CANUCKS BANTER     By Andrew Chernoff    MARCH 1, 2016

The Canucks looked to start March on a winning note, as they welcomed the New York Islanders to Rogers Place, for the last game of the season series between the two teams on Monday night.

Vancouver could not find a way to win against division rival San Jose on Sunday afternoon, and all the puck luck was bad against the Islanders, as the Canucks lost 3-2, New York’s first win on their Western Canada road trip, after losing to Edmonton.

Linden Vey with a power play goal, and Daniel Sedin with his second goal in consecutive games; Ben Hutton and Henrik Sedin with assists; and Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 of 24 shots for a .875 Sv%, to lead the Canucks.

VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 1: Henrik Sedin #33 congratulates goal scorer Daniel Sedin #22 of the Vancouver Canucks in front of Cal Clutterbuck #15 and Matt Martin #17 of the New York Islanders during their NHL game at Rogers Arena March 1, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. New York won 3-2. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, Jake Virtanen, Derek Dorsett had good games in a losing effort.

Jacob Markstrom is  now 6-4-1 in his last 11 game starts with a 2.59 GAA, and .914 Sv%.

VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 1: Ben Hutton #27 winces as Emerson Etem #26 and Jacob Markstrom #25 of the Vancouver Canucks follow the puck against the New York Islanders during their NHL game at Rogers Arena March 1, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Canucks started the game without Radim Vrbata (who missed his third consecutive game with a lower body injury)and Jannick Hansen (hurt in the morning skate) in the line-up. Yannik Weber was moved upfront in a forward assignment as a 4rth line winger, as Brendan Gaunce recalled from the Utica Comets earlier in the day, did not make it in time for the game puck drop.

San Jose Sharks are up next for Vancouver, on Thursday night.

GAME REVIEW

The Canucks started the game out shooting the Islanders 3-0 in the first three and a half minutes of the game, but the Islanders would score the first goal of the game, on their first shot of the game, as the puck deflected off Dan Hamhuis and past Jacob Markstrom, to put New York up 1-0.

Travis Hamonic, his 5th goal, at 4:20, assisted by Matt Martin (9) and Casey Cizikas (17).

With 10:20 left in the period, the Canucks got the first power play of the game, as the Islanders had too many men on the ice. The Canucks were out dueling the Islanders in the face-off wins, 6 for 8 at this point of the game.

The Canucks would capitalize on the man advantage, as Linden Vey would score off a Ben Hutton rebound, and tie the game up at 1-1 at 10:42. Vey, his 3rd goal of the season, assisted by Ben Hutton (18), on the power play.

With seven minutes left in the first period, Canucks were out shooting New York 5-1 and were 9 for 11 in the face-off circle.

The Islanders would go to the power play with 5:15 left in the opening period, as Matt Bartkowski would visit the sin bin for boarding.

The Islanders had no shots on their power play as Vancouver were successful in killing it. The Islanders only shot up to this point was at 4:20 of the period, when they scored.

The Islanders went 14:30 in the period between shots.

After one period:

• Team Shots: Islanders-2    Canucks-6
• Team Face-offs: Islanders-6/16   Canucks-10/16
• Team Hits: Islanders-15     Canucks-5
• Team Blocked Shots: Canucks-6    Islanders-6
• Team Takeaways: Islanders-3     Canucks-1
• Team Giveaways: Islanders-4     Canucks-1
• Power Play: Islanders: 0/1      Canucks: 1 /1
• Penalty Kill: Canucks: 1 /1      Islanders: 0/1
• Canucks Individual Shots: 6- Canucks with 1 shot each
• Canucks Individual Hits: 5-Canucks with 1 hit each
• Canucks Individual Face-offs: J.McCann-2/3; B.Horvat-2/2; M.Granlund-3/4; H.Sedin-3/5
• Teams Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—Sharks-11    Canucks-10
  • All Strengths—Sharks-11    Canucks-13
• Canucks Individual Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—D.Dorsett +3; L.Sbisa +3; B.Horvat +2; L.Vey  +2
  • All Strengths—L.Vey +5; S.Baertschi +4; B.Hutton +4; L.Sbisa +3; D.Dorsett +3
•  Corsi For measures the shot attempt differential of a player while on the ice including shots on goal, missed shots and blocked shots for and against.

