CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff November 4, 2015
Canucks Go For Three Consecutive Wins At Home Tonight
The Canucks end their 2-game home stand and go for their 7th win of the season tonight, as they try to keep up with the Los Angeles Kings both tied atop the Pacific Division.
Vancouver enters the game having defeated the Philadelphia Flyers on November 2 by a 4-1 margin, extending their winning streak to 2-games. Vancouver is 5-2-3 in their last 10-games.
The Penguins come into the game riding a 4-game winning streak, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in their last game by a 4-0 score. Pittsburgh is 7-3 in their last 10-games.
Marc-Andre Fleury’s second shutout of the season ties him for the NHL lead. That gives Fleury 17 shutouts over the last three seasons, tied for the NHL lead with Carey Price.
This is the fifth game in a stretch that will see the Penguins play six of seven games on the road (4-0 thus far).
Tonight marks the first of two meetings this season between the Canucks and Penguins. Vancouver will travel to Pittsburgh on Jan. 23rd.
Last year the Canucks swept the Penguins, 2-0, as Eddie Lack and Ryan Miller each posted shutouts, outscoring Pittsburgh 8-0. Those wins by the Canucks snapped the Penguins’ four-game winning streak in the series.
The Penguins have been victorious in three of their last five visits to Vancouver.
Overall the Canucks are 5-4-1 in their last 10 meetings with the Penguins. They have gone seven consecutive games without a regulation loss against Pittsburgh (4-0-3) with their last regulation lost coming on Nov. 3, 2000.
CANUCKS AT A GLANCE
- Radim Vrbata (2-2-4) has a four game point streak entering tonight’s game. Henrik Sedin (0-3-3) has a three game assist streak entering tonight’s game.
- Through Nov. 4, Jared McCann leads the team in goals and ranks t-second among rookies in that category (5); he is also the first Canucks player since Dane Jackson in 1993 to have at least five consecutive goals to start his career (no assists). McCann currently ranks fifth among rookies in shooting percentage (29.4%).
- Ben Hutton ranks t-fourth among NHL rookies in assists (5).
- Alex Edler leads VAN in time on ice (24:52) and has led the team in that category in nine of 11 games he’s played. He currently ranks 9th in the NHL in TOI/GP. Last season, Edler ranked first on the team in average ice time per game (23:58) and led the team in TOI on 59 separate occasions including 26 games where led all skaters in TOI.
- Ryan Miller has an NHL-best 53 wins in games decided by a shootout; he sits t-23rd all-time in wins with 328 and is in a tie with Carey Price for 46th all-time in shutouts (36).
The Canucks are currently tied for 1rst place with Los Angeles ,in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, with 16-points; 4-points ahead of San Jose, who are alone in second place. Arizona currently is in 3rd place with 11-points, 1-point ahead of Edmonton in 4th place with 10-points.
Vancouver, San Jose, and Los Angeles both have a game in-hand on Edmonton and Calgary. Arizona and Anaheim both have a game in-hand on on Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Jose; two games in-hand on Edmonton and Calgary.
Vancouver is among the top 6-teams in the Western Conference, and are tied for the 3rd best team in the conference with their 16-points. The Dallas Stars are at the top of the conference with 20-points, currently sporting an 8-2 record in their last 10-games.
Canucks are among the top 10-teams in the NHL, and are tied for the 5th best team in the league with their 16-points. The Montreal Canadians are the top team with 23-points, with a record of 11-2-1, all wins in regulation play.
Pittsburgh is in 4rth-place in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, with 14-points. The New York Rangers are at top spot in the division, with 18-points; followed by the New York Islanders with 17-points, and the Philadelphia Flyers with 16-points. New Jersey is currently in 5th place in the division with 13-points.
Pittsburgh and Washington both have a game in-hand on the Rangers, Devils, Panthers and Flyers; 2-games in-hand on the Islanders and Blue Jackets. The Rangers, Devils, Panthers, and Flyers all have 1-game in-hand on the Islanders and Blue Jackets.
Daniel Sedin leads the Canucks in scoring with 9-points including a team high 6-assists, followed by Alex Burrows with 8-points; Brandon Sutter and Henrik Sedin are next with 7-points. Radim Vrbata closely follows with 6-points. Brandon Prust, Alex Edler; rookies rookie Jared McCann and Ben Hutton; Jannik Hansen are on their skate blades with 5-points.
Rookie Jared McCann leads the Canucks as the top sniper with 5-goals in 10-games played.
For the Penguins, Evgeni Malkin leads Philadelphia with 10-points, followed by Phil Kessel with 6-points and Sidney Crosby with 5-points.
Malkin and Kessel lead Pittsburgh with goals scored with 4-goals each.
GAME JOTTINGS
The following are with thanks to SportingCharts
Andrew Phillip Chernoff 