Canucks Gameday Preview #48: 60-Minutes Effort Needed Against The Powerhouse Capitals

The Vancouver Canucks (20-17-10) will look to snap their two-game slide on Saturday night when they face the Washington Capitals (33-10-5). This will be the second and final meeting between these two teams, with Washington taking the first matchup 2-1 in overtime. As for the Canucks, they will look to pick up a rare win at Rogers Arena before hitting the road for three straight starting on Monday.

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Vancouver needs to be ready for the opening puck drop if they want to defeat the Capitals. First periods have been a massive issue for the Canucks as of late, with the team surrounding three goals in each of the last two games' first periods. While they will need a full 60-minute effort, if they go down by multiple goals in the first, fans could be in store for another long night.

Players to Watch:

Pius Suter:

After a hot start, Pius Suter has struggled to produce offensively. He hasn't scored in 22 games and has only one assist in his last 15. If Suter can break his slump, not only will it be a confidence booster for him but also for the entire roster.

Alex Ovechkin:

It is sad to say, but this might be the last time fans in Vancouver get to see Alex Ovechkin play. While he is under contract for another season, the Great 8 will be 40 before the start of the next season and may hang up the skates once he surpasses Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals mark. While fans don't often like to see the opposition score, a goal on Saturday by Ovechkin might lead to more cheering than boos.

Top 5 Scoring Leaders (Goals, Assists, Points):

Vancouver Canucks (20-17-10):

Quinn Hughes: 12-40-52
J.T. Miller: 8-25-33
Brock Boeser: 16-15-31
Conor Garland: 11-20-31
Elias Pettersson: 11-19-30

Washington Capitals (33-10-5):

Dylan Strome: 12-34-46
Aliaksei Protas: 20-20-40
Pierre-Luc Dubois: 9-29-38
Tom Wilson: 20-15-35
Connor McMichael: 17-18-35

Game Information:

Start Time: 6:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Place
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650

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