Scouting the Canucks

This is Game 1 in the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series between the Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. In the regular season, the Canucks won twice in regulation while the Kings won once in regulation and once in a shootout. It’s also a rematch of the first-round playoff series from two years ago, which the Canucks won in six games. The Canucks will be without first-line winger Daniel Sedin, but the Canucks went 8-1-0 without Sedin to end the regular season. Vancouver, by far, has more collective NHL playoff experience. The Canucks, combined, have 929 playoff games to the Kings’ 569 games. The Kings, though, have four players on their roster who have won the Stanley Cup (Colin Fraser, Dustin Penner, Rob Scuderi and Justin Williams) while the Canucks have two (Samuel Pahlsson and Aaron Rome). The last time the Canucks lost in the first round of the playoffs was in 2004, when they fell to the Calgary Flames, then coached by Darryl Sutter. The Canucks will go with a first line of Mason Raymond, Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows, and with Roberto Luongo in goal. A reminder that, after tonight’s game, Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans will be broadcasting “Kings Talk” on 1150-AM. For the latest on the Canucks, check out the coverage from the Vancouver Province and the Vancouver Sun, followed by the possible lineups for the Canucks and the Kings…

The Vancouver Province’s Canucks coverage

The Vancouver Sun’s Canucks coverage

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CANUCKS LINEUP
Mason Raymond-Henrik Sedin-Alexandre Burrows
Maxim Lapierre-Ryan Kesler-David Booth
Chris Higgins-Samuel Pahlsson-Jannik Hansen
Manny Malhotra-Byron Bitz-Zack Kassian

Alexander Edler-Kevin Bieksa
Dan Hamhuis-Christopher Tanev
Aaron Rome-Sami Salo

Roberto Luongo
Cory Schneider

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KINGS LINEUP
Dustin Brown-Anze Kopitar-Justin Williams
Dwight King-Mike Richards-Jeff Carter
Dustin Penner-Jarret Stoll-Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford-Colin Fraser-Jordan Nolan

Rob Scuderi-Drew Doughty
Willie Mitchell-Slava Voynov
Alec Martinez-Matt Greene

Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Bernier