GDT: [GM80] Canucks @ Oilers | Sat. Apr 13th, 7:00pm | HNIC/SNP | We Have the Best Conor

[Vector]

WHEN: April 13th, 7:00PM PST
WHERE: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV: CBC/HNIC/Sportsnet Pacific
RADIO: Sportsnet 650

Canucks Line-Up:

Suter-Miller-Boeser
Mikheyev-Pettersson-Höglander
Joshua-Lindholm-Garland
Podkolzin-Blueger-Lafferty

Hughes-Hronek
Soucy-Myers
Zadorov-Cole

DeSmith

Oilers Line-Up:

Nugent-Hopkins-Draisaitl-Hyman
Kane-Henrique-Foegele
Holloway-McLeod-Perry
Janmark-Ryan-Brown

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Stecher
Kulak-Desharnais

Skinner

Click to read more...

 

[Vector]

 

[ManVanFan]

A little early to be thinking ahead to the Oilers isn't it

 

[Vector]

Couple notes about this game:

-Oilers play the Coyotes the night before at 6pm
-Connor McDavid is day-to-day
-good chance Demko returns for this game
-Canucks can clinch the division with two Oilers losses and a Canucks win
-there are only 3 games left in the regular season!

 

[Bobby9]

Couple notes about this game:

-Oilers play the Coyotes the night before at 6pm
-Connor McDavid is day-to-day
-good chance Demko returns for this game
-Canucks can clinch the division with two Oilers losses and a Canucks win
-there are only 3 games left in the regular season!

Bad idea. Perry and Hyman leave very little space btwn them and goalies. Don't need him being pushed or fallen on top of.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I think the Canucks have shown they can get up for the right opponent. Hopefully this is one of those games. Would be huge to get the win in what is a 4-point game in the race for the division.

 

[Vancouver_2010]

i have a really bad feeling about this game.

 

[Peen]

Hronek needs two points in the last three games here

 

[LordBacon]

this game scares me lol
Please win

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I want Garland to hit the 20-goal mark.

But most importantly, I just want two points and for everyone to stay healthy.

 

[Zombotron]

rest Connor McDavid for the playoffs, cowards

 

[Vancouver_2010]

rest Connor McDavid for the playoffs, cowards

Connor who? seriously though with our players in eco mode, i am sure they will able to perform when it matters.

 

[StickShift]

This game is getting me hyped for playoff hockey. With the division on the line—and the Oilers looking to avenge the games against us at the very start of the season—this is probably our most meaningful game of the year.

Very curious to see what level of compete the team has. It will say a lot about how prepared Tocchet had this team for the playoffs.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

As per every game thread. I ask again, Tocchet, please try sensible lineup combos. Lindholm is wasted on the third.

 

[TruKnyte]

As per every game thread. I ask again, Tocchet, please try sensible lineup combos. Lindholm is wasted on the third.

Seems like questions on lineup deployments come up a lot from reporters. Get the sense that Tocchet doesn't want to be seen as giving in to their suggestions.

 

[VanillaCoke]

I'll take the over

 

[supercanuck]

This feels like GM 1 of the playoffs. Let's hope the boys respond with a big game. Come on! Let's go!

 

[vanarchy]

I don't think Toch will experiment with the lines against Edmonton so that leaves the 2 games after to try some things out before playoff time.

 

[Flik]

Oh god, not these assholes again.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Just f***ing show up from the drop of the puck.

Not after the 1st.

Or after the 2nd.

Put in a shift for the full 60 like it's the playoffs.

If they do that, I think they win.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

As per every game thread. I ask again, Tocchet, please try sensible lineup combos. Lindholm is wasted on the third.

No kidding. I thought he was really good yesterday - and we want him to score. And we pair him with...Di Giuseppe and Mikheyev?

I get that the top two lines have been doing well as of late. But personally, I'd roll with this -

Podkolzin - Miller - Boeser
Lindholm - Pettersson - Hoglander
Garland - Blueger - Joshua
Lafferty - Suter - Mikheyev

I think you spread the size, speed and skill to all the lines, reunite some combos that worked, and give Petey and Lindholm a chance together to build some chemistry. I don't even really care which one plays C and which one plays W.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Also, would be great if we could get a solid goaltending performance. Whether Demko returns, or we see DeSmith or Silovs in again.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Seems like questions on lineup deployments come up a lot from reporters. Get the sense that Tocchet doesn't want to be seen as giving in to their suggestions.

Maybe? If that is the case then he's only making himself look stupid. What's so frustrating is he'll try some shake ups mid game that actually seem to work but a shift or two later, he goes right back. Case in point, Joshua with Miller and Garland and Hoglander.

I still don't like breaking up Joshua and Garland but at least the above makes some amount of sense.

 

[Nucker101]

i have a really bad feeling about this game.

Our PK vs their PP could get ugly.


#FireMikeYeo

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Maybe? If that is the case then he's only making himself look stupid. What's so frustrating is he'll try some shake ups mid game that actually seem to work but a shift or two later, he goes right back. Case in point, Joshua with Miller and Garland and Hoglander.

I still don't like breaking up Joshua and Garland but at least the above makes some amount of sense.

I get what he's doing. The modern NHL is about rolling 3 lines that can score. This is a departure from what Tocchet used to work with when he first started in the league:

Dependable 1st line
Average 2nd line
Checking line
Goon squad/Energy line

That said, he's really trying to unlock offense across 3 lines when we don't have the guys to do this. Lafferty, Blueger, Suter, Mikheyev, Podkolzin, and PDG have largely regressed back to their norm or are just never going to provide you regular scoring. Hell, even McDavid couldn't help Connor Brown score. It's just best to do the simple things, even if it means employing old tactics.

I wish he had focused on keeping the top 6 as is (Pettersson, Miller, Boeser, Hoglander, Garland and Joshua/Lindholm) and done some adjustments in the bottom 6 to see if we could unlock an effective checking line.