Preview/Gamethread #58: Feb 23, 2023- Canucks @ St Louis

Feb 23, 2023 - 10:46 PM

VANCOUVER CANUCKS (22-30-5) vs ST LOUIS BLUES (26-28-3)

5:00 PM PST

ENTERPRISE CENTER, ST LOUIS, MO

TV: SPORTSNET PACIFIC. RADIO: SN650

The Canucks looked like they were out of it on Tuesday night in Nashville, and then they weren’t. In spite of a defensive “effort” from Tyler Myers that will be talked about for a long time, the Canucks clawed their way back into a tie before dropping it in the shootout for the second time this season to the Predators.

Now they head to Missouri, and the St Louis Blues, who appear to be blowing things up just a few short years after winning it all. Weird, I was under the impression you could only retool on the fly, that you couldn’t just accept that you had to rebuild, and actually do it. I am sure Francesco knows best, though.

Tonight will also mark the Canucks debut of the other piece in the Bo Horvat trade, as Aatu Raty will be in the lineup after being called up from Abbotsford. They’ve also called up Guillaume Brisebois, and Riley Stillman will sit out tonight. Despite how well he played, Phil Di Giuseppe has been returned to Abbotsford, which is a disappointment to say the least, but good news for the AHL Canucks as they march towards the playoffs.

LINEUPS

Canucks projected lineup

Andrei Kuzmenko — Elias Pettersson — Anthony Beauvillier

Conor Garland — J.T. Miller — Brock Boeser

Vasily Podkolzin — Aatu Raty — Sheldon Dries

Dakota Joshua — Nils Aman — Jack Studnicka

Quinn Hughes — Ethan Bear

Christian Wolanin — Tyler Myers

Guillaume Brisebois — Kyle Burroughs

Arturs Silovs

Collin Delia

Scratched: Luke Schenn, Riley Stillman

Injured: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ankle), Curtis Lazar (lower body), Thatcher Demko (groin), Travis Dermott (undisclosed), Ilya Mikheyev (torn ACL), Tanner Pearson (hand), Tucker Poolman (undisclosed)

Blues projected lineup

Brandon Saad — Robert Thomas — Jordan Kyrou

Ivan Barbashev — Brayden Schenn — Pavel Buchnevich

Sammy Blais — Logan Brown — Josh Leivo

Alexey Toropchenko — Nathan Walker — Tyler Pitlick

Nick Leddy — Colton Parayko

Marco Scandella — Justin Faulk

Tyler Tucker — Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington

Thomas Greiss

Scratched: Calle Rosen, Nikita Alexandrov

Injured: Torey Krug (lower body), Jake Neighbours (upper body)

Looks like it will be Arturs Silovs vs Giant Piss Baby Jordan Binnington in goal tonight. Raty will center Dries and Podkolzin, and Brisebois will be on the third pairing with Kyle Burroughs.

GAME DAY CHATTER

GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN

Danish bangers HATESPHERE have a new album on the way, with more of the melodic death-tinged thrash they’re known for. Check out ‘Cutthroat’ off ‘Hatred Reborn’ which hits the shelves on March 24th.

Enjoy the game, everyone. Go Canucks Go.