Canucks Game Day Preview | Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vancouver Canucks

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By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

December 6, 2024

The Vancouver Canucks are home against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Rogers Arena to begin their second 6-game homestand of the season.

The game comes after the Canucks successful completion of a 6-game road trip, which ended on Tuesday night with a record of 4-1-1.

Vancouver hopes to carry that momentum into their homestand, starting tonight against the Blue Jackets, and improve on their first 6-game homestand in November that saw two wins and four losses.

Columbus enters the game on the back end of back-to-back games having played last night and should be a little tired for the rested Canucks.

Current Records

The Canucks are currently tied for 4rth place in the Pacific Division with a record of 13-7-4, 30 points, .625 points percentage (P%).

The Blue Jackets are currently in 7th place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 11-11-3, 25 points, .500 Points Percentage (P%).

Last Games

The Canucks are coming off a 3-2 OT loss to the Minnesota Wild on December 3rd.

The Blue Jackets enter the game on the backend of back-to-back games, having lost to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place last night 6-3, their second consecutive loss on their 5-game road trip.

Canucks 411

  • Key Players for the Canucks:
    • Quinn Hughes: 6 goals, 29 points
    • Elias Pettersson: 7 goals, 23 points
    • Conor Garland: 8 goals, 22 points
    • Jake DeBrusk: 11 goals, 20 points
    • Kiefer Sherwood: 6 goals, 12 points; 150 hits
    • Goalie Kevin Lankinen: 12-3-3, 2.66 GA, .906  SV%, 2 SO
  • The Canucks have won four of their last six games.
  • The Canucks are 3-5-3 at home this season. They are 2-5-0 in their last 7 games at Rogers Arena.
  • The Canucks have scored an average of 3.25 goals per game overall this season.
  • Vancouver has averaged 2.91 goals per game at home this season and 4.00 goals against.

Blue Jackets 411

  • The Blue Jackets have lost four of their last five games.
  • The Blue Jackets are 3-8-2 on the road this season.
  • The Blue Jackets have allowed an average of 4.00 goals per game on the road this this season.
  • Columbus has averaged 2.69 goals for on the road this season.
  • Key players for the Blue Jackets:
    • Zach Werenski: 8 goals, 27 points, +11
    • Kirill Marchenko: 10 goals, 24 points, +14
    • Sean Monahan: 8 goals, 22 points, +11
    • Mathieu Olivier: 84 hits
    • Goalie Elvis Merzlikins: 8-6-2, 3.00 GAA, .894 SV%, 1 SO

Team Stats

Source: nhl.com

Prediction

The Canucks may be favored to win but if they do, it won’t be an easy win. They will have to rise above mediocrity on home ice.

I expect the Blue Jackets to be up for this game like a dog after a bone.

After the loss to the Oilers, the Blue Jackets, I am expecting them to play tighter defensively believing the Canucks record at home is truly indicative of how they are playing at Rogers Arena, until proven differently.

Offensively, the Canucks and Columbus match up well but overall, the Blue Jackets love to take the body as their roster indicates with many players with tens of hits.

Vancouver can not take Columbus lightly; to do so would be to underestimate their tenacity and ability to go toe-to-toe with them, both physically and in scoring.

The above being said, the Canucks have been playing well lately, and they should be able to take advantage of home-ice, and the last change.

“Should be able to” is easy to say.

The last 6-game homestand was embarrassing, and an example of how fleeting and elusive that so-called “home” advantage can be, without it being “earned.”

Every Vancouver player needs to look at themselves and each other, hit the ice and convince the hockey world that they are not a “one trick pony” only showing up with their best hockey on the road, away from Rogers Arena and the home fans.

The Canucks can not claim to be better than any of the teams on this homestand. Excuses are for losers. Prove it. Winning is the proof. Not talk. Not belief.

Enough is enough.

The time is now to show the fans and team  supporters alike on the Lower Mainland and the rest of British Columbia that each player on the team are ready to man up and play like they are possessed from the first puck drop to the last. Just like Conor Garland.

GAME ON!

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