Revolving-door Canucks host Rangers
Last Updated: Tuesday, November 3, 2009 | 9:08 AM PT
By Chris Iorfida CBC Sports
Vancouver goalie Andrew Raycroft has won two of three since being forced into action by Roberto Luongo's injury. (Nick Didlick/Getty Images)The Vancouver Canucks, getting by in the face of continuous injuries, host the New York Rangers on Tuesday — their last home game before a five-game road trip.
Vancouver is looking for a second straight win at GM Place after derailing the surprising Colorado Avalanche with a 3-0 victory on Sunday.
Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler and Tanner Glass scored for the Canucks (8-7), but the team continued its distressing pace of injuries.
In this case it was pre-game injury, as Michael Grabner injured his ankle playing soccer with teammates outside the dressing room. The Canucks expect to learn more about the extent of the Austrian speedster's injury on Tuesday.
The Canucks did get Kyle Wellwood back in the lineup sooner than expected after a foot injury. Wellwood, still searching for his first goal, was a plus-1 against Colorado.
Vancouver has just 10 players who've suited for all the games so far this season, resulting in a revolving door lineup nearing 30 players in total who've donned the Canucks jersey so far.
The injuries have provided opportunities for the likes of Mario Bliznak and Matt Pettinger, who was re-signed on Monday for his second regular season stint with Vancouver.
Pettinger played 20 games for the Canucks late in the 2007-08 season after coming over from Washington in a trade for Matt Cooke.
In net, Andrew Raycroft has won two of three games subbing for injured star goalie Roberto Luongo, about as good as could be expected from a netminder who's struggled in recent years.
Raycroft finished with 18 saves in net against the Avalanche to bounce back from getting yanked in his previous start. It was his seventh career shutout.
Raycroft won his first nine starts with Colorado last season, but proceeded to lose all but three of the final 16 starting assignments. The previous season, he won just two games in 19 appearances for Toronto.
The hope in Vancouver is that he won't be required to man the crease all that much.
Luongo, dealing with a rib injury, skated on Monday and is targeting a return at some point during the team's upcoming road trip.
Vancouver's next home game is on Nov. 17. The road trip begins Thursday in Minnesota, a prelude to a pair of longer, Olympic-imposed journeys later in the season.
Rangers back in win column
When teams are struggling, they need their goaltender to step up and help steal a game, and that's just what Henrik Lundqvist did for New York (8-4-1) on Sunday afternoon in a 1-0 win over Boston.
Lundvist stopped 29 shots for his 21st career shutout. Marian Gaborik returned from a two-game injury absence to score his 11th goal, tied for second in the NHL.
New York had been just 1-4-1 heading into the game after reeling off seven straight victories.
The coldest Ranger of all is former Montreal Canadiens forward Chris Higgins, who has yet to score in his first 14 regular season games with his new club.
"We needed some confidence to feel good about ourselves and as a team," said Lundqvist. "This week is going to be a challenge for us. We know it's going to be tough, but this will definitely help us."
The 'challenge' the Swedish all-star was referring to is a three-game road trip in Western Canada that will see New York play in Edmonton on Thursday and on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday against Calgary (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. PT).
While the Rangers rarely visit the Canucks, they've lost on the last four trips. The last New York win in Vancouver was on Oct. 11, 1997.
With files from The Associated Press
