Dan Hamhuis returns to the Canucks lineup to take on the Hurricanes
Posted January 16, 2015 1:05 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CAROLINA (NEWS1130) – The Canucks blueline is set to get a much needed boost tonight when Vancouver battles the Hurricanes in Carolina. Dan Hamhuis will be in the lineup after missing the last 22 games with a groin injury. Hamhuis says he has been counting the days until his return.
“We have been testing it in practice for the last month and with the team over the past week and I feel very confident in it. I am going to approach the game with a simple focus. I have been out of the lineup for a while, but I have full confidence in my legs.”
It wouldn’t be shocking for Hamhuis to have a layer of rust after not having played since November, but he says the team has prepared him for tonight.
“Developing the physical part is one thing, and being sharp mentally is another part that is just as important or even more important. It is something I have been working on over the last few weeks. I have been part of all the team meeting and getting an idea of what is going on.”
After last night’s dominant performance against the Philadelphia Flyers, it would be surprising to see any lineup changes up front. Zack Kassian will likely be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
The Hurricanes will be banking on a tired Canucks team tonight. Vancouver has a 1-4-1 record in the second game of back-to-back’s this season. Carolina is near the basement of the Eastern Conference standings, but the team has played well in the last two weeks with a 4-1-1 record. Eric Staal leads the way for Hurricanes with 26 points in 38 games.
The puck drops at 4 p.m.. You can watch it on Sportsnet Pacific. Listen for game updates every 10 minutes on the fives.
