Music: {allcanada} CANUCKS (Last season: 36-35-11) at FLAMES (35-40-7)

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

{allcanada} CANUCKS (Last season: 36-35-11) at FLAMES (35-40-7)

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CANUCKS (Last season: 36-35-11) at FLAMES (35-40-7)

TV: SN, TVA SPORTS 2

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

10:00 PM ET

Season series: The Vancouver Canucks won all five games against the Calgary Flames last season, including a 5-4 overtime win at Scotiabank Saddledome on Oct. 6 and a 3-2 shootout victory at Rogers Arena on Jan. 18. Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin scored two goals against the Flames in Vancouver's season finale, a 5-1 home win, before he was taken off the ice on a stretcher following a hit from behind by Calgary center Paul Byron.

Canucks team scope: The game marks the NHL debut of coach Willie Desjardins, who was hired in June to replace John Tortorella after he led the Texas Stars to the American Hockey League championship last season. Desjardins won't be the only new face on the Vancouver bench; the Canucks signed veteran goalie Ryan Miller and forward Radim Vrbata in the offseason, and defenseman Luca Sbisa and forwards Nick Bonino, Derek Dorsett and Linden Vey in trades. ... The Canucks hope to have injured defenseman Kevin Bieksa in the lineup. He sustained an upper-body injury in a preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers last week and will be a game-time decision in Calgary. "You want to play on opening day, I definitely would like to play, but you also have to be smart," the 33-year-old defenseman told the Canucks website. "Playing one game and then sitting for four or five is not smart and not good for the team. A lot of factors to consider, but it's Game 1 and there's a lot of games this year."

Flames team scope: A shoulder injury has ended center Sam Bennett's bid to make Calgary's roster out of training camp. General manager Brad Treliving announced Tuesday that Bennett, who was the No. 4 pick at the 2014 NHL Draft, will miss an undisclosed amount of time with the injury. The Flames believe the 18-year-old forward's injury may require surgery. "We are probably going to spend the next 24 to 48 hours finalizing his plan of care. There is a strong possibility that this could require a surgical procedure. We're just not there yet in terms of the final prognosis." ... It remains unclear which goalie, Jonas Hiller or Karri Ramo, will emerge as the regular starter for Bob Hartley's team. Maybe the answer is neither. "They're both good goalies," captain Mark Giordano told the Calgary Sun. "They'll start the season battling for that No. 1 spot or they'll split, and that's fine with us. So far, they've been a good tandem." … Hiller, who signed a two-year contract after spending seven seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, will start the season opener. Hartley will go with Ramo on Friday against the Edmonton Oilers.

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