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Tanev returns but Boeser is out as Canucks kick off road trip vs. Red Wings |
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Tuesday November 6 - Vancouver Canucks at Detroit Red Wings - 4:30 p.m. - Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet 650
Vancouver Canucks: 15 GP, 9-6-0, 18 pts, second in Pacific Division
Detroit Red Wings: 14 GP, 4-8-2, 10 pts, seventh in Atlantic Division
Looking to extend their season-high three-game winning streak as they open their latest road trip against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks are making some changes to their lineup.
Most importantly: Chris Tanev is back, but Brock Boeser won't play after re-aggravating his wonky groin while skating miles last Friday against Colorado.
After gutting out that shootout win with just four defensemen in the third period when Tanev and Alex Edler were injured in Vegas nearly two weeks ago, it looked like the blueline group was going to implode, giving up nine goals in Vancouver's next two games.
Last week, they got it together—mostly. I mean, the Colorado game won't be remembered for its stifling playing style, but the group did well to give up just two goals against both Minnesota and Chicago. For the first time, I wasn't running screaming from the idea that maybe the team could afford to deal Edler and/or Tanev this season without hitting the full-throttle tank button.
For today, I'm glad to see Tanev back. I feel like Alex Biega starts pretty well when he draws into the lineup, but tends to become less effective as his tenure draws on. He played the least of any of the Vancouver defensemen during these last five games, averaging 13:39 per game, and was a minus-2.
His primary partner, Michael Del Zotto, was next-lowest at 16:19, and was a minus-3.
Ben Hutton will probably continue to play big minutes on the left side while Alex Edler remains sidelined. He averaged a team-high 24:30 over those five games, but it was the stealth pair of Troy Stecher and Derrick Pouliot who really brought it defensively: both were plus-three over that five-game stretch.
If Travis Green runs his pairs on Tuesday like he did at Monday's practice in Detroit, we'll see a different look tonight. Hutton and Erik Gudbranson stayed together, but Pouliot skated with Tanev and Stecher lined up with Del Zotto.
With all the time had he has spent on the injured list over the past few seasons, Tanev is getting good with medical terminology!
I wonder what we'll see from #ShotgunJake tonight? You might remember, he killed it in the Canucks' first-ever game at Little Caesars Arena on October 22, 2017—a 4-1 win for Vancouver where Jake recorded his first goal of last season on a night when he had eight shots—and stood up Niklas Kronwall.
As for Kronwall and the Wings, they're about where most of the experts thought the Canucks would be at this point in the season—29th overall, one point out of the league basement, successfully executing the "Lose for Hughes" plan for Michigan boy Jack.
With former captain Henrik Zetterberg now on long-term IR, the changing of the guard has begun in Motown. New faces this season include two B.C.-born rookies who were both first-round draft picks: forward Michael Rasmussen (South Surrey, ninth overall in 2017) and defenseman Dennis Cholowski (Langley, 20th overall in 2016).
Wanna feel old? Rasmussen would have been 12 during the Canucks' Cup run in 2011, while Cholowski was 13.
Injuries have been an issue in the early going for Detroit. Looks like coach Blashill will be rolling out 11 forwards and seven defensemen tonight, with Jimmy Howard getting the start in net.
The injured list includes Frans Nielsen, Andreas Athanasiou, Thomas Vanek and Jonathan Ericsson. On the blue line, top-three defensemen Mike Green, Trevor Daley and Danny DeKeyser have all missed time already this year, but are expected to be in the lineup tonight.
A couple of other quick notes to close out today.
First, good news from Utica:
Demko won't be ready to get back into the lineup for the Comets' next game on Wednesday against Laval (again), but he is getting closer to returning to action.
And on the prospect front, Jett Woo had himself a solid performance in the first game of this year's CIBC Canada/Russia series, which kicked off in Kamloops on Monday.
Woo picked up an assist in Canada's 2-1 win over the Russians.
He also laid out one of his trademark hits.
Game 2, also with the WHLers, goes Tuesday night at the Langley Events Centre.
The series will move to the OHL for Games 3 and 4, starting Thursday, with Canucks prospect Michael DiPietro one of four netminders on the OHL roster.
Enjoy the game!
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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