Vancouver Canucks at Philadelphia Flyers: Preview, Lineups
Tuesday’s game was perhaps the most disappointing loss of the Vancouver Canucks’ season, and have to get back on track when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers
After a six-game win streak, the Vancouver Canucks have lost the last two contests by the slimmest of margins. Tuesday’s loss to the Nashville Predators stung, because teams with a powerplay in overtime don’t usually allow a two-on-none in the final seconds to lose a valuable extra point.
You kids may not know this, but the Flyers kind of love hosting the Canucks, historically-speaking. According to mcubed.net, Philadelphia is 40-20-1 all-time at home against Vancouver. In the 2010s, owever, the Canucks are 3-2 in the City of Brotherly Love.
But this meeting seems to have more significance than most others over the years. Vancouver is tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, while Philadelphia is just three points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes for the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed.
VancouverCanucks
PhiladelphiaFlyers
Vancouver Canucks
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 20-19-4
Away Record: 5-13-2
2015-16 Record vs. Flyers: 1-1-0
Goals For: 106
Goals Against: 123
Power Play: 13.7% (27th)
Penalty Kill: 80.7% (20th)
Leading Scorers: Bo Horvat (43 GP – 13 G -16 A – 29 PTS), Henrik Sedin (43 GP - 9 G – 17 A – 26 PTS), Sven Baertschi (40 GP – 11 G -13 A - 24 PTS)
Injuries: Ben Hutton (upper body, day-to-day), Chris Tanev (knee, day-to-day), Jannik Hansen (knee, day-to-day), Erik Gudbranson (wrist, indefinite), Derek Dorsett (neck, out for season), Philip Larsen (upper body, day-to-day)
WHO’S ON OFFENCE:
Bo Horvat: In case you missed it, Horvat is the team’s best player now. Tuesday’s loss to Nashville snapped his seven-game point streak, but he’ll have every opportunity to start another one in Philly.
Sven Baertschi: Don’t look now, but it appears as though neither Sedin twin will be a top-two Canucks scorer before long. Baertschi has three goals and one assist in his last five games.
More from The Canuck Way
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Alexander Edler. The Canucks are banged up badly on the blue line, with Erik Gudbranson and Ben Hutton out while Chris Tanev fights through a knee injury. Edler has one assist in each of the last three games and will be relied heavily upon until the blue line gets healthy.
WHO’S IN NET:
Ryan Miller: Tough to blame Tuesday’s loss on Miller. He remains 5-0-1 in his last six starts, allowing just nine goals while posting one shutout.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin — Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi – Bo Horvat — Alexander Burrows
Markus Granlund – Brandon Sutter — Jayson Megna
Brendan Gaunce – Michael Chaput — Jack Skille
Alexander Edler -– Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa -– Chris Tanev
Nikita Tryamkin -– Alex Biega
Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom
Philadelphia Flyers
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 21-16-6
Home Record: 13-6-3
2015-16 Record vs. Canucks: 1-1-0
Goals For: 124
Goals Against: 133
Power Play: 21.9% (9th)
Penalty Kill: 81.1% (18th)
Leading Scorers: Jakub Voracek (43 GP - 13 G – 26 A - 39 PTS), Claude Giroux (43 GP – 10 G – 25 A – 35 PTS), Wayne Simmonds (43 GP - 17 G – 15 A – 32 PTS)
Injuries: Mark Streit (shoulder, day-to-day)
WHO’S ON OFFENCE:
Jakub Voracek: Some forget he nearly won the scoring title two seasons ago. Voracek is rolling with two goals and a pair of assists in just five games this month.
Claude Giroux: He also has four points in his last five games – all assists. Giroux is much more dangerous at home, as 20 of his 35 points have come at the Wells Fargo Center this season.
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Ivan Provorov: He’s tied for the team lead in scoring among defencemen with three goals and 19 points. Provorov is on a three-game point streak as well with a trio of assists.
WHO’S IN NET:
Steve Mason: His 14-14-6 record doesn’t sound great, but what if we told you Mason is 10-5-3 at home this season? The Canucks struggling offence has its work cut out for them.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Michael Raffl – Claude Giroux — Travis Konecny
Matt Reid– Sean Couturier — Jakub Voracek
Dale Weise — Brayden Schenn — Wayne Simmonds
Chris VandeVelde – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — Roman Lyubimov
Ivan Provorov – Andrew MacDonald
Michael Del Zotto – Radko Gudas
Brandon Manning – Shayne Gostisbehere
Steve Mason
Michal Neuvirth
