Vancouver Canucks vs Minnesota Wild: Preview, Lineups
The Vancouver Canucks will try to make it two in a row when they host a former division rival Tuesday night.
An old rivalry will be renewed when the Vancouver Canucks host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday in a battle between two former Northwest Division clubs. The Wild are comfortably in playoff position while the Canucks look to get out of the Western Conference basement.
Minnesota has owned Vancouver, taking six out of the last nine meetings. Can the Canucks find a way to buck the trend?
They’ll need to solve the NHL’s best defensive unit that has allowed just 42 goals all season.
Minnesota Wild
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 11-7-3
Away Record: 4-4-3
2015-16 Record vs. (Canucks): 2-1
Goals For: 58
Goals Against: 42
Power Play: 19% (13th)
Penalty Kill: 85.2% (8th)
Leading scorers: Eric Staal (21 GP - 5 G - 11 A - 16 PTS), Charlie Coyle ( 21 GP – 8 G -7 A - 15 PTS), Mikael Granlund (21 GP – 5 G – 9 A -14 PTS)
Injuries: Christian Folin (knee, mid-late December), Zac Dalpe (knee, week-to-week)
WHO’S ON OFFENCE:
Eric Staal: Remember him? The former Carolina icon has found new life in The State of Hockey, leading the team in points.
Charlie Coyle: Here’s the breakout season the Wild have waited for. Coyle could become a 30-goal scorer — that’s a rarity in Minnesota.
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Ryan Suter: He’s overlooked too much, but Suter plays like a Norris Trophy winner each night.
WHO’S IN NET:
Devan Dubnyk: If not for Carey Price and if he had more goal support, Dubnyk would be leading the Vezina Trophy race right now.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Zach Parise –Eric Staal — Charlie Coyle
Jason Zucker — Mikko Koivu — Mikael Granlund
Nino Niederreiter — Erik Haula — Jason Pominville
Tyler Graovac — Zack Mitchell –Chris Stewart
Ryan Sutter — Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin — Matt Dumba
Marco Scandella — Nate Prosser
G Devan Dubnyk
G Darcy Kuemper
Vancouver Canucks
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 9-11-2
Home Record: 6-4-1
2015-16 Record vs. Wild: 1-2
Goals For: 49
Goals Against: 66
Power Play: 12.5% (26th)
Penalty Kill: 85.2% (7th)
Leading Scorers: Bo Horvat (22 GP - 7 G – 8 A -15 PTS), Daniel Sedin ( 22 GP -6 G -7 A -13 PTS), Henrik Sedin (22 GP – 5 G – 7 A -12 PTS)
Injuries: Alex Edler (hand, day-to-day,) Sven Baertschi (foot, day-to-day)
More from The Canuck Way
WHO’S ON OFFENCE:
Bo Horvat: He’s emerging slowly as this franchise’s top player. At this pace, the Canucks leading scorer will earn an extension soon.
Daniel Sedin: You’ve seen him here many times. He keeps on scoring and you know he’s tough to play against.
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Chris Tanev: He remains this team’s top defensive player. Only he can truly shut down Minny’s top scorers.
WHO’S IN NET:
Ryan Miller: It’s been an up-and-down year for Miller. More goal support would help for sure.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Daniel Sedin — Henrik Sedin — Brandon Sutter
Markus Granlund — Michael Chaput — Loui Eriksson
Sven Baertschi — Bo Horvat — Alexandre Burrows
Jack Skille/Joseph LaBate — Brendan Gaunce — Jayson Megna
Alex Edler — Troy Stecher
Ben Hutton — Erik Gudbranson
Luca Sbisa — Nikita Tryamkin
Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom
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