The Vancouver Canucks put on a show at Rogers Arena on Thursday night with a 4-3 comeback win and will look to follow that up with another strong performance on Saturday night when the Seattle Kraken come to town.
We’ve seen the Canucks and Kraken play three games so far this season, and two of those have gone to a shootout. These two teams in the Pacific Northwest have played each other 18 times since the Kraken joined the NHL, and it has been an even split, with each team winning nine times. So, get ready for game 19.
Saturday’s game will be the third game of the Canucks’ eight-game homestand. Their 4-3 win on Thursday saw Brock Boeser score his 16th goal of the season, and he also notched his second multi-point game in his last four outings.
Quick Hits on the Competition
- The Kraken sit one point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 29-26-9 record.
- They are currently on a four-game losing streak, during which they have allowed 19 goals against.
- Kraken captain Jordan Eberle leads the team with 22 goals and 44 points this season. He has scored 18 of his 22 goals at even-strength this season.
- Eberle has 28 goals and 23 assists for 51 points in 57 career games against the Canucks.
- Brandon Montour leads the defence corps by averaging 22:33 of ice time.
- Vince Dunn leads Kraken defenceman in scoring with 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points and is averaging 22:01 of ice time per game.
- Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, and Adam Larsson are the only three Kraken players who have played in all 64 of their games this season.
- Between the pipes, Joey Daccord has made 39 starts compared to Philipp Grubauer’s 21 this season. Daccord has started six of their last eight games.
The Story: Rossi’s Big Game
Marco Rossi came up big for the Canucks on Thursday night.
He had his first three-point game in a Canucks jersey, getting in on all three of the Canucks goals. It was the sixth game of his career with three or more points in a contest.
“I just felt really good. The bounces were maybe more on our side today. My linemates, Brock and Liam, made it easy for me. So, yeah, [it] feels good,” said Rossi in the postgame media on Thursday night.
“It’s clicking, game by game, it’s always getting better. You know, the chemistry is coming. So, it’s important. Everyone is bringing something different to our line, and I think that’s the key.”
The trio of Rossi, Boeser, and Liam Öhgren combined for six points on Thursday night. Head Coach Adam Foote said he likes the balance on that line, and he credited Boeser for being a leader on the unit and for getting Öhgren and Rossi up to speed with the Canucks.
Canucks’ Top Performers over the Last Five Games
Filip Hronek: 2g-4a-6p
Marco Rossi: 2g-4a-6p
Brock Boeser: 4g-1a-5p
Linus Karlsson: 1g-3a-4p
Teddy Blueger: 1g-2a-3p
Jake DeBrusk: 1g-2a-3p
When and Where to Watch
Saturday’s game is at 7:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on Hockey Night in Canada or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
