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The Vancouver Canucks look to get again within the profitable column Saturday in opposition to the stumbling Seattle Kraken. Andrei Kuzmenko is about to return.
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Seattle Kraken (6-8-4) vs. Vancouver Canucks (12-4-1)
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When/the place: Saturday, 7 p.m., Rogers Area
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TV: Hockey Night time In Canada. Radio: Sportsnet 650
The thrill: Saturday morning Andrei Kuzmenko, even sporting a nasty-looking gash and an enormous bruise on his chin, was all smiles.
“After one recreation, I come again to crew. I prefer it. Essential second for me as a result of I don’t need to lose recreation,” he advised reporters concerning the state of his chin, which took a direct blow from a flying puck Wednesday evening, knocking him to the ice after which out of consideration for Thursday’s recreation in Calgary.
It was an enormous change from when the general public final noticed Kuzmenko: he was writhing in ache on the Rogers Area ice, having taken the puck sq. within the face after J.T. Miller’s shot deflected off a New York Islander defender’s stick.
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“It’s okay, it’s no downside. It’s hockey,” he laughed about how he felt after taking the puck to the face.
“It’s man’s sport.”
“I keep in mind my first observe in NHL. J.T. Miller say to me: ‘Kuzy, you keep in entrance of web.’ I say, ‘OK no downside, what you need?’ ‘I shoot’ OK, no downside.’ Millsy has very onerous shot. I’m glad just isn’t damaged. Very glad,” he laughed.
He wore a face protect throughout Saturday’s morning skate, although he was fairly clear he didn’t like the way it affected his imaginative and prescient. He mentioned he was planning to talk additional with the crew physician concerning the protect and would ask if he couldn’t put on the additional facial safety.
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• With Kuzmenko obtainable to play once more, Linus Karlsson was despatched again to AHL Abbotsford and Akito Hirose was recalled. Hirose skated on a pairing with Tyler Myers, so it appeared he would swimsuit up Saturday and certainly one of Noah Juulsen or Mark Friedman could be a scratch.
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• As for the opposition, is that this the yr that the Salish Collection lastly kicks off? The Kraken have been final yr’s shock playoff performers. However they’ve struggled to defend in addition to they did final yr and are off to a stumbling begin. The Canucks, after all, are one of many tales of the season to this point. There’s loads on the road by way of the Canucks additional securing their playoff place — or giving life to the Kraken’s pursuit of such a spot.
The historical past: The Canucks helped open Local weather Pledge Area for the Kraken’s inaugural home-opener in 2021. In all, these two groups have confronted one another eight occasions over the previous two seasons: the Canucks have received six occasions.
The hope: Andrei Kuzmenko is about to return Saturday after lacking Thursday’s recreation due to a puck he took to the chin on Wednesday. The Canucks would like to see him return and burst out of the gates; he solely has three targets this season and hasn’t scored since Nov. 2 in San Jose. You’d suppose he’s due.
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The concern: The Canucks are struggling to attain five-on-five; if their particular groups begin to run dry, it is going to be tough to win even with the stellar efforts of goalie Thatcher Demko.
The highest weapons: As of Friday, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes have been nonetheless in a three-way tie for first in NHL scoring. Jaden Schwartz is off to a wonderful begin for Seattle, with eight targets and 7 assists by way of 18 video games. Vince Dunn is off to a outstanding begin with 16 factors from the blue-line.
The wounded: Canucks: Andrei Kuzmenko (face, day-to-day), Pius Suter (undisclosed, day-to-day), Carson Soucy (leg, week-to-week) and Guillaume Brisebois (concussion, LTIR). Kraken: Andre Burakovsky (higher physique, IR).
The quote: “They don’t get scored on as a result of they’re by no means of their finish.” — Sportsnet commentator Ray Ferraro on why the Quinn Hughes-Filip Hronek defence pairing has confirmed so dominant.
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The lineup:
Forwards
Mikheyev-Pettersson-Kuzmenko
Di Giuseppe-Miller-Boeser
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Beauvillier-Lafferty-Höglander
Defence
Hughes-Hronek
Cole-Juulsen/Friedman
Hirose-Myers
Thatcher Demko is anticipated to begin in purpose.
The prediction: The Canucks have performed plenty of hockey currently — and so have the Kraken, who can be enjoying their fourth recreation in six nights on Saturday. When two drained groups meet, it’s sensible to choose the house squad. Guess on the Canucks profitable 4-2.
(FAN FORUM: Do you’ve a particular query for a participant? Cross it alongside to @provincesports and we’ll get it in a future version.)
pjohnston@postmedia.com
twitter.com/risingaction
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