/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70806942/1359007342.0.jpg)
VANCOUVER CANUCKS (39-30-11) vs LOS ANGELES KINGS (44-27-10)
ROGERS ARENA, VANCOUVER, BC
7:00PM PST
TV: SPORTSNET PACIFIC. RADIO: SPORTSNET 650
OPPOSING BLOG: JEWELS FROM THE CROWN
It was a valiant effort to be sure, but the combination of a brutal two months to start the season, a myriad of injuries and COVID infections saw the Vancouver Canucks dig a hole they weren’t able to get out of this season. Still, it was pretty great to have meaningful hockey games at all this season after the way they started, let alone all the way to game 80 on the schedule. And while there’s going to be plenty of time to dissect what went wrong, tonight should be about showing some love to this team.
For the first time in a long time it actually feels like things could get better, though they definitely have their work cut out for them in trying to put together a team for next season and beyond that is able to get over the hump. They’ll also need to use their budget a lot more wisely than the previous regime, whose constant missteps and overpayments predictably, and most of the time comically, came back to bite them on the ass.
It’s a shame they aren’t still in the hunt, because this game would have been absolutely insane, knowing that both teams were battling for their playoff lives. Alas, it’s not, and I suppose we can take solace in the fact that their opponent tonight will either get their asses handed to them by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, or pull off the upset. There’s not a bad result with this one, honestly.
LINEUPS
Courtesy of nhl.com, tonight’s disasterpiece will probably look like this:
Kings projected lineup
Andreas Athanasiou — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe
Alex Iafallo — Blake Lizotte — Gabriel Vilardi
Carl Grundstrom — Quinton Byfield — Arthur Kaliyev
Brendan Lemieux — Rasmus Kupari — Lias Andersson
Tobias Bjornfot — Troy Stecher
Jacob Moverare — Austin Strand
Scratched: Alexander Edler, Olli Maatta, Trevor Moore, Phillip Danault, Dustin Brown, Sean Durzi, Jordan Spence, Viktor Arvidsson
Injured: None
Canucks projected lineup
Conor Garland — J.T. Miller — Alex Chiasson
Vasily Podkolzin — Elias Pettersson — Brock Boeser
Jason Dickinson — Brad Richardson — Matthew Highmore
Sheldon Dries — Juho Lammikko — Nic Petan
Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Tyler Myers
Scratched: Kyle Burroughs
Injured: William Lockwood (upper body), Thatcher Demko (undisclosed), Jaroslav Halak (upper body), Bo Horvat (lower body), Tanner Pearson (upper body), Tucker Poolman (upper body), Nils Hoglander (lower body)
The Kings are quite obviously resting players, including Alex Edler (BOO! You bastards!), as they get ready for the start of the playoffs next week. The Canucks added another name to their substantial injury list as Will Lockwood will not be in the lineup tonight.
GAME DAY CHATTER
"We want to catch Vegas (in points). There is always goals. We want 40 wins."
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) April 28, 2022
️ Bruce Boudreau on the final two games of the season#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/bNvatfXJoB
Love this man. Seriously, I would love the hell out of seeing them end the year by passing Vegas in the standings.
Vasily Podkolzin meets with the media for the first time since training camp discussing his season, the transition to the NHL, teammates and living in Vancouver.#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/67JKeFjHhy
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) April 28, 2022
Again tomorrow ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/zkV1FwSQGs
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) April 27, 2022
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Some high speed Finnish thrash metal tonight, as we offer up this track from LOST SOCIETY. Off their 2014 album ‘Terror Hungry’, this is ‘Game Over’.
Enjoy the game, folks! Go Canucks Go! Slava Ukraini!
Loading comments...