GAME DAY: Canucks @ Flames

Fresh off a decisive 4-1 win over the slumping Edmonton Oilers to wrap up an 8 game home stand which saw them go 6-2, the Canucks are right back at it in a huge game tonight against the Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome. With a win, the Canucks can vault past the Flames into 2nd in the Northwest and 7th place in the Western Conference. It certainly isn't going to be an easy one, and the Canucks will certainly need to bring a better effort than they did the last two meetings against Calgary. Both games saw the Flames dominate the Canucks in every aspect of the game. That being said, this certainly is not the same Canucks squad they faced back in October. Injuries were mounting then, but now the team is healthy and looking to start bringing the intensity of their home ice play on the road as February and March (and that ridiculous 14 game road trip) loom in the distance. Roberto Luongo was solid last night, and no doubt the Flames will look to start testing him early in the hopes that he is tired from playing the night before. The Canucks will need to match the Flames in the intensity and physicality department, and given the way their power play has been rolling lately, getting the Flames to take penalties by using their speed as they did against the Oilers last night will certainly help. The Flames have been stumbling of late, struggling to find goals amidst signs that Mikka Kiprusoff is cooling off his torrid play from earlier in the season. A team that seemed to be rolling in October and November is now searching for it's identity, still desperately trying to manufacture chemistry between Jarome Iginla and Olli Jokinen, and get some kind of scoring from anyone not named Bourque. The Canucks on the other hand have put together some decent games lately, 60 minute efforts against the likes of Washington, Los Angeles and Nashville, with balanced scoring to compliment the red hot Sedin twins and a D-core that seems to finally be finding it's legs, in spite of Kevin Bieksa and the Mathieu Schneider saga. I think you will see a tight, hard fought game, with the Canucks putting it away late as they show signs of one hitting the after burners at Christmas time again this year. Game goes at 5, PPV tonight, and on the air as always at http://www.team1040.ca