Canucks set to host first full scrimmage
Posted January 16, 2013 2:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Canucks get their first simulated game action tonight when they play their first scrimmage at Rogers Arena. With no preseason games this year, tonight’s first of two intrasquad games will be as close as it gets to game action before. With no charge for tickets, a crowd of over 10,000 fans is expected.
“They’re going to be playing an intrasquad game in, you know an almost NHL ambience so I think it’s going to be real good for our guys,” says head coach Alain Vigneault, who adds that with a morning skate, it will resemble a regular season game day.
Vigneault and the coaches also focused on the powerplay units in today’s workout. With Ryan Kesler missing the start of the season, Jannik Hansen was skating on the first powerplay unit forward line alongside the Sedins and Alex Edler teaming on the blue line with newcomer Jason Garrison who might be called on to replace Sami Salo’s big point shot on the top unit.
Vigneault doesn’t think that anybody can predict what is going to happen this year with no exhibition games, and with only a few Canucks players having spent the lockout in real league situations. Game time is 7 p.m. Admission is free but fans are required to register at the Canucks website.
