Game Preview: Struggling Canucks, Hapless Blue Jackets Meet Tuesday With Both Teams In Search Of Their First Win

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

0–3–0 (0 points)

7:00 P.M. – TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 NATIONWIDE ARENA  COLUMBUS, OH

Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Network)

Hey, somebody's gotta win it.

The Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets meet Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena in a battle of teams each in search of their first win of the season. 

Both teams 0-3- start is due in large part to an inability to keep the puck out of the net; Columbus' 14 goals allowed through the first three goals is tied for their worst start in franchise history, and the Canucks have allowed 14, as well. Vancouver has at least looked somewhat together on offense, though, scoring nine goals in the three losses. The Blue Jackets have tallied just five. 

RE: CANUCKS

Netminder Thatcher Demko has started the first three games for Vancouver, including the duration of a 6-4 loss Monday night to the Washington Capitals. On the second night of a road back-to-back, there's a high chance that backup netminder Spencer Martin is between the pipes against Columbus. Martin has limited NHL experience, but was fantastic in limited action last season. The 27-year-old went 3-0-3 in six starts and posted a 1.74 goals against average and .950 save percentage. 

Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau did not mince words after Vancouver's loss in the Nation's Capital, saying the team was "mentally weak", adding that when the team is in the mindset that they're currently in, they're "waiting for something bad to happen."

Despite the slow start, don't sleep on this team. Forwards JT Miller, Elias Petterson, and Bo Horvat can put the puck in the net at the blink of an eye. The trio haven't played together on the same line — all three are natural centers — but they've combined for five of the Canucks' nine goals to start the 2022-23 campaign. Look out for these guys, each of whom can you beat you in different ways. 

STORYLINES

• DON'T LET IT SLIP AWAY
  Not just the game, but the season. It's tough to make up ground in the NHL when you have a slow start, especially when you have a porous defense like the Blue Jackets are enduring right now. It's a remarkably tough schedule to open, but this is a winnable game. A loss Tuesday would send Columbus to 0-4-0 with games against Nashville, Pittsburgh, and the New York Rangers over the next week. In other words: go get the two points. 
   
• PARTY POOPER?
  After an impressive camp and preseason, it was fair to think that this season could be a break-out year for young forward Yegor Chinakhov — but it hasn't worked out that way so far. Chinakhov is a -5 on the plus/minus and has only picked up two shots on goal in nearly 45 minutes of time on ice. The sample size is small and new lines can take time to gel, so it's not quite panic time yet. It is something to keep an eye on, though.
   
• BLANKS SEASON DEBUT
  Adam Boqvist is out and Nick Blankenburg is in. After an impressive showing in his brief trial with the Blue Jackets at the end of last season, the club signed Blankenburg to a two-year deal over the summer. Columbus' defense has been putrid to start the season and this will be the 24-year-olds chance to cement himself into an everyday NHL defenseman.

PROJECTED LINES*

Updated: 7:05am

*SUBJECT TO CHANGE