CANUCKS PAY THE PENALTY
Timely stops would help PK stats
The losing streak has stretched to four for the Vancouver Canucks, but it feels longer than that. It doesn’t get any easier with the defensively dominant San Jose Sharks visiting Rogers Arena tonight (7 p.m., TV: Sportsnet Pacific, Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM):
THE BIG MATCHUP ALEX EDLER VS. LOGAN COUTURE
This is sure to fire up the fan base, as the Canucks’ leader in ice time will see plenty of action against the Sharks’ leading scorer, who had 15 goals and 10 assists heading into his team’s game Thursday night (in Calgary). The usual top pairing of Edler and Chris Tanev were split up Wednesday, but the Swede struggled when matched with Troy Stecher in his team-high 22:46.
Five keys to the game 1 Can the Canucks change their history?
You have to go back — a looooong way back — to find the last time the Canucks beat the Sharks at Rogers Arena. It has been nearly six years (2,155 days, to be precise) and 12 home games since Cody Hodgson(!) scored the game-winner in a 4-3 victory over the Sharks, the first twogoal game for the rookie. Since then, they’ve lost every one (including one shootout and one overtime loss), being outscored 42-14. The Canucks are on an 0-8 skid overall against the Sharks, the last win coming in San Jose on March 31, 2016.
2 Goals? Anyone? Bueller?
The age-old question in Vancouver, it seems. Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi haven’t played in four and three games, respectively. But they’re still Nos. 2 and 3 in goals on the team, and have a combined 38 points. Brock Boeser picked up another point in Wednesday’s 7-1 debacle — a centring pass hit his skate in the crease, gifting Alex Burmistrov his second goal of the season, and first since Sept. 17, but The Flow can’t be the only one scoring, especially with Baertschi and Horvat out for another month. They’ve been outscored 20-5 since Horvat went down.
3 Goals? Anyone? Bueller? (Pt. II)
Even at full strength, the Canucks have trouble scoring on the Sharks. They lost 5-0 in their one meeting this season, and put up a single goal in five losses last season. Now, offensively compromised, Vancouver faces a team that has given up a league-low 69 goals heading into their Thursday night game. The Canucks have been decent on the power play, but the Sharks penalty kill is No. 2 in the league. And then there’s Aaron Dell, who has the NHL’s best save percentage, at .939. Tough sledding ahead.
4 Goaltending? Anyone?
When things were going right for the Canucks, it was a question of who was playing the best between Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson. Now it’s a case of who is playing the “not worst.” Markstrom gave way to Nilsson on Wednesday against Nashville after allowing five goals on 24 shots, including the first one he faced, on Monday. Nilsson responded by getting beaten seven times on 48 shots, including P.K. Subban’s centre-ice slapper that Nilsson deflected into his own net.
5 Slim silver linings
If there’s cause for positivity, it’s the fact the Sharks played Thursday night against a Flames team tied with them on points (35 heading in). The Canucks will have had a couple days off to relax, clear their heads, and heal up any bruises. Notably, Tanev left Wednesday’s game briefly with a lower-body injury, and limped around for much of the third period.