Unfortunate schedule does not favour the Nucks

JETS (47-17-4) at CANUCKS (31-25-11)

10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3

Radio: Sportsnet 650

The MUST WIN Home Game series is almost complete, and not mostly won, Nucks face the best team in the league, for one final home loss, before heading out on the most grueling 6 game road trip of the year.

If the Jets play a slow, sloppy game and the Nucks play lights-out D and take no penalties (Jets have the #1 PP) - Nucks will likely only give up 1 EN goal in the loss.

LINEUPS

Jets projected lineup

Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Gabriel Vilardi

Nikolaj Ehlers -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Cole Perfetti

Nino Niederreiter -- Adam Lowry -- Mason Appleton

Brandon Tanev -- Morgan Barron -- Alex Iafallo

Josh Morrissey -- Dylan DeMelo

Dylan Samberg -- Luke Schenn

Haydn Fleury -- Colin Miller

Connor Hellebuyck

Eric Comrie

Scratched: Ville Heinola, David Gustafsson, Rasmus Kupari, Logan Stanley

Injured: Neal Pionk (lower body)

Canucks projected lineup

Nils Hoglander -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser

Jake DeBrusk -- Pius Suter -- Kiefer Sherwood

Drew O'Connor -- Teddy Blueger -- Linus Karlsson

Dakota Joshua -- Nils Aman -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek

Marcus Pettersson -- Tyler Myers

Elias Nils Pettersson -- Derek Forbort

Kevin Lankinen

Arturs Silovs

Scratched: Victor Mancini

Injured: Conor Garland (undisclosed), Filip Chytil (upper body), Thatcher Demko (lower body), Noah Juulsen (lower body)

Status report

The Jets had an optional morning skate. ... Hellebuyck is expected to start after Comrie made 14 saves in a 3-2 overtime win at the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. … Garland did not take part in morning skate. The forward is "banged up" and will be a game-time decision, coach Rick Tocchet said. If Garland plays, it likely would be in the spot occupied by Karlsson, who was called up from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. … Elias Nils Pettersson replaces Mancini on the third defense pair after being scratched the previous two games. … Demko took part in the morning skate for the first time since he was injured Feb. 8, and the goalie will join the Canucks for a six-game road trip that starts at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

GAME DAY CHATTER

Tocchet talked today about how the #Canucks are changing Petey’s game on @sportsnet650.bsky.social “Regroup hockey, taking the puck back, won’t win in the NHL…I think sometimes Petey likes to regroup, slow the game down…we’re just trying to re-program his brain.” dailyhive.com/vancouver/to...

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— Noah Strang (@noahstrang.bsky.social) March 18, 2025 at 10:40 AM

#Canucks have moved rookie Jonathan Lekkerimäki to PP1. Here is he talking with Rick Tocchet and Brock Boeser.

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— Noah Strang (@noahstrang.bsky.social) March 18, 2025 at 10:54 AM

He hasn't been given a ton of talent to work with, but man, this #Canucks team is so very, very hard to watch. Low-event hockey that would make Jacques Lemaire drowsy.

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— Smoke E. Doodle 🇨🇦 (@carsandguitars.bsky.social) March 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM

GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN

As we watch the Nucks good ship Playoff Hopes sink into the waters of False Creek, recall a string quartet serenaded the Titanic's last dip into the sea. It's not as melancholy as it sounds. Or maybe it is.

Enjoy the game, everyone. Fuck Trump, Fuck Elon, Fuck Putin and Fuck the USA. Go Canucks Go!