The Nashville Predators and the Vancouver Canucks look to renew rivalries after squaring off last Tuesday in Nashville. The Canucks managed to salvage a point in the contest with a last-minute goal from Brandon Sutter.
They went into overtime with a chance to win the game on a 4 on 3 power play, only to let it slip away in embarrassing fashion. Troy Stecher had his point shot blocked, leading to two on zero breakaway, where Roman Josi dished the puck to Calle Jarnkrok for the game-winning goal.
Since that game, two things haven’t changed for the Canucks. They followed that overtime loss with two more losses after regulation time. Their power play is still in a constant state of disarray, and it’s one of the main problems plaguing the team right now.
Nashville followed their victory over Vancouver with two more wins over the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche. All three of their last wins have come by one goal. They need to continue grinding out one-goal wins since they have the league’s third-worst winning percentage in one-goal games.
Nashville Predators at Vancouver Canucks
Tuesday, January 18, 2017, Rogers Area, 7:00 p.m. PST
Broadcast Channels: SNP, FS-TN
2016-17 Season Series: Jan. 11 – Vancouver Canucks 1 – Nashville Predators 2 (OT)
Nashville Predators: 20-16-7, 47 Points, 9th in Western Conference
Hot Players: Austin Watson (Four-game point streak), Filip Forsberg (Six goals in last 10 GP)
A new career high in points. A four-game streak. The resurgence of Austin Watson is very real. #Preds https://t.co/EJcEG2VHm0
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) January 16, 2017
Key Injuries: P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mike Ribeiro, Colin Wilson, Petter Granberg
Projected Lines
Forwards
Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Victor Arvidsson
Colton Sissons – Mike Fisher – Austin Watson
Calle Jarnkrok – Mike Ribeiro – James Neal
Cody McLeod – Derek Grant – Harry Zolnierczyk
Defence
Matt Irwin – Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm – Brad Hunt
Anthony Bitetto – Yannick Weber
Starting Goaltender
Pekka Rinne
Vancouver Canucks: 20-19-6, 46 Points, 10th in Western Conference
Hot Players: Markus Granlund (Five points in last 5 GP)
Key Injuries: Ben Hutton, Erik Gudbranson, Philip Larsen, Jannik Hansen, Derek Dorsett, Anton Rodin
Projected Lines
Forwards
Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Loui Eriksson
Markus Granlund – Brandon Sutter – Jayson Megna
Sven Baertschi – Bo Horvat – Alex Burrows
Brendan Gaunce – Michael Chaput – Jack Skille
Defence
Alex Edler – Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa – Chris Tanev
Nikita Tryamkin – Alex Biega
Starting Goaltender
Ryan Miller
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Game Notes
1) When will the Jayson Megna experiment end? The winger logged nearly 17 minutes of ice-time against the Devils on Sunday. His play was sloppy, subdued and uninspired. Yet, Willie Desjardins keeps giving the winger ample opportunity to succeed. It’s time for him to bring in either Reid Boucher or Anton Rodin in to see what the offensively-minded wingers can do. However, Jim Benning mentioned on Tuesday morning that Rodin reaggravated his knee injury, and will be unavailable for at least another week. Regardless, Boucher is still an option, but it doesn’t appear as if Boucher will suit up against his former team on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/Mega_Medium/status/821423670522478592
2) We mentioned earlier that the Nashville Predators have a brutal record in one-goal games. The Canucks, however, have the league’s fifth-best winning percentage in one-goal games. They still rank fifth despite dropping three straight games in overtime. This team has no problem keeping games close, but their lack of goal scoring ability is going to push them out of the playoff picture.
3) The power play issue has been beaten to death in Vancouver, and Desjardins hinted that it will seemingly continue along this path. His reasoning for keeping the power play together was because shuffling it up would take three or four games for a new unit to gel. What, and that’s not worth it because the current units are thriving? Patience is wearing thin among fans, who groan every time this floundering power play hits the ice. Something needs to change sooner rather than later for this pitiful power play.
4) Ryan Johansen appeared on TSN 1040 radio on Monday, and he dropped a hint behind why the Preds have been inconsistent this year. He mentioned injuries being a big reason, but also the loss of leadership in the locker room. Other than Shea Weber, Johansen mentioned the departure of veterans such as Paul Gaustad, Barrett Jackman, and Eric Nystrom. Those aren’t guys that will get a lot of fanfare, but they are well respected in the locker room. The addition of Cody McLeod has already been well-received in Nashville. You can see why Jim Benning finds it important to have guys such as Alex Burrows and Derek Dorsett around the team.
Ryan Johansen: Still a thrill to play in Vancouver; Preds inconsistent this season https://t.co/voYNu33YMl
— TSN Radio Vancouver (@TSN1040) January 17, 2017
5) If there was ever a time for the Canucks to get their offence on track, it’s against the Preds on Tuesday night. Their defence looks paper thin without either Roman Josi or P.K. Subban in the lineup. Mind you, the Devils defence wasn’t much better, and the Canucks only registered 22 shots against them on Sunday. It’s also possible that P.K. Subban makes a return on Tuesday night. He hasn’t suited up since December 15th against the Minnesota Wild.
6) On Tuesday morning, the Predators announced yet another waiver claim.
NSH claims Brad Hunt from STL on waivers.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 17, 2017
This news comes in the wake up the Predators placing yet another defenceman on the IR. Petter Granberg is the latest defenceman to enter the injury ward. He’s suited up in ten games for the Predators this season. Brad Hunt has five points in nine games for the Blues, including a goal against the Preds. It’s unclear if the Maple Ridge native will make his Predators debut tonight or not. Alexandre Carrier is the only other healthy defenceman on Nashville’s roster. The rookie hasn’t appeared in an NHL game yet, but he was named to the AHL All-Star game with 21 points in 34 games for the Milwaukee Admirals.
