Canucks hope to douse the Flames in Game 1
Posted April 15, 2015 12:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Vancouver Canucks push for the Stanley Cup begins this evening against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Vancouver will be trying to get past the first round of the playoffs since the 2011 Stanley Cup run. Eddie Lack will get the start in net with Ryan Miller still not 100 per cent after suffering a knee injury on February 22nd.
Coach Willie Desjardins says the decision isn’t a slight to Miller, he just hasn’t had enough time to recover.
“It was tough for him to come back for that one game and that is not fair to put him in that situation where he hasn’t had a good chunk of time to get ready.”
Desjardins believes his team is as prepared as they can be and now they have to show it on the ice.
“I think we want to make sure we bring out our best game. If our best game isn’t good enough, we can live with that. We can’t live with it, if we don’t bring our best game. We need to find out best game and deliver it.”
One category the Canucks have a distinct advantage in is experience. Vancouver is four years removed from the Stanley Cup run, and Kevin Bieksa says it is extremely valuable to know what to expect.
“The compete level and intensity is raised so much in the playoffs. As hard as you play in the regular season, you step it up a notch. In the playoffs you do things you wouldn’t do every time in the regular season. For some guys it could be finishing your check a little bit harder. For some guys it is going down to block a shot. I think you just lead the way in how you carry yourself.”
One player on Vancouver who will be making his NHL playoff debut is Bo Horvat and he says he isn’t nervous.
“I am more excited then anything. There will obviously going to be a little bit of nerves in the first couple of shifts. Right after that I will be good to go. I’m am just excited to get things going.”
The Flames and Head Coach Bob Hartley dismiss the notion that a lack of playoff experience is a bad thing.
“We are a young team backed with great leadership and great veterans. We did not receive an invitation for this party, we just walked in, so we need to keep the same attitude.”
Brad Richardson will return to the lineup after dealing with a foot injury. He will play on a line with Shawn Matthias and Derek Dorsett. Linden Vey will come out of the line-up.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. You can watch it on CBC. Listen for game updates every 10 minutes on the fives.
