Tale of the Tape: Canucks @ Ducks (1.25.13)

Friday, 25.01.2013 / 12:00 PM / Features
By Daniel Fung

Team Record: 1-1-1
Last Game: 3-2 SO/W vs Calgary (JAN.23.13)

Season Series: 0-1-0
Last Meeting: 3-7 L (JAN.19.13)		 Team Record: 2-0-0
Last Game: 5-4 W at Calgary (JAN.21.13)

Season Series: 1-0-0
Last Meeting: 7-3 W (JAN.19.13)

THE SET-UP

Fresh off their first win of the season on Wednesday over the Flames, the Canucks (1-1-1) hit the road for three straight games in California beginning tonight in Anaheim with a date against the unbeaten Ducks (2-0-0).

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • The Canucks are looking to spoil the Ducks' home opener the same way the Ducks did to them six nights ago in a 7-3 Anaheim win.
  • Ducks F Teemu Selanne stole the show six nights ago netting two goals and two helpers in the win. F Daniel Winnik also chipped in a couple of goals.
  • Vancouver is winless in their last three road openers (0-1-2). They have an all-time record of 21-15-5 in road openers.
  • The Canucks led all Western Conference teams in road wins last season with 24 away from Rogers Arena.
  • Canucks F Maxim Lapierre missed practice yesterday with a groin injury but is hopeful to play today. If he can't go then F Andrew Ebbett, who was a healthy scratch on Wednesday, would likely take his spot in the lineup.
  • G Cory Schneider will get the start for the Canucks and will likely go up against G Jonas Hiller for Anaheim. Schneider has a 3-2-0 career record versus the Ducks with a 2.99 GAA and .882 save percentage with one shutout. Hiller has a 9-4-0 career record versus the Canucks with a 3.03 GAA and a .905 save percentage.
  • The Ducks are looking to win three straight games to begin a season for just the second time in team history. The last time they did so was in 2006.07. That year they went undefeated in their first 16 games (12-0-4) and capped off the campaign by winning their first-ever Stanley Cup.
  • The Ducks have won their last two straight home openers and have a 10-8-0 franchise record in all-time home openers.
  • Thanks in large part to the recent lockout it has been over a calendar year since the Canucks last visited the Honda Center. The last time they were there back on December 29, 2011, Canucks G Cory Schneider stopped 30 of 32 shots while F Daniel Sedin led the way offensively with two goals in a 5-2 Vancouver win.
  • The Canucks have not managed to win in consecutive visits to Anaheim since the arena's name changed from the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim to the Honda Center. Their last win streak in Anaheim spanned three games from January 9, 2004 to November 20, 2005. Dan Cloutier, now a goaltending consultant for the Canucks, was the netminder on record for all three of those wins.

FOLLOW THE ACTION

Tonight's game faces off at 7 pm PT and can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet Pacific. Listen live on The TEAM 1040 Sports Radio or online at teamradio.ca.

Those away from a TV or radio can follow @CanucksGame on Twitter for live in-game play-by-play.

THE CANUCKS WIN IF...


  • They stay out of the box. Vancouver's penalty kill bailed them out on Wednesday against the Flames, for a change, but they won't want to take any chances against an Anaheim PP that went 3-for-3 against them six nights ago.
  • They get a lead and hold it. The Canucks have squandered leads in all three games they've played so far, including back-to-back outings where they've let two-goal leads slip away. They've managed to have good starts, but now they have to learn to finish.
  • They escape the second period unscathed. Seven of the 11 goals they've surrendered this season have come in the middle frame. It's a carryover from last season where the second period was also their worst defensively as they gave up 80 second period goals compared to just 46 in first periods and 63 in third periods.


THE DUCKS WIN IF...


  • They continue to get balanced scoring. Ten different Ducks got on the scoresheet in Anaheim's 7-3 victory over Vancouver last Saturday. By comparison, only eight Canucks have notched a point over the team's first three games this season.
  • Bobby Ryan joins in on the scoring parade. Anaheim's leading scorer against the Canucks in last year's season series did not factor into the scoring last Saturday and is still seeking his first points of the new campaign.
  • They shut down the Sedin line. Vancouver's top line seems to be the only one generating any kind of offence 5-on-5 for the Canucks so far.

