Vancouver Canucks Seek Strong Finish Against the New York Rangers

The Vancouver Canucks are set to conclude their six-game homestand with a matchup against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. The Canucks have experienced a mixed performance during this stretch, holding a 2-3-0 record, and are keen to end on a high note against a formidable Rangers team.

In an impressive run last season, the New York Rangers reached the Eastern Conference finals and boast a lineup full of talent across all positions. The forward line is spearheaded by Artemi Panarin, a distinguished two-time first-team All-Star in the NHL, who has notched 10 goals already in the current season, putting him among an elite group of 17 players who have achieved the same.

On defense, Adam Fox—a former Norris Trophy recipient—is a key player, averaging 22:29 minutes of ice time per game. Fox has accumulated 13 assists this season, with seven of those coming during power plays. He is projected to be paired with K’Andre Miller, forming one of the league’s most dynamic puck-moving pairings.

In goal, the Rangers rely on Igor Shesterkin, a Vezina Trophy winner, who has shown consistency and skill. Shesterkin has started in 12 of the Rangers’ 17 games, boasting a record of 7-4-1, a goals-against average of 2.78, and a save percentage of .914.

The Canucks are eager for a victory before embarking on their longest road trip of the season, which will see them face off against teams in Ottawa, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, and Minnesota over the course of 12 days.

Addressing their recent gameplay, Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet emphasized the need for improvement in their penalty kill strategy following a game against the Nashville Predators. Tocchet expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s structure while shorthanded, saying, «We ran around a little too much. We gave that flanker shot, and we overplayed the one side. I didn’t like our structure in it.» Currently, the Canucks rank 14th in the NHL with a penalty kill rate of 80.4%.

Key contributors in shorthanded ice time for the Canucks include Tyler Myers (39:52), Carson Soucy (38:43), and Filip Hronek (38:22). Among forwards, Pius Suter leads in this category with 33:30, followed by Teddy Blueger (31:45), J.T. Miller (21:19), and Kiefer Sherwood, who has impressively not been on the ice for a shorthanded goal against this season.

Top performers for the Canucks over the last five games include Elias Pettersson with 4 goals and 2 assists, J.T. Miller with 1 goal and 4 assists, Erik Brännström with 2 goals and 2 assists, and both Danton Heinen and Quinn Hughes contributing 4 assists each.

The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start and will be broadcasted on Sportsnet, with radio coverage available via Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.