Vancouver's first bounce back game of the new season after 2-0 loss in Philadelphia
The Vancouver Canucks roll into Tampa Bay for the third stop on their five game road trip. All National Hockey League teams are going to have bounce back games following sub-par performances. The challenge for the Canucks is to ensure such bounce back efforts are few and far between over the course of the season.
Here is a collection of news and notes about tonight's matchup at Amalie Arena:
*The Canucks have had their struggles with Tampa in recent years with the Bolts winning six straight meetings including both games a week apart last season.
*While very little went right for Vancouver in Philadelphia on Tuesday, the penalty kill was a bright spot. Aided by Thatcher Demko's heroics in goal, the Canucks killed off all four Flyers power plays boosting the team's penalty kill to 80% (12/15) on the season. It will be worth monitoring to see if the Canucks can remain above the 80% threshold. Tampa's power play is 3 for 13 (23.1%) in the early going. However, two of those goals came in the Bolts lone home game so far.
*Five Canucks forwards have seen their ice time diminish game over game over game through the first three outings. Anthony Beauvillier, Phil Di Giuseppe, Dakota Joshua, Pius Suter and Sam Lafferty have all had their ice times plummet. Part of that is the fact the Canucks had a sizeable lead on opening night and were able to spread third period ice time throughout the line-up. But some of it is related to ineffective play from a few forwards, too.
*Newcomer Mark Friedman will take the pregame warm-up and is considered a game-time decision. If the right-handed defenseman draws into the line-up and makes his Canucks debut, he will become the eighth blueliner utilized by the Canucks just four games into their season. In the first week of the schedule, the team would already be halfway to the 16 d-men it used throughout last season.
*Ian Cole returns to Tampa for the first time since signing with the Canucks as a free agent on July 1st. The 34-year-old spent last season in Tampa Bay appearing in 78 games scoring three times and adding 14 assists while accumulating 61 penalty minutes. Cole averaged 19:23 of ice time with the Lightning. Through his first three games with the Canucks, he is averaging 22:45.
*There are just three NHL opponents Thatcher Demko has not defeated in his time in the league. Minnesota and Pittsburgh are two of them. The other? The Tampa Bay Lightning. Demko was injured and did not face the Lightning last season. In his career, he is 0-2 with a 3.46 GAA and .881 save percentage. He gets the nod tonight and will make back to back starts for the first time this season. Demko is coming off a 40-save performance in Philaldephia and carries a .953 save percentage into action tonight.
*It looks like Steven Stamkos will suit up tonight against the Canucks after missing Tampa's last two games with a lower body injury. Stamkos took the Bolts morning skate and declared himself ready to return to action. He has been an absolute menace against Vancouver over the years. In 18 career games against the Canucks, the 2008 first overall pick has 16 goals and 27 points. In the last meeting, Stamkos had a hattrick -- including his 500th NHL goal -- on January 18th at Rogers Arena. Stamkos has scored in five of his last six games against the Canucks and has at least a point in 14 of his 18 career contests.
While Stamkos always requires attention, Brandon Hagel is the guy holding the hot hand for the Lightning right now. Hagel had both Tampa goals in a 3-2 OT loss in Buffalo on Tuesday and has 4+1=5 on the season. He has scored in three of the four Lightning games so far this season.
Face-off time is set for 4pm Pacific time. The referees for tonight's game are Corey Syvret and Ghislain Hebert.
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