The Canucks started the middle frame like the first, out playing the Islander. The were outshooting them 3-0 at the five minute mark of the period and continuing to get scoring chances to go up by a goal.

At 7:33, Emerson Etem of the Canucks and Travis Hamonic of the Islanders received five minutes each for fighting.

The game continued to be physical as the Islanders continued to challenge Vancouver. Derek Dorsett of Vancouver and Matt Martin of the Islanders, would receive fighting majors at 11:43.

VANCOUVER, BC – MARCH 1: Matt Martin #17 of the New York Islanders and Derek Dorsett #15 of the Vancouver Canucks fight during their NHL game at Rogers Arena March 1, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jacob Markstrom made an outstanding save on a deflection by Ben Hutton on his own net, to keep the score at 1-1 with 5:30 left in the game. The Islanders would challenge the call, and after a review, the referees would rule the puck clearly crossed the goal line to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.

Anders Lee, his 10 goal, on a deflected shot off Ben Hutton, assisted by Thomas Hickey (7) and Kyle Okposo (32).

Islander 2-1 after two periods.

After two periods:

• Team Shots: Islanders-11     Canucks-19
• Team Face-offs: Islanders-19/34     Canucks-15/34
• Team Hits: Islanders-24       Canucks-11
• Team Blocked Shots: Canucks-10      Islanders-12
• Team Takeaways: Islanders-4    Canucks-2
• Team Giveaways: Islanders-8    Canucks-1
• Power Play: Islanders: 0/1      Canucks:   1 /1
• Penalty Kill: Canucks: 1/1       Islanders:     0/1
• Canucks Individual Shots: A.Biega-3; 4-Canucks with 2
• Canucks Individual Hits: 9-Canucks with 1 hit each
• Canucks Individual Face-offs: B.Horvat-6/7; M.Granlund-4/7; H.Sedin-3/13
• Teams Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—Sharks-33     Canucks-26
  • All Strengths—Sharks-26     Canucks-36
•  Canucks Individual Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—B.Horvat +7; D.Dorsett +6; L.Vey +6; D.Hamhuis +5; S.Baertschi +5
  • All Strengths—L.Vey +9; S. Baertschi +8; B.Horvat +7; D.Dorsett +6; J.Virtanen +5
• Corsi For measures the shot attempt differential of a player while on the ice including shots on goal, missed shots and blocked shots for and against.

Vancouver would get an early third period scoring opportunity in the opening seconds of the period when Sven Baertschi was robbed by the Islanders Thomas Greiss.

The Canucks would get their second power play of the game when Sven Baertschi was tripped by Travis Harmonic at 3:48. Vancouver would be unable to strike for a second goal on the power play and the game would remain 2-1 Islanders.

With 12:57 left, the Canucks were getting their chances but the Islanders were out shooting Vancouver in the period 7-6 and were dominating the face-offs in the game having won, 24 of 42 up to this point.

Daniel Sedin would score his 24rth goal of the season, and second in two games, at 10:52, assisted by Henrik Sedin (38), to tie the game at 2-2.

The Islanders would respond quickly, to retake the lead at 3-2, when a bouncing slap shot by Thomas Hickey would elude Markstrom and go in at 12:55.

With 2:28 left in regulation play,  Jacob Markstrom was pulled by the Willie Desjardins for an extra attacker, in an effort to get the equalizing goal and tie the game.

Vancouver had great puck movement and pressure in the Islander end, and great chances to get the 3-3 goal but with all the bodies in front of the net, and Thomas Griess stopping the shots that made it on net, the Canucks would run out of time.

Canucks, another one goal loss, 3-2 to the Islanders, and their second consecutive loss on their five game home stand.

