FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1 Archibald’s arrival
His signing and recall from Utica is important for a couple of reasons. One, the Canucks didn’t trade for a “Derek Dorsett” type, they signed the guy they had in the organization. Two, the team is soft. It has been soft and it has been in need of a player who can physically have an impact. Archibald can do that. When he’s in, it’s crash and bang time. But it won’t be easy if his first game is Thursday against the ridiculously gifted Lightning.
2 Vanek is with the Sedins
Asked who has looked best with the Sedins, head coach Travis Green didn’t have an answer. He has cycled through multiple wingers with the Sedins and none have had sustained success. Green thinks Markus Granlund’s future is as a shutdown, matchup winger, so he seems last on his list of possible options. The Sedins have had a lot of even strength possession but not a lot of even strength goals. They could use a finished in Tampa. Maybe Vanek will be on his game.
3 The Sutter assignment
The Lightning will get last change so Tampa may look to pit it’s top line against the Canucks, which is currently centred by Bo Horvat. With Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on the same line, you know exactly what Green wants to do. He wants Brandon Sutter on the ice as much as possible against them. How much he is fighting for that match remains to be seen. Kucherov is having an outstanding season and leads the league with 66 points.
4 The Canucks defence
They signed Michael Del Zotto and traded for Derrick Pouliot but this defence is worse than last year’s. And that’s with one of Alex Edler’s best seasons in some time. A healthy Erik Gudbanson hasn’t helped. And neither has Ben Hutton who the team needed to take a big step up this season. It’s been just the opposite. Hutton has been in and out of the lineup and may be suffering a confidence crisis. He’s expected to get back in against Tampa, but he’s got to “play better” the coach keeps saying.
5 The goalie battle
No one is going to be surprised if Green taps Jacob Markstrom for another start. Since Dec. 28, only two goalies in the league have started more games. Markstrom has a .913 save percentage in that span which is pretty for him. Unfortunately, it ranks 39th in the NHL over that time frame. He’ll have to out-duel Andrei Vasilevsky, who is threaded together a Vezinaworthy season. He has a .929 save percentage on the year.