Canucks Game Night: Will the real Vancouver Canucks please stand up?
The Canucks start a busy schedule in December with a six-game home game, starting with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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(10-8-5, 4th in the metropolitan division)
at VANCOUVER CANUCKS
(8-14-2, 8th in the Pacific Division)
Saturday, 7 p.m., Rogers Arena.
TV: CBC, Sportsnet. Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM.
WHY WATCH
Did the Vancouver Canucks turn a corner or did they just take advantage of two of the league’s last players to clinch wins over the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens on the road this week? The Pittsburgh Penguins eclipsed the Canucks last week but aren’t pulling all the cylinders themselves, having faced a COVID-19 outbreak in training camp and into the season, missing superstar Sidney Crosby for one long period and still waiting for Evgeni Malkin to suit for the first time this season. It’s a different group than what we’re used to.
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CHEF POINTS
Penguins
1. Jake Guentzel GP 22 G 10 A 10 PTS 20 (-5)
2. Evan Rodrigues GP 23 G 8 A 8 PTS 16 (Pair)
3. Kasperi Kapanen GP 23 G 4 A 9 PTS 13 (+2)
CANUCKS
1. JT Miller GP 24 G 8 A 15 PTS 23 (-2)
2. Quinn Hughes GP 23 G 2 A 18 PTS 20 (+4)
3. Conor Garland GP 24 G 7 A 11 PTS 17 (+3)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PENGUINS: PP 13.6% (27th) PK 91.4% (1st)
CANUCKS: PP 18.1% (20th) PK 64.5% (32nd)
THREE THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
• Who are these guys : The Penguins have controlled the game in most of their games, creating many more opportunities to score than their opponents. But since their 4-1 win over the Canucks on Nov. 24, things have turned sour and they aren’t creating as many scoring opportunities. They remain a strong defensive group, and the Canucks struggled to reach the net against teams like this.
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• Star health: Malkin is still coming back from off-season knee surgery, but he’s traveling. His return to the lineup remains a question mark as he is not yet participating in contact exercises. Crosby has only played 11 games this season. He missed the first seven games after wrist surgery and was back just days when he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Crosby is back to pick up points, a welcome sign for a team that had eight players and head coach Mike Sullivan in the COVID protocol.
• Special Team Troubles: The Penguins’ power play has struggled all season, but lately they’re not even generating shots. And the penalty, which remains the best in the league, bleed shots against. Still, they haven’t allowed a power-play goal in eight games and have killed 22 straight opposition advantages.
pjohnston@postmedia.com
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