Road trip continues with game in Raleigh
The Canucks are in Raleigh, N.C. tonight (4:30 p.m., SNETP, SNET 650 AM), a day after facing the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. This is the third stop in a four-game road trip.
THE BIG MATCHUP Horvat vs. Staal
Canucks fans know very well what their team looks like without Bo Horvat in the lineup. Having him back has given the Canucks a chance. Jordan Staal is the kind of centre the Canucks would love for Horvat to become.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME 1. Horror show
Here’s Carolina coach Bill Peters from after Sunday ’s 3-1 loss to San Jose: “Obviously this group has been together, this lineup’s been together for a little while now. Maybe there’s some complacency there. … We can’t put that group out again after that. It’s unacceptable. They let each other down, too, in the room. That’s not right.”
The Hurricanes lost 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Will they be fired up tonight?
2. Edler, the minutes eater
Alex Edler has his coach’s trust. He’s playing upwards of 25 minutes per night and has been for weeks. He has drawn the trust of every coach who’s come through Vancouver in his 12-year NHL career.
3. Boeser bounceback
Going into Thursday’s game in Tampa Bay, Brock Boeser had “just” three goals in his last dozen games. His shooting percentage at the beginning of 2018 was above 20 per cent — that was otherworldly. Now he’s shooting at an elite 16.8 per cent. Don’t fret, the goals will come back. He is getting three shots per game, which means he should average a goal every other game.
4. Canes’ crease crisis
Carolina signed Scott Darling last summer to a four-year deal, thinking he would be their goalie of the future. He has performed terribly and now Cam Ward, who at 33 was supposed to be Darling ’s backup, has now been handed the reins. He hasn’t been much better.
5. Another shutout?
The Canucks’ 3-0 win at home in November against the Hurricanes was Jacob Markstrom’s first career shutout. It remains his only shutout. After Anders Nilsson started against the Lightning Thursday night, you’d bet on Markstrom getting the start — and a chance to get his second career shutout.