End of game:

• Team Shots: Islanders-24      Canucks-33
• Team Face-offs: Islanders-32/57       Canucks- 25/57
• Team Hits: Islanders-29      Canucks-13
• Team Blocked Shots: Canucks- 13      Islanders-17
• Team Takeaways: Islanders-6        Canucks-4
• Team Giveaways: Islanders-11      Canucks-5
• Power Play: Islanders: 0 /1        Canucks: 1/2
• Penalty Kill: Canucks: 1/ 1         Islanders: 1/2
• Canucks Individual Shots: S.Baertschi-5; D.Sedin-4; J.Vertanen-4
• Canucks Individual Hits: S.Baertschi-2; J.Virtanen-2; L.Sbisa-2
• Canucks Individual Face-offs: M.Granlund-9/14; B.Horvat-7/11; J.McCann-3/6
• Teams Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—Sharks-43      Canucks-54
  • All Strengths—Sharks-44       Canucks-59
•  Canucks Individual Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—S.Baertschi +16; J. Virtanen +14; M.Granlund +9
  • All Strengths—S.Baertschi +18; J.Virtanen +15; M.Granlund +9
• Corsi For measures the shot attempt differential of a player while on the ice including shots on goal, missed shots and blocked shots for and against.

New York Islanders @ Vancouver Canucks

2016-03-01
–
Final

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CANUCKS BANTER     By Andrew Chernoff    MARCH 1, 2016

Canucks line-up news: Vrbata & Hansen are out vs. NYI.

Gaunce will not make puck drop, Weber slots in at forward.

Source: Vancouver Canucks Twitter

Bartkowski is good to go tonight after missing last game with the flu.

Source: Vancouver Canucks Twitter

No word from coach Desjardins on if Radim Vrbata plays tonight or not. Jacob Markstrom starts.

Source: Vancouver Canucks Twitter

The Vancouver Canucks (24-25-12) host the New York Islanders (33-20-7) tonight at Rogers Place, in a  game the Canucks are looking to resume their winning ways, in game four of their five game home stand, as they chase both the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche for a playoff spot.

Vancouver is 2-1 on their home stand, and are 5-7-2 in their last 14 at home; and 4-6-1 overall in their last 11 games.

The Canucks are 12 points behind the Sharks for 3rd  and the final playoff spot in their division; and 8 points behind Colorado for the final wild card spot in the Western conference.

The Canucks are 10-10-3 in their last 23-games overall.

Jacob Markstrom makes his 11th game start in 2016, and he is 6-3-1 in his last 10 game starts with a 2.54 GAA, and .917 Sv%.

Markstrom has lost his last two starts, 5-2 at home to Calgary on February 19;  and 5-2 in Minnesota on February 15.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 17: Jaroslav Halak #41 of the New York Islanders makes a save on Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks during the game at the Barclays Center on January 17, 2016 in Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

The New York Islanders’ come to Vancouver smarting from  a loss to the Edmonton Oilers, who had lost seven straight games entering Sunday’s action, and ended the Islanders’ three game winning streak.

New York started their Western Canada road swing with a 2-1 win over Calgary on Thursday night, before stumbling to the Oilers. They are 4-4 in their last 8 road games.

The Isles will look to rebound as they head to Vancouver to face the Canucks. 

The Isles dominated the game with Vancouver at Barclays Center on January 17^th, outshooting the Canucks 48-26, but fell 2-1 in a shootout.

The Isles are 0-2-1 in their last three games against the Canucks, but each of their last two March games in Vancouver have been memorable: In 2010, rookie John Tavares had five points in a 5-2 win while in 2014 the Isles exploded for seven third period goals for a 7- 4 win.    Source: http://www.nyiskinny.com/

Islanders are 3-1-1 in their last 5 games overall, with a 13.3 PP% and a 92.8 PK%; and they have scored a total of 10 goals for, while allowing 8 goals against, in that span.

The Isles are 17-5-2 against the Western Conference, including 12-0-2 at home. The Isles have the most wins of any Eastern Conference team against the Western Conference (Tampa Bay is 15-9-2 and the Rangers are 15-8-2). 

Source: http://www.nyiskinny.com/

Since January 6, Vancouver boasts the 5th-highest penalty kill percentage overall in the NHL at 88.1 percent (52 for 59).

Since January 9, at Rogers Place, the Canucks own the NHL’s 5th-highest home power play percentage at 27.6 percent (8 for 29).

CANUCKS PREVIOUS GAME

The Canucks fell short of a third straight win, surrendering four unanswered goals in the third period of a 4-1 loss to San Jose on Sunday, in a key divisional game, moving no closer to the Colorado Avalanche and the Sharks for an NHL Western conference playoff spot.  .

