Road Trippin’
Time for another Canucks gameday team & opponent scouting report.
The Vancouver Canucks are in California for their first road trip of the shortened season. The first stop for the boys is in Anaheim tonight. Vancouver will be looking for a little revenge on the Ducks who spanked them 7-3 during the season opener at Rogers Arena on the 19th.
Cory Schneider is getting the start in goal tonight, in the first of three games in four nights.
Schneider, who let in five goals on fourteen shots on Saturday, should have a bounce back game against the Ducks tonight as the Canucks look to spoil the Ducks home opener.
Not with the team today is center Manny Malhotra, whose wife gave birth this morning. He is expected to join the team tomorrow.
Speaking of center’s, Maxim Lapierre didn’t skate yesterday before the Canucks boarded a plane for California, it’s been reported he has a sore groin, but will play tonight against the Ducks.
Schneider starts vs ANA, Lapierre (groin) will skate tomorrrow morning. Likely to play vs Ducks #Canucks
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) January 24, 2013
Slotting in for Malhotra will be Andrew Ebbett. In two games this season, Ebbett is -1 with zero shots on goal, averaging just over 12 minutes of ice time per game. He’ll likely take fourth line duties for the Canucks.
Expect the Canucks will go with the same line combinations they had against the Flames on Wednesday, with the subtraction of Malhotra and the addition of Andrew Ebbett.
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Daniel Sedin- Henrik Sedin – Zach Kassian
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Aaron Volpatti Maxim Lapierre Andrew Ebbett
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Keither Ballard Chris Tanev
What the Canucks need to do to win:
NO SLEEP FOR YOU! Not with the team today is center Manny Malhotra, whose wife gave birth this morning.
Special teams
Stay out of the penalty box.
Vancouver comes into tonight’s game against the Ducks with the third worst penalty kill in the league. They need to be especially careful because the Ducks are an impressive 60% with the man advantage.
The Canucks power play also needs some work.
Going 3/13 in the first three games of the season, Canucks man advantage is rankled 13th in the league.
The Sedins
Henrik and Daniel need to have a “Sedin like” game in order for the Canucks to win. With Zack Kassian likely to play along side the twins for the second straight game, it would be nice to see this line set the pace for the game early and carry it throughout.
Cory Schneider
Coming off his first win of the season against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night, Schneider will get his first consecutive starts of the season.
With the 7-3 loss on opening night fresh in his mind, watch for Schneider to spoil the Ducks home opener the way they spoiled the Canucks.
If the Canucks can keep out of the box, get their power play going, have a ‘Sedin like’ game from the brothers and some solid goaltending they should win the game tonight against the Ducks.
Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend.
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About Mitch Dyck