ZACK KASSIAN

One of the big question marks for the Canucks coming into this season would be whether or not Zack Kassian could play to his potential as a dominant power forward. So far, the Windsor-native seems to be headed on the right path.

The former first round pick of the Sabres has demonstrated in the early-going of the new season that he can hit, fight and, most importantly, score. His strong play has earned him a promotion up to the Sedin line and he's taken full advantage of the opportunity scoring in back-to-back games.

Kassian, who celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday, will try to stretch his goal streak tonight to a career-best three games against a Ducks team that he has yet to record a point against in two career outings.

DANIEL WINNIK

You can understand if Daniel Winnik might feel like he's back at the University of New Hampshire considering the last time he was a noted point producer was when he played college hockey with the Wildcats. Right now, however, there's no hotter Duck than the 27-year-old Toronto-native.

Winnik leads the Ducks with four goals and shares the overall team points lead with five. He has scored two goals in each of his first two games played so far making him the first Ducks player in history to begin a season with back-to-back multi-goal games. Prior to this season, he had only one career two-goal game at the NHL level.

The former ninth round pick of the Coyotes will look to stretch his goal streak to three games tonight which would mark a career-high. Including the two games he notched against the Canucks on opening night, he has amassed five points (2-3-5) in 27 career games versus Vancouver.

Game Notes on Canucks.com are written by Daniel Fung. Follow him on Twitter @daniel_fung or e-mail him at dfung_sports@hotmail.com.

CANUCKS LEADING SCORERS

2012.13 Regular Season

Player GP G A P +/-
Daniel Sedin
 3 1 3 4 0
Alexander Edler
 3 2 1 3 1
Zack Kassian
 3 2 0 2 0
Dan Hamhuis
 3 1 1 2 -3
Henrik Sedin
 3 0 2 2 2
DUCKS LEADING SCORERS

2012.13 Regular Season

Player GP G A P +/-
Daniel Winnik
 2 4 1 5 0
Saku Koivu
 2 1 4 5 0
Teemu Selanne
 2 2 2 4 1
Ryan Getzlaf
 2 2 2 4 1
Andrew Cogliano
 2 0 4 4 5
IN THE INFIRMARY

For the Canucks...

F Maxim Lapierre (groin) will be a game-time decision. F Ryan Kesler (shoulder/wrist surgery) and F David Booth (strained groin) are on the injured reserve list.

For the Ducks...

D Sami Vatanen (foot) is on the injured reserve list.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 – Wins needed for Coach V to reach 400 career NHL victories.

8 – Points needed for Henrik Sedin (749) to surpass Markus Naslund (756) as the franchise's leading point scorer.

81st – All-time meeting between the Canucks and Ducks. Vancouver leads the all-time series 40-29-11.

249 – Career power play goals for Anaheim's Teemu Selanne, tied with Phil Esposito for third all-time.

896th – Career game as a Canuck tonight for Henrik Sedin, tying him for second-place on the franchise's all-time games played list with Stan Smyl.

THE TWEET STUFF

@canuckshockey

- Man, @geroysimon playing for Saskatchewan would be like Trevor Linden lacing up for the Bruins.

@TheseWeCovet

- If Kassian can play like this on a somewhat-regular basis the Canucks have got a gem. Kid looks good this year!

@sean_norman

- So, we're buying this house in Yellowknife. It's address is 135. We're naming our home Schneidongo. #canucks

DID YOU KNOW?

The seven goals the Canucks surrendered to the Ducks six nights ago was the second-most they have ever given up in a season-opening game in team history. The most goals they have ever surrendered in a season-opening game is nine to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 9-5 loss to kick off the 1976.77 season.

The seven goals scored by the Ducks also tied a Canucks team record for most goals they've ever surrendered to Anaheim in a single game. Anaheim had previously scored seven goals against Vancouver on two other occasions before this year's season-opening thumping.