GAME DAY: Ducks @ Canucks

For the Vancouver Canucks, this year's pre-season seems to not just be about getting prepared for the upcoming 82 games, but about new beginnings and exorcising some of the demons that plagued them last year. After a team record setting season 2 years ago, last year was a huge step back for the Canucks, one that ultimately cost GM Dave Nonis his job. New GM Mike Gillis has brought in a number of new faces, and while he didnt hit the homerun by snagging Mats Sundin or another superstar free agent, the players he did bring in seem to have meshed well, to the point the team appears to now have 3 solid lines. The losses in personnel from last season are big, but this improbable 6-0 run seems to not only have taken everyone's minds off who has left, but taken some of the sting away from missing the playoffs last season and given fans and the team optimism for the upcoming season. The boys in blue wrap up the preseason tonight at GM Place as they take on the Ducks. Both teams will be icing lineups that are essentially what they will start the season with, barring a couple exceptions. The line of Daniel and Henrik Sedin with Steve Bernier will be front and center tonight. The line has 16 points in 3 games and seems to really coming together. Roberto Luongo has been stellar this preseason, his save percentage just a shade under 97% and a GAA of 0.90.

The Ducks will be led by their usual cast, but you may see Brendan Morrison in the lineup tonight on a line with Teemu Selanne and Chris Kunitz, marking Mo's first return to GM Place since signing with the Ducks in the offseason. This game should have some emotion, with the scuffle between Corey Perry and Henrik Sedin late in the contest a week ago probably not completely forgotten, and both teams proabably still have a couple roster spots up for grabs. Nolan Baumgartner was sent to Manitoba by the Canucks, while Jeff Cowan and Nathan McIver wwere placed on waivers, McIver interestingly enough was quickly grabbed by the Ducks. If Cowan clears waivers he will report to Manitoba. The Canucks hope to make tonight their first unbeaten preseason in team history and their best since 1973 when they went 7-3. The game goes at 7pm and can be seen live on canucks.com, or on the radio on team 1040.