Tanev out as Canucks look to extend the streak in Calgary
Posted January 7, 2017 10:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY, AB (NEWS 1130) – The Canucks know they have to be better against the Flames tonight in Calgary (7pm, CBC) if they hope to push a season high winning streak to seven games against the same opponent they took down on Friday night at Rogers Arena.
Vancouver won the game 4-2 over the Flames, but were heavily out-shot and out-chanced. The shot differential (-33) was the largest the Canucks finished with in the history of the franchise, despite collecting the two points to pull into a playoff spot.
“We didn’t play the way we wanted to play.” Canucks coach Willie Dejardins said after the game on Friday night.
“Sometimes, when you can win without your best stuff, it’s good too. We can play better than that, but it was good we found a way to get those points.”
The team will have to be better, but they’ll need more from the back end, as blueliner Chris Tanev will not play. Tanev took a point shot in the back on Friday night and did not return to the game. It’s been deemed an upper body injury, and did not travel with the team to Calgary last night. Alex Biega is expected to dress in Tanev’s place. Biega was on the ice Saturday morning in Calgary for the morning skate – a small group that included Alex Burrows, Jacob Markstrom, and newly acquired forward Reid Boucher.
Fellow D Luca Sbisa may see a little more time as a result. He talked about the keys for his team as they embark on a three game trip that will see stops in Philadelphia and Nashville after Saturday.
“I think our starts are important on the road.” Sbisa said.
“We have to make sure we match the home team’s intensity right off the bat in the first five minutes. After that, I think we have to play a pretty greasy road game.”
