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Vancouver at Calgary

The Canucks renew hostilities with the Calgary Flames tonight at the Saddledome when they play the first half of a pre-season home-and-home against their most recent playoff rival.

There won't be as much at stake tonight compared to the Canucks' last visit to Calgary back on April 25 but the bad blood between the teams should still be flowing even if it is just a pre-season affair. What continues to be at stake, especially for the younger players, are jobs which means tonight's game will be another opportunity for them to showcase their NHL readiness not only in terms of skill but also toughness. Given last spring's spirited playoff series between the clubs, it would not be a surprise if this game had more of a physical tone compared to a typical pre-season contest.

The Canucks, who have been off since falling 4-0 on Tuesday to the Sharks at home, will face a Flames team that played last night in Colorado although very few, if any, of the Flames who played yesterday will likely be in the lineup tonight. As was the case on Tuesday, tonight's game is a designated overtime preview contest so there will be a sudden-death, five-minute 3-on-3 overtime period regardless of the score at the conclusion of regulation.

Puck drop at 6 pm PT – Live on Sportsnet ONE

   

Vancouver vs Calgary

The Canucks reach the midway mark of pre-season tonight when they host the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena.

As easy as it is to say that pre-season games are meaningless, that is not entirely true. Wins and points may not count for anything, but there is certainly some value when it comes to building confidence and momentum heading into the regular season. With that said, the last thing the Canucks want is to go 0-for-2 against the Flames in pre-season especially considering the fact that Calgary will provide the opposition for the first two games of the regular season. The Canucks started strong last night with Jake Virtanen opening the scoring on a power play before the Flames answered with four in a row to take the game by a score of 4-1. For good measure, Calgary also scored in the mandatory 3-on-3 overtime session.

Vancouver's lineup tonight is expected to feature numerous veterans including birthday boys Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Alex Burrows, and Radim Vrbata up front, and Dan Hamhuis and Alex Edler on the back end. Ryan Miller will also likely see action in tonight's contest. For the Flames, just by process of elimination, it's expected that Karri Ramo will get the call for tonight's game after Joni Ortio started on Thursday and Jonas Hiller was in net last night.

Puck drop at 7 pm PT – Live on Sportsnet

   

Vancouver vs Arizona


The Canucks begin the back half of their pre-season schedule tonight with a date against the Arizona Coyotes at Rogers Arena.

With four pre-season games already in the books and the original 58-player camp roster slowly whittling down to a number close to the 23-player regular season limit, the Canucks' focus in these final four tune-up contests will shift from evaluating talent to preparing for opening night. That would include building chemistry on potential line combinations and defensive pairings, as well as getting the goaltending tandem of Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom in top form by October 7. It also means trying to pick up at least a win or two down the stretch if only to build some confidence. Vancouver has lost three in a row since beginning pre-season with a victory over the Sharks a week ago, most recently falling 4-3 in overtime to the Flames on Saturday.

While the majority of players expected to start the season in the AHL have already been dispatched, the Canucks still have some tough decisions to make regarding some youngsters who have shone so far in pre-season including Ben Hutton, Jared McCann, Brendan Gaunce, and Jake Virtanen. These back-to-back games – Vancouver plays in San Jose tomorrow night – could be the make-or-break for those players.

Puck drop at 7 pm PT – Live on Sportsnet ONE

   

At least they scored some points yesterday. That was kind of encouraging. Let's see if they can keep it up.

   

The guys only managed 1 goal against the Dogs tonight, but it was 1 more than Arizona...Gotta remember, it's only the preseason, so nothing really means diddly squat....It is nice hearing some recognizable names on the ice though!

   

Vancouver at San Jose


The Canucks face the San Jose Sharks for the third and final time in the pre-season tonight at the Shark Tank in San Jose.

With three games left in the exhibition campaign, there are still questions abound with regards to who will be in the lineup when the Canucks begin the regular season on October 7 in Calgary. A lot of that has to do with the play of the potential rookies who are making their case that they are NHL-ready. Last night, it was Jared McCann who shone again in the spotlight tallying his first goal of the pre-season on a power play to lift the Canucks to a 1-0 home win over the Coyotes. Also impressing were blue-liner Ben Hutton, who notched his team-leading fourth assist and fourth point of pre-season, and forward Jake Virtanen, who finished with a game-high six hits while not looking out of place skating with the Sedin twins.

There is a possibility all three of those aforementioned youngsters could see action again tonight in San Jose taking on a Sharks team that is expected to feature most of their top stars including the likes of Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture, and Burns. Based on who we saw – or rather didn't see – yesterday, tonight's lineup will likely also include veterans Alex Edler and Chris Tanev on the back end, and Jannik Hansen, Derek Dorsett, and Brandon Prust up front.

Puck drop at 7:30 pm PT – Live on Sportsnet ONE

   

McCann scores again after winning the game last night, and Virtanen was in on it too.

It's going to be hard to send these two kids back down to Juniors.

1-1

   

Vancouver at Edmonton

The Canucks play their final road game of the pre-season tonight when they head into Edmonton to take on the Oilers and rookie phenom Connor McDavid.

With six games already in the books, the pre-season storylines are familiar ones by now – evaluate the promising youngsters and bubble players who could crack the opening night lineup, and get the veterans up to speed. But even those basic storylines will take a backseat to a degree tonight when the Canucks tangle with an Oilers club that has, seemingly overnight, become the most must-see team in the NHL thanks to the arrival of 18-year-old junior sensation Connor McDavid. McDavid, at least so far in pre-season, hasn't disappointed being among the team leader in points while helping Edmonton to a perfect 5-0 record. It remains to be seen if he'll suit up tonight or in the pre-season finale on Saturday in Vancouver, but it's certain that all eyes will be on him when he does.

The Canucks have plenty of matters of their own to worry about in these next two games aside from McDavid on the ice. They made just one cut following Tuesday's 2-1 loss in San Jose sending Alex Grenier to Utica meaning tonight will be yet another opportunity for the bubble players to make their case for an opening night roster spot. One player expected to play both tonight and on Saturday is 19-year-old Jared McCann, who scored the lone goal in the loss to the Sharks on Tuesday.

Puck drop at 6 pm PT – Live on Sportsnet 360

   

Puck Bunny alert, behind the Canucks bench

   

pics?

   

Yeah, I don't get Sportsnet 360 either.

Isn't that typical Vancouver Sportsnet though? They give us all these boring games with the Sharks, and stiff us on the one everybody would like to see by sending it to the upper cable.

Sounds like a good game too. I'm listening to it on radio. Horvath just scored to make it 5-2. Haha, they're paying back Edmonton for beating up the prospects 9-2.

Virtanen scored one somehow by having the puck bounce of his head, or something. C'mon Jake it's not soccer. They thought he was injured, but he's OK. Whew.

Gaunce took one off the nose and finished his penalty kill before going to the change rooms in a previous game.

These new kids have something the old Canucks lacked. Fortitude? Gumption? I don't know, but something.

   

I think they only showed her once, just before the opening face off.

   

It went in off his face and he only took a knee, then he skated off the ice on his own, soccer guy would have been put on a stretcher and carried off.

   

The benches are on the same side of the ice as the cameras, not like in Vancouver, so we don't get multiple shots of the benches or the cuties behind them during the game. As for Virtanen, he took a bunch of stitches below the eye before returning to the game.

   

Yeah, he was leaking pretty good.

   

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