Everything you need to know before Canucks Vs. Ducks

Last time the Canucks won a hockey game, it was October 3rd, and they won 4-1 versus Calgary. Since then, they've played 10 games. They lost 9 in regulation and 1 in overtime. Tonight, they fly into Anaheim at 7pm Pacific, and Manny Malhotra has said out loud that he is seeking for answers. So really, how bad is it, and who has to get it going? Is Anaheim the team to do it against? we're going to break down everything you need to know, and exactly one number that fans are overlooking. Start with the standings, because this one hurts to look at. The Canucks are 2, 10, and 1. They have 5 points in 13 games. That's dead last in the NHL once again. The Edmonton Oilers have 18 points. Vegas has 17. Even the Los Angeles Kings, who played only 10 games, are at 8. Vancouver has played 13 games and has the fewest points in the division. Here is where it really breaks. In the 10 games of this winless stretch, they've scored 20 goals and have let in 45. That is two goals for and 4.5 against every night. And remember the number I teased shots. The Canucks have fewer than 20 shots on goal in five straight games. Their season average is down to 19.8. And the truth is you cannot win a hockey game if you're not testing the opposing team's goaltender. And with the Canucks only having two goals over the stretch other than the game they lost 6-3 versus the Hurricanes, getting shots on net is something they desperately need. Here's why tonight matters. Last season, this team set a franchise record with 11 straight losses in January. A loss tonight makes it 11 games without a win. And this is already the second double-digit skid in as many seasons. But quickly, if you want to stay up to date with everything to do around the Canucks make sure to hit that free subscribe button I'll keep you up to date daily and we're so close to a goal of 10,000 subscribers I want to give everyone a huge shout out now to the head coach Manny Malhotra who's not hiding from this and said quite a bit following their 4-2 loss to Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night we are searching for answers it's concerning just feel like we have a good period we have an understanding as to why we had a good period and then as soon as we come off of the things that we discussed being physical and being aggressive and winning puck battles we allow a transition team to come to life and it was not just a bad game it was a loud one quinn hughes came back to the Rogers Arena got booed from the opening puck drop an answer with the goal and assist he played 26 minutes and 10 seconds more than anyone on the ice and he hit his 500th career point Vancouver outshot Minnesota 10-5 in the first period Then Minnesota outshot them 29-7 the rest of the way Same coach, same message, and it still fell apart Brock Besser said the same We keep talking about it, like we do it for a period Then in the second period, we stop doing it I don't know why Duchene put it best A lot of time when you're hemmed in your own zone for a bit It feels like you're trying to survive Trying to survive in October Now to what Manny Malhotra is doing about this entire situation, and what he's doing is changing the lineup once again, and we're going to look at exactly what the Canucks practice with going into tonight's game. Line 1, Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser That is the top line, and it has been the most stable group Line 2 is a shuffle. Drew Connor, Filip DiPietro, with Jonathan Lekkermäki on the right. Lekkermäki had 4 goals in 13 games and now Filip DiPietro gets his shot next to him. Lines 3 and 4 follow as Marco Rossi centered with Liam O'Brien and Archie Baines on the wing, looking at the fourth line with Paul Cotter, Matt Sasson, and Brendan Gallagher. Paul Cotter and Jamie Letzak were both healthy scratches on Sunday and both are expected back into the Canucks lineup. Cotter took it well. He called Mahault's decision a compliment because the coach sees his game reaching another level On defense, Jamie Letzak is expected back after a healthy scratch, paired with Victor Mancini. Zavrel Boyum goes with Filip Pronik, but another source has Boyum with Luke Schenn so keep an eye during warm-up Linus Karlsson and Filip Pronik both took maintenance days on Monday. Mahault said there is no reason of concern, and both are expected to play. If Karlsson is in, it's four to come out. And Mahalter was asked why he keeps changing the lines. His answer? The guys would like to have consistency in their line mates but at the same time we need to find chemistry. He said they are