Preview: Bruins take on Western Canada, starting in Vancouver

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 10 PM

Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Nucks Misconduct

Know your enemy

Despite having a superstar in Brock Boeser and a high level talent in Bo Horvat, thaaaat’s just about all the Canucks have this season. They sit with 50 points, tied for the second least in the Western Conference with the Edmonton Oilers.

• Brock Boeser: 27G-22A-49P; Thomas Vanek: 16G-23A-39P; Henrik Sedin: 2G-35A-37P
• Jacob Markstrom: 16-20-5, 2.78 GAA, .908 SV%; Anders Nillson: 6-10-1, 3.39 GAA, .905 SV%

Game notes

• In what feels like a confidence boosting win before the trip, the Bruins are coming off of a 5-2 victory at home over the Calgary Flames. Despite being down 2-1 after one, the Black and Gold dominated the last 40 minutes and clearly demonstrated their will to win over the final two frames. Patrice Bergeron continues to play his name into the Hart Trophy conversation.
• Oh, Vancouver. This season continues to be hard to watch, despite its set up for the future. Sitting in the depths of the West, not a playoff hope in sight, the difference between this year and the 2016-17 season is the actual promise of hope. Brock Boeser has proven to be electric on the ice and might very well be the Calder Trophy winner. Thatcher Demko has a chance next year to play his way to the NHL. If Jim Benning can continue his good luck, this could be the rock bottom to a fresh start.
• Bo Horvar has played only 40 games, but has skyrocket to 29 points, fifth overall on the Canucks roster. Whether or not that says bad things about free agent acquisitions like Sam Gagner, our very own Loui Eriksson, prospect Jake Virtanen, and a whole slew of others, that’s not for me too ay.
• Goldobin-Horvat-Boeser is very much the first line of the future, at the moment in Vancouver. The Sedin twins and Vanek are quite the...aging second line. Don’t look beyond that, it’s not pretty.

Never forget

How can you not remember the majesty of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 any time the B’s are in Vancouver?