Daniel Sedin had the only Canucks goal, his 23rd of the season; Henrik Sedin and Ben Hutton had assists. For Daniel, with the goal, he became the 60th player in NHL history to reach 350 career goals (and the 5th Swede to do so). Ryan Miller stopped 24 of 27 shots for a .889 Sv% for his 4rth loss of February.

Miller finished the month of February with a record of 3-4-1 with a GAA of 2.26 and .929 Sv%.  He has registered a .929 save percentage over his last 13 games and is 4-7-2 with a 2.38 GAA.

VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 28: Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks and Ben Hutton #27 of the Vancouver Canucks watch Ryan Miller #30 of the Canucks make a save during their NHL game at Rogers Arena February 28, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

CANUCKS JOTTINGS

• Canucks have the second fewest wins (24) in the Western Conference, and are  8 points behind Colorado for the last  Western conference wild card playoff spot, with 3 games in-hand on the Avalanche.
• Canuck Point Leaders In 2016:
  • Bo Horvat: 8-9=17 in 23 games played
  • Daniel Sedin: 7-9=16 in 23 games played
  • Henrik Sedin: 1-13=14 in 19 games played
  • Linden Vey: 2-9=11 in 21 games played
  • Chris Tanev: 3-7=10 in 23 games played
  • Sven Baertschi: 7-3=10 in 21 games played
  • Jannick Hansen: 7-3=10 in 19 games played
  • Ben Hutton: 1-8=9 in 23 games played
• Power play is 5 for 19 in last 7 games for 26.3 percent, 6th best in the NHL since February 12.
• Penalty kill is 19 for 22 in last 7 games for 86.4 percent, 10th best in the NHL since February 12.
• Penalty kill: 33 for 38 for 86.8 percent in last 12 games, 5th best in the NHL since January 25.
• Canucks are averaging 2.43 goals per game. For an 82 game schedule the estimate is Vancouver will finish with 199 goals. The least number of goals ever scored by a Vancouver team in a full season of 82 games are 192 by the 1998-99 Canucks. 
  • Vancouver needs to average 2.14 goals per game over their last 21 games for a minimum 193 goals, to avoid 2015-16 being the season for the least number of goals ever scored by a Vancouver team.
• Vancouver has held their opponents under two or fewer goals 24 times this season (19-2-3 record overall).
• The Canucks penalty kill ranks 13th in the NHL overall at 81.4%.
• Vancouver power play is 5 for 16 in the last 6 games for 31.3 percent, 3rd best in the NHL since February 14.
• Canucks were out shot in seven consecutive games, from February 9th to 21rst, and are 17-13-6 this season when being out-shot.
• On the injury front,  Radim Vrbata (lower body) is day-to-day.  Brandon Sutter (fractured jaw) and Alexander Edler (fibula fracture) are on the injured reserve list.
• Vancouver in 2016 so far:
  • 10-10-3 in 23 games for 23 points:  21rst in the NHL
  • 53 goals for:  3rd worst in the NHL
  • 65 goals against: 15th best in the NHL
  • Power play is 11 for 55 @ 20 percent:  12th best in the NHL
  • Penalty kill is 54 for 63 @ 85.7 percent:  6th best in the NHL
  • Shots for:  632–2nd worst in the NHL: 27.5 average per game
  • Shots against:  760– 17th in the NHL: 33.0 average per game
  • FOW%: 45.4 percent– worst in the NHL
  • Team Hits: 383–worst in the NHL
  • Team Blocked Shots: 305–4rth worst in the NHL
  • Team Giveaways: 180–9th best in the NHL
  • Team Takeaways: 130–3rd worst in the NHL
  • Team Shooting %: 8.4–18th best in the NHL
  • Advanced Stats:
    • Shot Attempts %: 46.70–4rth worst in NHL
    • Shot Attempts %-Close: 46.92–25th in NHL
    • Unblocked Shot Attempts%: 46.46–3rd worst in NHL
    • Unblocked Shot Attempts %-Close: 47.27–25th in NHL
    • Team Even Strength Shooting Plus Save %: 1000–16th in NHL

PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE WILD CARD STANDINGS

CANUCKS PLAYER STATS

ISLANDERS PLAYER STATS

STATISTICS COURTESY OF THE NHL AND VANCOUVER CANUCKS