The Canucks hope Lightning doesn’t strike
Posted January 1, 2014 10:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The Canucks kick off 2014 when they host the high-flying Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Arena tonight.
Vancouver will try to rebound from a 4-3 shootout loss to the Flyers two nights ago against a Lightning team that, despite losing their top player in Steven Stamkos back in early November, has still managed to stay to near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Tampa is opening a four-game Western Canada swing and looks to snap a two-game losing skid. The team expects to have Ryan Malone and Eric Brewer back in the lineup. Ex-Canuck Sami Salo, however, will miss tonight’s game with an upper-body injury.
Eddie Lack gets the call again for the Canucks with Roberto Luongo still sidelined. Ben Bishop will start for the Lightning.
This game also marks the return to Vancouver for Rick Bowness. The associate coach for Tampa held the same position with the Canucks for seven seasons. Bowness was dismissed from his role in Vancouver after the Canucks were swept in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
