Scouting the Canucks

This is Game 2 in the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series between the Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. The Kings hold a 1-0 series lead. Both teams will have different looks tonight. The Kings’ new look will be more subtle, as Andrei Loktionov will replace Kyle Clifford (upper-body injury) as the fourth-line left winger. Vancouver’s changes could be more dramatic. The Canucks are expected to dress Keith Ballard instead of Aaron Rome on defense, and Andrew Ebbett instead of the suspended Byron Bitz at forward. Rumblings in the Vancouver media also suggest a change on the Canucks’ first line, with Maxim Lapierre possibly replacing Mason Raymond, alongside Henrik Sedin and Alexandre Burrows. Ballard, who suffered a concussion in early February and hasn’t played since, had one goal and six assists in 47 regular-season games. Ebbett returned from a fractured collarbone and played in the Canucks’ last four regular-season games but was a healthy scratch in Game 1. Ebbett had five goals and one assist in 18 regular-season games. 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
Maxim Lapierre-Henrik Sedin-Alexandre Burrows
Mason Raymond-Ryan Kesler-David Booth
Chris Higgins-Samuel Pahlsson-Jannik Hansen
Andrew Ebbett-Manny Malhotra-Zack Kassian

Dan Hamhuis-Kevin Bieksa
Alexander Edler-Sami Salo
Keith Ballard-Christopher Tanev

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
Andrei Loktionov-Colin Fraser-Jordan Nolan

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

Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Bernier