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Pre-Game Skate ~ Canucks vs. Oilers

Deja-vu?

Thursday September 20, 2007

Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers

7:00 pm (PST) – General Motors Place – Vancouver, B.C.

***This just in...Ryan Shannon will play his third consecutive pre-season game for the Canucks as Jannik Hansen broke his thumb in last night's 4-0 victory over the Calgary Flames***

Tonight the Vancouver Canucks continue to prepare for the regular season with a visit from the Edmonton Oilers. And for the Canucks they will have to deal with a young and unforgiving opponent. Surprisingly (to most) the Oilers have started off with impressive outing so far this pre-season. With victories over the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, it appears that ‘Alberta’s other team’ may be returning to 2005-06 form.

The formidable combination of Penner-Gagner-Hemskey is expected to bring its show to the GM Place ice surface tonight. Also in the line-up tonight is Sheldon Souray who will be making his Edmonton Oilers debut. Between the pipes for the Oil, it looks as though coach Mac-T will be going with Mathieu Garon and Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers.

As for the Vancouver, I would not expect that Dan McGillis is going to be a late insert as the Canucks have announced today that they have invited the 6’ 3” 220lbs defenceman to camp on a try-out basis.

It looks as though Coach Alain Vigneault will be icing a line-up similar to the one that faced off against the Ducks on Monday nights pre-season opener, with the exception of the goaltending duo where Cory Schnieder will get the start and pass off to Curtis Sanford part way.

As for the audition of Dan McGillis it kind of raises a few questions as to a) the playing status of Sami Salo and Aaron Miller or b) the Canucks’ coaching staff’s confidence in youngsters Luc Bourdon and Alex Edler. Reports were that Bourdon struggled in Monday’s loss to the Ducks on the other hand Alex Edler appears to impress everyone. Nathan McIver is getting enough press these days that it seems that he is pushing for a spot with the big club.

Is Dave Nonis working on dealing one of his top four d-men and is the current audition of Dan McGillis a move that is going to result in a contract offer to a serviceable veteran?

As for McGillis himself, he has always been a defenceman that has impressed me. He is not flashy but he doesn’t do anything that could harm the club. I think McGillis is a solid addition to any club and I was quite surprised to hear that he was even available

Tonight’s match-up should follow suit with last nights contest against the Flames as there is no secret that these two clubs do not like one another.

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