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Vancouver Canucks seek 2nd road win as they kick off 3-game trip in Arizona
November 23, 2016, 2:01 PM ET [433 Comments]
Carol Schram
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Wednesday November 23 - Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes - 7 p.m. - Sportsnet Pacific

Vancouver Canucks: 19 GP, 7-10-2, 16 pts, sixth in Pacific Division
Arizona Coyotes: 17 GP, 6-9-2, 14 pts, seventh in Pacific Division

After a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes last Thursday at Rogers Arena, the Vancouver Canucks will look to repeat the feat at Gila River Arena tonight.

The Coyotes remain two points behind the Canucks at the bottom of the Pacific Division, though Arizona has two games in hand. Both teams have played just once since that last game. Last Saturday, the Canucks blew a three-goal lead to fall in overtime to Chicago while the Coyotes beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2, also in overtime, with Martin Hanzal scoring the game winner.

Since last week, much of the Coyotes' attention has been focused outward.

Yesterday, they were quick to offer words of welcome to the new Vegas Golden Knights:




And since the weekend, they have been offering well-wishes to the captain of their AHL affiliate in Tucson, Trail, B.C. native and former Vancouver Giant Craig Cunningham.




The Tucson Roadrunners' Tuesday and Wednesday games have been postponed due to Cunningham's medical crisis and the impact it has had on his team.

Earlier this week, Bob McKenzie wrote more about Cunningham and his family.




Cunningham has a couple of close ties to the Canucks, as well.







Travis Green was an assistant coach with the Winterhawks while Baertschi and Cunningham played there in 2010-11.




One personnel note for the Coyotes. Dylan Strome played what might turn out to be the last NHL game of his season on Thursday against Vancouver. After putting up one assist in seven games and logging a minus-five, the 19-year-old was re-assigned to his junior team, the Erie Otters, on Monday—likely setting up a second appearance at the World Junior Championship, which goes next month in Montreal and Toronto.

After Louis Domingue took the loss for the Coyotes last week in Vancouver, Mike Smith is expected to get the start tonight. Smith is 1-0-1 since returning to action after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury.

For the Canucks, expect to see Ryan Miller back between the pipes after a week off due to a case of the flu. Forward Joseph LaBate is with the team after being called up to replace the injured Derek Dorsett, but he's taking line rushes on defense at today's morning skate, according to Jon Abbott. Looks like the lines will be the same as Saturday:




Since snapping their nine-game losing streak, the Canucks have gone 3-2-1 over the last two weeks, which has quieted the talk of an imminent coaching change. Though the Canucks were a horrific 15-21-5 on home ice last season—the second-worst home record in the league, ahead only of Toronto—Vancouver has been a respectable 6-4-1 at Rogers Arena so far this year.

It's the road games that have proven to be killers. Along with Toronto and Buffalo, Vancouver has won just once on the road so far this season—and that was the streak-ending shocker against the New York Rangers. Three games in four nights on the road is never an easy assignment, but Arizona, Dallas and Colorado are all experiencing struggles on their own. Can the Canucks pick up their second road win of the year tonight?

To wrap up today, if you missed it, Elliotte Friedman elaborated on why he believes Vancouver's trade talks with Buffalo on Evander Kane came to an end last week in his latest edition of 30 Thoughts:

Here’s what it sounds like happened with Vancouver, Buffalo and Evander Kane: There were a lot of assumptions the price would be low, that the Sabres would be so desperate to do this that the Canucks would get a steal.

Sabres GM Tim Murray made it clear that would not be the case. (Neither team would comment.)

If you look at the blockbuster with Winnipeg, the Sabres were willing to grow the deal to increase the return, and I would assume that happened here, too. One of the things I’ve heard Buffalo is looking for is speed, both up front and on the blue line. There are not a ton of logical fits. As mentioned last week, Vancouver is not giving up either Brock Boeser or Olli Juolevi unless the return is massive. And I don’t think Buffalo was too interested in anyone off the main Vancouver roster other than maybe Chris Tanev. In the end, the Canucks weren’t willing to do it.


Given the perception that Jim Benning tends to give more than most observers would like when he makes a deal, I'm glad to hear that he walked away on this one, rather than being tempted to sweeten the pot. As many people have pointed out over the past couple of weeks, in addition to his legal troubles and questions about his character, Kane is now five seasons removed from his 30-goal year in Atlanta in 2011-12, and has only played one full season in his injury-filled NHL career—the 48-gamer in 2012-13.

Here's more from Friedman:

(Kane) is really respected as a forechecker — among the best in the NHL. He’ll go after anyone, and hard. The main criticism is his shot. If he could develop a better one-timer, it would improve his stock. Takes him a little too long to release, and defences are very good at taking away your time.


Enjoy the game!
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