[Hyack]

Los Angeles at Vancouver

77

KINGS (36-33-7) at CANUCKS (30-37-9)


Vancouver Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher will return from injury and forward Griffen Molino will make his NHL debut. Molino was signed to a two-year contract as a free agent Tuesday after his season at Western Michigan University ended. The 23-year-old had 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 40 games this season and will make his debut on the fourth line. "My best asset is my speed," he said. "I try bring that every shift and my hockey IQ and play-making ability. Forward Loui Eriksson is a game-time decision after missing 11 games with a knee injury. "We haven't really decided yet if I am going to play," Eriksson said Friday. "We'll see how it progresses through the day. It's still not quite there." Stecher missed one game with a shoulder injury sustained Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets but wanted to come back even though the Canucks, who are 2-7-2 in their past 11 games, have been eliminated from the playoffs. "I want to show these guys I am willing to put my body on the line to help compete and win hockey games with them," said Stecher, who leads Vancouver defensemen with 24 points.


Puck drop at 7:00 pm PT

[Hyack]

The Canucks out shot the Kings 35-26 but the Kings still managed to win the game with a 2-0 shutout. The Canucks next game is Sunday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks. After that they have only 4 games left in the season, ending next weekend with back to back, home and away games against the Edmonton Oilers, playing their last home game on Saturday.

[N_Fiddledog]

Hyack Hyack:

The Canucks out shot the Kings 35-26 but the Kings still managed to win the game with a 2-0 shutout.

I like that better than the old way where the bad guys used to outshoot us and we'd also lose. If this new team can out chance the opposition consistently hopefully the pucks will eventually go in the net...maybe next season.

[Strutz]

Hyack Hyack:

The Canucks out shot the Kings 35-26 but the Kings still managed to win the game with a 2-0 shutout. The Canucks next game is Sunday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks. After that they have only 4 games left in the season, ending next weekend with back to back, home and away games against the Edmonton Oilers, playing their last home game on Saturday.

*sigh*
Kind of glad it's almost done actually. Looking forward to next season to see how all these new young players will do, depending of course on what kind of moves the team makes in the off-season. I expect we will see some changes.

[N_Fiddledog]

Just imagine if Bettman doesn't bother putting his foot on the pedal he has under the draft lottery wheel this year, and we say manage to scoop up Nico Hischier.

This will be me.



And this will be the Canucks:



Unstoppable.

[Hyack]

San Jose at Vancouver

78

SHARKS (43-28-7) at CANUCKS (30-38-9)

Vancouver Canucks forward Loui Eriksson practiced Saturday but will be a game-time decision after missing 12 games with a knee injury. Forward Jayson Megna also practiced and is available to return after missing five games with an upper-body injury, according to coach Willie Desjardins. But Desjarsdins also indicated defenseman Alex Biega might continue to play as a fourth-line forward after praising his energy and game-high five hits during a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Vancouver is 2-8-2 in its past 12 games and has lost 10 straight at home (0-7-3) since their last win at Rogers Arena on Feb. 18. It will be the Canucks' first game against former teammate Jannik Hansen, who was traded to the Sharks on Feb. 28 after spending parts of 10 seasons in Vancouver. "We miss him. He set a great example and we remember what he brought to the room," forward Daniel Sedin said in comments tweeted by the Canucks on Saturday. Rookie defenseman Troy Stecher, who returned Friday after missing a game with a shoulder injury, spent practice Saturday on the top line with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin but didn't realize until after it was over that it was an April Fools' Day joke. "I totally forgot what day it is. When they told me, I felt so dumb," Stecher said. "I thought it was a little strange, but tried to embrace the opportunity. I was lost out there."

Puck drop at 4:00 pm PT

[Hyack]

Baertschi ends the Canucks' goalless streak at 133:33 minutes with a goal at 16:07 of the 3rd period, 2-1 Sharks.....

[Hyack]

The Canucks lose their 11th straight home game 3-1 to San Jose. The last time the Canucks won a game at Rogers Arena was back on 18 Feb with a 2-1 OT win over Calgary. Tonight's game will be replayed in San Jose on Tuesday. They then play the Coyotes on Thursday before ending the season with back to back games with Edmonton next weekend.

[Hyack]

Vancouver at San Jose

79

CANUCKS (30-39-9) at SHARKS (44-28-7)

Vancouver Canucks forward Nikolay Goldobin will return to the lineup and play against the San Jose Sharks for the first time since they traded him to Vancouver on Feb. 28 for forward Jannik Hansen and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Goldobin will skate on the top line at right wing with center Henrik Sedin and left wing Daniel Sedin. Goldobin was a healthy scratch in a 3-1 loss to the Sharks on Sunday at Rogers Arena, and coach Willie Desjardins told The Province that he needed to work harder and prove that he can go hard at this level. Goldobin has one goal in eight games with the Canucks. "Just work hard," he said after an optional morning skate. "As the coach said, be more engaged. I will try to be." Backup goaltender Richard Bachman will make his fourth start. He's 2-1-0 with a 1.69 goals-against average. Bachman is 1-1-0 with a 2.57 GAA in three games against the Sharks in his career. "It's going to be a good test for me personally and for our group right now," Bachman said.

Puck drop at 7:30 pm PT

[Hyack]

Uh-oh....The Sharks score 18 seconds into the game and again at 30 seconds into the game.....2-0 San Jose with 19:30 left to play in the 1st period.....

[Strutz]

ouch. not looking too promising...

[Hyack]

The Canucks played one Hell of a good 3rd period, with Tanev scoring his first goal in 15 games to bring the score to 2-1, but the Sharks scored one more and held on to win it 3-1, even though they were outshot by the Canucks 34-25. Next game is Thursday in Arizona.

[Hyack]

Vancouver at Arizona

80

CANUCKS (30-40-9) AT COYOTES (28-41-10)

The Vancouver Canucks will try to avoid their sixth straight loss and 13th in 15 games (2-10-2). Vancouver has been outscored 14-4 during the losing streak. The Canucks will use the same line combinations and defense pairs as they did in Tuesday's 3-1 loss at the San Jose Sharks. "Sometimes you just get used to (losing) and once it's happened the next time gets easier," coach Willie Desjardins said Thursday. "At the start of the year we would have accepted that [effort]. We came in, gave up two early and lost 3-1. That's something that wouldn't sit well. It's tough, but I always say, 'If you accepting being average, you'll be average.' And we can't accept that." Vancouver has won five of its past six games against the Arizona Coyotes and is 8-2-0 in its past 10 against them. Ryan Miller, who is 11-2-0 with a 1.45 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage in his career against Arizona, will start. Miller has lost five straight games and 14 of his past 16 starts.

Puck drop at 7:00pm PT

[Strutz]

Heading to our pub to watch this one tonight. Last time for the season to hopefully win some more nhl promo stuff as I'm working Saturday & Sunday and will be barely off in time to get home to watch those games.
Result matters not obviously but I hope to at least be entertained and/or win lots playing keno.

[Hyack]

Oh well, here we go again 1-0 Coyotes at 6:oo minutes into the first.....

and Goldobin scores to tie it at 1-1 at 7:51......