Game Notes: Canucks vs. Flames

The Vancouver Canucks open their 49th NHL campaign tonight with a matchup against division rival the Calgary Flames. The Canucks and Flames play five games this season beginning tonight. The Flames return to Rogers Arena on February 9th and the March 23rd while the Canucks visit the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 6th and December 29th. The Canucks have a 25-17-5 all-time Opening Night record. Vancouver is 25-16-6 in home openers. Tonight marks the 11th time the Canucks have opened a season versus Calgary (and the eighth time they have opened at home against the Flames). Historically, Vancouver has posted a record of 6-2-2 in 10 previous opening night matchups versus Calgary (and a record of 3-2-2 in seven previous home openers against the Flames).

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT OPENING NIGHT BROUGHT TO YOU BY BUDWEISER:

1. Jerseys off our back: Canucks players will give away their game-worn jerseys to lucky fans at the end of the game.
2. Free beer!: All fans 19 plus will receive their choice of one complimentary Budweiser or American Vintage Barely Sweet Iced Tea. Pepsi or Aquafina bottled water will also be available "on the house" for younger fans and adults.
3. Big Heads: The first 4,000 Canucks fans along the glass at warmup (6:30pm) will receive "Big Head" cutouts of either Bo Horvat](https://www.nhl.com/player/bo-horvat-8477500), Brock Boeser](https://www.nhl.com/player/brock-boeser-8478444), Sven Baertschi](https://www.nhl.com/player/sven-baertschi-8476466) or Troy Stetcher.
4. Making it rain: New prize cannons will make their debut, launching more than 60 free t-shirts every 10 seconds.
5. Huge 50/50 jackpot: The 50/50 jackpot could exceed $200,000. More information is available at: canucks.com/online5050.
6. Happy Hour drink and food specials: Fans will enjoy happy hour food and drink specials from 5:30pm to 6:30pm thanks to Budweiser.
7. New Game Entertainment Showcase: Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:50 pm to enjoy the pre-game ceremonies, player introductions, new opening video and light show, and a powerful new sound system to enhance the overall experience.
8. New menu items: This year, fans will enjoy Lobster Poke for the first time. Black pepper bacon cones (a cone of just bacon) will be featured at the Bacon stand. Buffalo chicken tenders are also new, along with two new Sundaes; tropical coconut and salted caramel.
9. Pre-game parties on the plazas: Join the festive pre-game atmosphere on both the Toyota and South Plazas with live music, alumni autographs, face painting stations, fan activations and more.

LAST MEETING - DEC. 17/17: VAN 1 at CGY 6

Markus Granlund notched a power play goal for the second straight game...Alex Edler and Henrik Sedin each tallied an assist...Edler set a Canucks season high for most blocked shots in a game (7)...Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson each faced 19 shots.

RECENT CANUCKS HOME OPENER RESULTS

2017.18 vs Edmonton; 3-2 W
2016.17 vs Calgary; 2-1 W (SO)
2015.16 vs Calgary; 3-2 L (OT)
2014.15 vs Edmonton; 5-4 W (SO)
2013.14 vs Edmonton; 6-2 L

PRE-SEASON SUMMARY

The Canucks finished their pre-season with a 1-6-0 record. Elias Pettersson led the team in scoring with six points (1--6) in five games played. Bo Horvat finished second on the team with five points (2-3-5) in five games. The Canucks finished their pre-season slate with a 13.5% power play percentage (5/37) and 81.5% efficiency on the penalty kill (22/27).

NEW FACES IN 2018.19

The Canucks have three new players on the Opening Night 23-man active roster since the conclusion of the 2016.17 campaign: C Jay Beagle, C Elias Pettersson, and C Tim Schaller. LW Antoine Roussel begins the sesaon on injured reserve.
- Jay Beagle completed his seventh season with the Washington Capitals, recording 22 points (7-15-22) in 79 games played. He added 8 points (2-6-8) in 23 postseason games, helping the Capitals win their first Stanley Cup championship becoming the first player in history to win championships at the ECHL, AHL and NHL level. He ranked 5th in the NHL in faceoff win percentage with a career high 58.5% during the regular season and led the league in the postseason in this category (60.1%). - Elias Pettersson completed his first season in Sweden's top SHL league with Vaxjo HC, recording 56 points (24-32-56) in 44 games played. He led his team in assists (32), points (56), plus/minus (+27), and tied for the lead in goals (24) as a rookie. His 56 points set an all-time record for most points by an SHL rookie and he was subsequently named SHL Most Valuable Player, Forward of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He added 19 points (10-9-19) in 13 games played in the playoffs, helping his team win the Championship where he was named SHL Playoff MVP. - Tim Schaller completed his second season with the Boston Bruins, registering career-highs in games played (82), goals (12), assists (10), points (22). He also registered career-highs in shots (133), blocked shots (59) and hits (132) and was one of two players on the Bruins to play all 82 games. He led the team with 3 shorthanded goals.