trying to find a spark and my honest take is yes I understand breaking up a lineup doesn't help with the chemistry but with the way the Canucks are getting outshot and the way Manny Malhotra has not seen a inbuilt chemistry for a line yet switching these up in hopes of finding a spark is what Manny should be doing. Then to the goalies going in and with Malhotra skipping the practice, we don't get a clear answer on the starting goaltender, but all signs are pointing to one. Marolainen has been the bright spot. He stopped 30 of 34 shots against Minnesota. This season, he is 1-3-1 with a 3.13 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. Kevin Lankin is sadly on the other side of it. He is 1-7 on the season with a 6.17 goals against average and an .812 save percentage. He has not won since opening night in Edmonton. And to be fair to the goaltenders here the Canucks are not getting high danger chance shots and allowing quite a bit when it comes to the goaltenders in their crease so you can't put the full blame on either goaltender. Now to the list that matters and that's players that need to get it going and at the top of the list with all due respect is Brock Besser. He had three goals and six assists in 13 games to start the season. This is fine on paper, but when he is a minus 9, the second worst plus minus on the team, and he plays just under 18 and a half minutes a night. Number 2, Drew Connor. He has 1 goal and 2 assists in 13 games, and he is a minus 10, the worst plus minus on the team. Number 3, defenseman Philip Horonick. He's the team's workhorse. 25 and a half minutes a night, the most by any skater. He has 8 assists but 0 goals, and he is once again a minus 7. Number 4, Jake DeBrusk. He leads the team with 23 shots in 11 games and has 3 goals. This is 13% shooting rate. If the pucks start going in, it starts with him. Number 5 is Jonathan Lackermaaki. He had 4 goals on 19 shots, but the expected goals say it should be 2.4. This is going to be a player to watch as he continues his streak. And then the player I would watch the most is Petey. Pettersson leads this team with 13 points, four goals, and nine assists, and all four of his goals came on the power play. And that leads to the top line of Pettersson, Dabrowski, and Besser. This needs to be the best line on the ice for the Canucks tonight and get it going with the veterans looking with a vengeance. But who's on the other side looking to take on the Canucks tonight? That is the Anaheim Ducks that are five and six and not exactly off to a hot start either. The Ducks just snapped a 5 game losing streak with a 5-4 win in Philadelphia on Saturday. They have lost their last 3 home games, and they are the youngest team in the NHL. Their best player right now, Leo Carlson, with 13 points, 10 of them are assists. Beckett Seneca leads the team in goals with 6. And Cutter, who scored 41 goals last season, has 2 this year, both in the home opener. He is 8 games without a goal. Thankfully, the history favors Vancouver they took three of the four from Anaheim last season including Marco Rossi overtime winner on April 12th in a four to three game the books are not impressed though the ducks are favorites at minus 205 and Vancouver is plus 170 this is a lot of respect for a team that is last in the league and a lot of disrespect for the Canucks even the ducks power play is a problem for Vancouver to watch the first unit is Seneca Carlson Garland Lacombe and Cutter. So there's a lot of young guys there to punish a tired team. Okay, so what do you actually need to know going into their game versus the Ducks at the Honda Center? Next is San Jose on Thursday, then Toronto at home on Saturday. If there is a window to snap this, it is these next three. What to watch? First, shots. 25 would already beat the last five games. Second, the second period where Minnesota took the game. Third, the power play where Petey has all four of his goals but I want to know what you guys think go down in the comments right now and put win if you think the Canucks are going to end this current 10 game streak and put lose if you think this is going to extend to 11 after the game versus the Ducks but that's it for this episode I hope you guys enjoyed it go down in the comments and let me know all your thoughts to do around Vancouver hockey including Abbotsford prospects the current Canucks team as they're still in a bit of a rut and let me know your thoughts on this new style of editing do you guys like this let me know all your thoughts down in the comments i've been your host Mark Pye take care Canucks fans and i'll see you in the next one