I did the preview I forgot an import piece...the game day hymn. Unlike Kent, I never had the urge to thrash my head around like a bobblehead. Metal was not my cup of tea. Instead, I chose a song that speaks to me...it tells of a time where things were better. And now we are consistently reminded that this team is crappy.

I look forward to Kent hunting me down. But you know, it’s not the same on this team as it was last year.

Come on Canucks...beat these bastards.