Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
When: 10 PM EDT | Tickets: Check availability
Media: Sun Sports, CBC | 970 AM WFLA (radio) | Twitter Live Stream
Opponent Coverage: Nucks Misconduct, Canucks Army,
New Years Day 2014 had the Tampa Bay Lightning in Vancouver to take on the Canucks as well as take out; it was a nice little thumping of a Vancouver franchise in a tail-spin. It would be only a few months later when our old friend John Tortorella would be relieved of his coaching duties with the Canucks and general manager Mike Gillis would also be sent packing. Change became a constant in Vancouver, but it started a lot earlier than in the off-season of 2014 as goalie Cory Schneider was sent to New Jersey in the summer of 2013. Schneider was seen as the heir-apparent to Roberto Luongo up until that point…
…and then Luongo was dealt. The Olympic goalie and his huge contract were shipped to south Florida in a dump. The club hitched their wagon to a young Eddie Lack in net, at least for the remainder of the 2013-14 season. The Canucks signed free agent netminder Ryan Miller in the off-season. They also traded away defenseman Jason Garrison to (ta-da!) the Tampa Bay Lightning. There’s a great feature over at TBO about Garrison and his fit with the Bolts so far, how tonight is a homecoming for the British Columbia native.
Changes in Vancouver have led to early success this season as the Canucks are undefeated in the very early going of the 2014-15 season… Though they’ve only played 3 games. In fact, they had an almost week-long break between their second game of the season and third (both played against the abysmal Edmonton Oilers). In fact, it’s possible to look at the Canucks start and just dismiss it; The Flames and two against the Oilers? C’mon! That’s nothing! The Sedin twins are leading the Canucks in scoring per usual, Radim Vrbata (remember him) and Alex Burrows are also chipping in much in the early going for Vancouver.
The ‘nucks also played game just last night, a shutout of the Oilers, so the Lightning catches them at an opportune time. Eddie Lack will most likely start in net for them, his first start of the season.
It would seem Radko Gudas is dealing with a lower body injury. He was skating early at Rogers Arena, but did not participate in the morning skate. I expect him and Mark Barberio to be the scratches tonight for the Lightning. Ben Bishop gets the start between the pipes,he’s sporting a .931 save percentage and a 1.61 GAA.
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