The Vancouver Canucks will hit the road again next week, but close out a two-game homestand on Sunday when the Calgary Flames come to town for a 6:00 p.m. game at Rogers Arena.
Sunday’s game will be the second in as many nights for the Flames, while the Canucks were able to hit the ice on Saturday for a rare practice. Evander Kane spoke to the media and mentioned that the practice was about spending less time in your own end and working on battles.
“They had a great effort,” said head coach Adam Foote following Saturday’s practice. “They were working on some things, and they were into it. They’re upbeat, so it was a good practice. We could take care of some things.”
The Flames are hosting the Dallas Stars on Saturday night for Hockey Night in Canada. It will be their fourth set of back-to-backs this season, and they have a 2-2-0 record in the second games.
Quick Hits on the Competition
- Matt Coronato leads the Flames with seven goals this season. He also leads the Flames with four power play goals, so he is one to watch when they are on the man-advantage.
- Defenceman Rasmus Andersson is averaging 24:16 per game. He is third on the Flames with five goals this year.
- Devin Cooley is scheduled to get the start on Saturday against the Stars, and that likely means that Flames’ starter Dustin Wolf will be in net on Sunday. Wolf has started 18 of their 22 games and holds a 5-11-2 record with a .892% save percentage, 3,08 goals-against average, and has one shutout.
- First periods are always critical, and it shows for the Flames, who have a 1-5-0 record on the road this season when they trail at the first intermission.
- They have scored 16 goals in the first and second periods on the road while scoring 13 in the third period.
The Story: A Dozen for Tom Willander
Rookie defenceman Tom Willander now has a dozen games of experience under his belt, and his head coach is liking the way that the 20-year-old is learning and improving through those 12 games.
“He’s done well. I mean, Willy’s got good feet and good hands, and he’s not uncomfortable going back for pucks,” said Foote.
“I feel like Willy has been progressing nicely.”
Foote likes the way that Willander is going into corners and defensive-zone battles. The head coach wasn’t sure how that adjustment would go, as Willander played the past two seasons in the NCAA, but says Willander has a bright future with what he has shown already at 20 years old.
Willander’s most consistent defence partner has been Elias Pettersson, closely trailed by Marcus Pettersson.
Canucks’ Top Performers over the Last Five Games
Quinn Hughes: 0g-10a-10p
Elias Pettersson: 4g-5a-9p
Kiefer Sherwood: 2g-3a-5p
Jake DeBrusk: 3g-1a-4p
Linus Karlsson: 2g-1a-3p
When and Where to Watch
Sunday’s game is at 6:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
