Canucks Aim To Upset Lightning To Begin Extended Roadtrip

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

October 15, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks (0-0-2) face a tough challenge as they head into Amalie Arena to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-0-0) tonight in the opening game of a 4-game road trip.

BACKGROUND

Tampa Bay are a perennial powerhouse known for their team scoring, strong defense, and timely goaltending.

Vancouver are a team in transition, with a mix of young talent and veteran presence. They’ll need to play a disciplined and opportunistic game to steal a win in Tampa.

LAST GAME:

Lightning

Nikita Kucherov had a natural hat trick in the third period and an assist for the Lightning in a 4-1 road win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Friday, October 11, 2024.

Victor Hedman notched three assists, including two on the power play and two shots on goal.

Canucks

Morgan Frost scored the decisive goal for the Philadelphia Flyers in the fifth round of a shootout in a 3-2 win against the Canucks at Rogers Arena on Friday.

Conor Garland recorded an assist and two shots on goal; Teddy Blueger scored a goal on three shots and added three hits.

Tampa Bay Home Opener Tonight

The Lightning are having their home opener tonight after Hurricane Milton tore through Tampa Bay, canceling their original home opener on October 12 against the Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay will be looking to make a significant positive statement against Vancouver after the Hurricane Milton disaster.

Keys to a Canucks Victory:

• Neutralize Tampa’s Offense:
  • The Lightning boast a potent attack, led by stars like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. The Canucks need to limit their time and space, and be aggressive on the forecheck to disrupt their offensive flow.
• Stay Disciplined:
  • Tampa Bay have a dangerous power play. The Canucks need to avoid taking unnecessary penalties and stay out of the penalty box.
• Win the Special Teams Battle:
  • Capitalizing on their own power play opportunities and effectively killing penalties will be crucial for the Canucks, if they expect to knotch their first win of the season.
• Strong Goaltending:
  • Whether it’s Arturs Silovs or Kevin Lankinen in net, the Canucks will need strong goaltending to keep them in the game against Tampa’s offensive leaders, giving them a chance to win.
• Offensive Opportunism:
  • The Canucks need to capitalize on their scoring chances and make the most of their shots on goal. They can’t afford to waste opportunities against a team like Tampa Bay.
  • The shots must reach the net for a direct score or rebound chance for a goal.
• Strong Net Presence
  • Canucks must have strong net presence and pressure to help any shots find the back of the net and/or take advantage of any rebounds.

X-Factors

• Canucks’ Young Stars:
  • Players like Nils Aman and Arshdeep Bains need to step up and make an impact offensively along with Nils Höglander and Aatu Räty.
• Physicality:
  • The Canucks need to match Tampa Bay’s physicality and not be intimidated playing in Amalie Arena.

To Wrap Up

This is a tough matchup for the Canucks. Tampa Bay is a strong team on home ice.

However, if the Canucks play a disciplined game, get strong goaltending, and capitalize on their chances, they have a shot at pulling off an upset.

Next game: Vancouver at Florida Panthers on October 17th, 2024 @ 4:00 pm PDT.