Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames: Preview, Lineups

The Vancouver Canucks are suddenly rolling with five-straight wins. Can they keep the momentum going against their bitter rivals?

With five-straight victories, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves one point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

They’re also just three points out of the Calgary Flames for the first wild card spot – meaning a sweep of the home-and-home would put them back in the playoff picture.

104. Final. 0. 112. 0

Vancouver Canucks

OVERVIEW:

2016-17 Record: 19-18-3

Home Record: 14-6-2

2015-16 Record vs. Flames: 1-3-1

Goals For: 100

Goals Against: 116

Power Play: 13.9% (27th)

Penalty Kill: 80.4% (21st)

Leading Scorers: Bo Horvat (40 GP – 12– G -–15 A – 27PTS), Henrik Sedin (40 GP –- 9 G – 17– A – 26– PTS), Daniel Sedin (40 GP – 10– G -–13 A -– 23 PTS)

Injuries: Jannik Hansen (knee, day-to-day), Erik Gudbranson (wrist, indefinite), Derek Dorsett (neck, out for season), Philip Larsen (upper body, day-to-day)

WHO’’S ON OFFENCE:

Bo Horvat: Here comes Bo. The team’s 2013 first-round draft pick is now this team’s top-flight centre. Horvat is on a five-game point streak and even helped a young fan earn a hot dog yesterday. What a great team player.

Sven Baertschi: Baertschi gets a chance to stick it to his old team who basically gave him away for nothing. Baertschi has four goals in his last three games and looks poised to score 20-plus goals.

More from The Canuck Way

WHO’’S ON DEFENCE:

Chris Tanev: He’s not much of an offensive defenceman, but man has his return made a huge impact. The Canucks are 7-2-1 since Tanev returned, allowing just three-plus goals twice in those games.

WHO’’S IN NET:

Jacob Markstrom: Ryan Miller‘s hot streak puts the pressure on Markstrom to match or outplay the veteran. Suddenly, the starting job is Miller’s to lose, and Markstrom’s to gain back.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Daniel Sedin —– Henrik Sedin — Jayson Megna
Loui Eriksson —– Brandon Sutter— — Markus Granlund
Sven Baertschi —– Bo Horvat — Alexandre Burrows
Brendan Gaunce —– Michael Chaput — — Jack Skille

Alexander Edler –— Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa –— Chris Tanev
Ben Hutton –— Nikita Tryamkin

Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom

Calgary Flames

OVERVIEW:

2016-17 Record: 21-17-2

Away Record: 11-7-2

2015-16 Record vs. Canucks: 4-1-0

Goals For: 109

Goals Against: 112

Power Play: 20.7% (10th)

Penalty Kill: 81.6% (16th)

Leading Scorers: Johnny Gaudreau (30 GP – 10– G -–16 A – 26 PTS), Mikael Backlund (40 GP –- 12 G – 13– A – 25– PTS), Matthew Tkachuk (36 GP – 7 G -–16 A -– 23 PTS)

Injuries: Troy Brouwer (finger, week-to-week), Ladislav Smid (neck, out for season)

WHO’’S ON OFFENCE:

Johnny Gaudreau: Despite missing 10 games with a broken finger, Gaudreau leads the Flames in scoring. The Canucks have kept ‘Johnny Hockey’ in check through the first two meetings, however – holding him to six shots on goal with no points.

Matthew Tkachuk: The Canucks drafted Olli Juolevi over the power forward, who’s on a seven-game point streak with one goal and seven assists.

WHO’’S ON DEFENCE:

Dougie Hamilton: After a disappointing first season in Calgary, Hamilton’s emerging as the Flames top defenceman. He leads all Flame blueliner with 22 points and is logging 19:22 minutes per game.

Next: Winning Streak Shouldn't Fool Fans

WHO’’S IN NET:

Brian Elliott: After a brutal October and November, Elliot is slowly regaining his old form. Elliot has won his last five starts, allowing just nine goals during that span.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Johnny Gaudreau —– Sean Monahan — — Alex Chiasson
Matthew Tkachuk—– Mikael Backlund — — Michael Frolik
Kris Versteeg —– Sam Bennett — — Micheal Ferland
Lance Bouma —– Matt Stajan — — Freddie Hamilton

Mark Giordano –— Dougie Hamilton
T.J. Brodie — Dennis Wideman
Tyler Wotherspoon –— Deryk Engelland

Brian Elliot
Chad Johnson

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