2017.18 SEASON RECAP

• The Canucks finished the 2017.18 season with a 31-40-11 record and 73 points (7th in the Pacific Division).

• Brock Boeser finished his first full season in the NHL registering a team-high 55 points (29-26-55) in 62 games en route to being

  named Canucks MVP and Most Exciting. He became the first rookie since Mattias Ohlund in 1997.98 to be named to the NHL All- Rookie Team and represented the Canucks in the NHL All-Star Game, becoming the first Canucks player in history to win MVP honours.

• Loui Eriksson completed his 12th season in the NHL registering 23 points (10-13-23) in 50 games. He recorded a 3 game point streak from Nov. 18-22 (2-3-5) and from Nov. 26-30 (3-1-4) and played in his 800th career game Nov. 22 at PIT.
• Nikolay Goldobin split the season between the Canucks (8-6-14 in 38 GP) and Comets (9-21-30 in 28 GP) . He set an NHL career- high for games played (38), goals (8), assists (6) points (14) and shots (39).
• Markus Granlund Finished his fifth season in the NHL collecting 12 points (8-4-12) in 53 games. He recorded a season high for most goals in a game (2) Dec. 15 vs. SJS and played his 200th NHL game Dec. 9 at CGY.
• Brendan Leipsic split his first full NHL season between Vancouver (2-11-13 in 44 games) and Vegas (3-6-9 in 14 games). He recorded six points (2-4-6) over his first four games as a Canuck).
• Alex Biega finished his fourth season in the NHL registering nine points (1-8-9)
  in 44 games. He played his 100th NHL game Nov. 4 vs PIT and collected a career high 7 shots in a single game Dec. 19 vs. MTL.
  - Ben Hutton finished his third season in the NHL recording six points (0-6-6) in 61 games. He had a season high for most assists in a game (2) Nov. 7 at CGY and Dec. 30 vs. LAK.
• Derrick Pouliot finished his 4th NHL season collecting 22 points (3-19-22) in 71 games. He set a career high for games played (68), goals (3), assists (19), and points (22).
• Chris Tanev finished his 8th NHL season registering 11 points (2-9-11) in 42 games played. He scored in consecutive games for the first time in his career, Oct. 10-12 and recorded an assist in consecutive games, Oct. 19-20 and Jan. 14-20.
• Jacob Markstrom finished his eighth season in the NHL recording a career-high 23 wins (23-26-7) and a .912 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average in 60 games played. He won the Three Stars Award for the 2017.18 season and set a career high for games played (60), games started (57), wins (23), shutouts (2), and assists (4).
• Brandon Sutter finished his third season with Vancouver collecting 26 points (11-15-26) in 61 games. He had a career high (4) shorthanded assists and ranked sixth in the NHL in short-handed face-off wins (110).
• Alex Edler finished his 12th season with Vancouver collecting 34 points (6-28-34) in 70 games. He finished third in the NHL in blocked shots with 203 and won the 2017.18 Babe Pratt Award as the Canucks best defencemen.
• Erik Gudbranson finished his second season with Vancouver collecting 5 points (2-3-5) in 52 games. He tied a career high for hits in a single game (8) Nov. 4 vs. PIT.
• Sven Baertschi completed his fourth season with Vancouver collecting 29 points (14- 15-29) in 53 games. He led the team in shooting percentage (17.1% in 25 games played.
• Nikolay Goldobin completed his second NHL season with Vancouver collecting 14 points (8-6-14) in 38 games. He set a career high for games played (38), goals (8), assists (6), points (14) and shots on goal (39).
• Bo Horvat finished his fourth season with Vancouver collecting 44 points (22-22-44) in 64 games. He led the team in face-off wins (663) and also ranked 12th in the NHL in power play face-off wins (110).
• Jake Virtanen finished his third season with Vancouver collecting 20 points (10-10-20) in 74 games. He led all Canucks forwards with a career-high 155 hits and also set career-highs for games played (72), goals (10), assists (10), points (20), shots (127), hits and blocks (28).
• Michael Del Zotto completed his first season as a Canuck registering 22 points (6-16-22) in 82 games (which marked the first time in his career that he has played all 82 games). He led the team and finished fifth in the NHL in hits with 244 and finished second in blocked shots with 81 and second in defencemen shots with 128.
• Troy Stecher finished his second season with Vancouver registering 11 points (1-10-11) in 68 games. He set career highs for hits (110) and blocks (69).
• Anders Nilsson finished his first season with Vancouver recording seven wins (7-14-4) and a .901 save percentage and 3.44 goals- against average in 27 games played. He recorded a career-high two shutouts on the season.