Vancouver Canucks vs. Arizona Coyotes: Preview, Lineups
The Vancouver Canucks will try to reach their first five-game winning streak since the John Tortorella Days, when they pulled off such a feat on Dec. 9, 2013
Well, maybe 2017 won’t be as bad as the Vancouver Canucks thought.
Suddenly, this team has won four in a row and trails the Los Angeles Kings by just one point for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. We’ll find out if it’s a mirage of a win streak, or if they’re seriously turning it around.
VancouverCanucks
ArizonaCoyotes
Vancouver Canucks
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 18-18-3
Home Record: 13-6-2
2015-16 Record vs. Coyotes: 4-1-0
Goals For: 97
Goals Against: 116
Power Play: 14.2% (26th)
Penalty Kill: 80% (T-21st)
Leading Scorers: Henrik Sedin (39 GP - 9 G – 17 A – 26 PTS), Bo Horvat (38 GP – 11 G -15 A – 26 PTS), Daniel Sedin (39 GP – 10 G -13 A - 23 PTS)
Injuries: 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: He continues to enjoy a breakout season, and leads the Canucks in goals with 11. Horvat is a riding a four-game point streak and has points in eight out of his last 10 outings.
Sven Baertschi: He has five points in his last four games, and is up to 10 goals on the season. Baertschi’s career-high of 15 (set last season), should easily be surpassed this season. What a pick up by general manager Jim Benning.
More from The Canuck Way
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Ben Hutton: Hutton is on a nice little role, with three assists during the Canucks four-game win streak. After posting a minus-12 rating in December, he brought it way down to minus-three. Looks like the kid is slowly finding his game in the defensive zone.
WHO’S IN NET:
Ryan Miller: The Canucks are starting to see 2014-15 Miller, at least for a short period. He’s won his last three starts, and nine of his last 14 overall.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin — Jayson Megna
Loui Eriksson – Brandon Sutter — Markus Granlund
Sven Baertschi – Bo Horvat — Alexandre Burrows
Brendan Gaunce – Michael Chaput — Jack Skille
Alexander Edler – Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa – Chris Tanev
Ben Hutton – Nikita Tryamkin
Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom
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Arizona Coyotes
OVERVIEW:
2016-17 Record: 11-21-5
Away Record: 5-11-3
2015-16 Record vs. Canucks: 1-3-1
Goals For: 82
Goals Against: 121
Power Play: 14.3% (25th)
Penalty Kill: 74.6% (29th)
Leading Scorers: Radim Vrbata (37 GP - 9 G -15 A – 24 PTS), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (37 GP - 7 G - 12 A -19 PTS), Max Domi (26 GP – 5 G – 11 A -16 PTS)
Injuries: Ryan White (lower body, day-to-day), Max Domi (hand, indefinitely), Brad Richardson (leg, indefinitely)
WHO’S ON OFFENCE:
Radim Vrbata: The former Canuck returned to The Desert and is leading the team in points – which isn’t saying all that much. Vrbata’s on pace to finish with 20 goals and 53 points after finishing with just 13 tallies and 27 points for the Canucks last season.
Tobias Rieder: With so many injures to Coyote forwards, Rieder’s had to step in and average 17:38 of ice time per game. He has eight goals and 15 points on the season as he continues to develop into a top-line forward.
WHO’S ON DEFENCE:
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: Call him a poor man’s Erik Karlsson. Ekman-Larsson is once again a dual threat on the ice, and scored nine points in December after having just 10 combined in October and November.
WHO’S IN NET:
Mike Smith: It’s safe to say the Coyotes won’t see him regain his 2012-2013 form. Smith has lost his last six starts, posting a woeful 7-10-4 record with a 2.82 goals against average.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Tobias Rieder – Martin Hanzal — Anthony Duclair
Jamie McGinn – Jordan Mantinook — Radim Vrbata
Brendan Perlini – Peter Holland — Shane Doan
Lawson Crouse – Christian Dvorak — Michael Stone
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Connor Murphy
Alex Goligoski – Anthony DeAngelo
Jakob Chychrun – Luke Schenn
Mike Smith
Louis Domingue
