10/17/2024 – Page 2 – CanucksBanter

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

October 17, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks (0-1-2, 7th Pacific Division) will be looking to snap their losing streak when they take on the Florida Panthers (3-2-0, t-2nd Atlantic Division) tonight at Amerant Bank Arena.

Canucks Breaking News

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that D Erik Brännström has been recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) and that D Derek Forbort has left the team for “personal reasons” and will be away for an indefinite period of time.

Vancouver Canucks Struggling To Find Winning Identity

Vancouver enters the game, having loast their opening game of a 4-game road trip to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night 4-1, their first regulation loss of the season.

The Canucks have struggled offensively this season, scoring just 8 goals in their first three games, allowing 13 against.

Last season, Vancouver averaged 3.4 goals per game, so they’re well below that pace. Also five of the Canucks eight goals came in the opening game of the season.

Vancouver will need to improve their play in all areas if they want to have any chance of winning their game against Florida.

Lack of preparedness, lack of grit, compete level, other inconsistencies, need to be addressed and improved upon with urgency.

Tocchet is demanding his players start stronger, win the battles, play with a higher compete level, and display much more intensity in their game play.

The question is, will the players do more than just listen against the Panthers and follow through with the game plan? They need to play a 60-minute game and not one period.

The coaching staff are hoping that the players can get the offense going in this game. They have a number of talented players, including Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk, and J.T. Miller.

If Vancouver can find a way to score enough goals to win, and they can play a solid defensive game, they have a chance to win this game and upset the 2024 Stanley Cup champs.

If they get that first win tonight, hopefully, that will lead to putting a few more wins strung together, steadily moving up the Pacific Division to the top spot.

Vancouver Needs to Embrace Underdog Rep

Last year, the Canucks were good in the underdog role, with 21 upset wins in 38 games. Vancouver needs their first upset win of 2024-25 season tonight.

Florida Panthers Struggles of Their Own

The Panthers, on the other hand, are coming off a 2-game winning streak, allowing 6 goals, scoring 8 in the pair of games.

Overall, while scoring 17 goals, they have allowed 18 goals against in 5-games to start the season.

In their last game against Columbus Blue Jackets, the Panthers were led by Eetu Luostarinen (goal and plus-3), Dmitry Kulikov (goal and plus-3), Niko Mikkola (2 assists), in a 4-3 win.

The Panthers will be looking to continue their winning ways and move up the in the Eastern Conference but will have to tighten up defensively if they are going to keep the game a low scoring affair with the Canucks.

Tkachuk, Barkov Unavailable For Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk (illness) is expected to be sidelined for at least a week with a potential return date of Oct. 22 versus Minnesota, Jameson Olive of the Florida Panthers’ official site reports. Expected Return: Oct 22, 2024

Aleksander Barkov (lower body) is expected to miss 2-3 weeks but could return before the team travels to Finland for the NHL Global Series in November. Jameson Olive of the Florida Panthers’ official site reports. Expected Return: Oct 26, 2024

Source: puckpedia.com

The Short Of It

This game is a matchup of two teams that are struggling: The Canucks who are struggling offensively putting the puck in the net. And the Panthers who are struggling defensively in keeping the puck out of the net.