Kuzmenko’s chin looks nasty but he should play for Canucks tonight
Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko is the latest to prove just how tough hockey players are.
The 27-year-old was involved in a scary incident in a game on Wednesday night versus the New York Islanders, where he took a slapshot from teammate J.T. Miller off the face. Kuzmenko went down immediately and was in noticeable pain on the ice.
Andrei Kuzmenko has gone to the dressing room after getting a puck to the face. pic.twitter.com/hFABB5P7A9
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 16, 2023
To no surprise, Kuzmenko was held out of the lineup the following night in a game versus the Calgary Flames. It appears his absence will be short-lived, however, as he was taking line rushes with the Canucks at practice this morning, indicating that he will play tonight against the Seattle Kraken. In typical Kuzmenko fashion, he had a big grin on his face all practice long.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 18, 2023
Getting Kuzmenko back into the lineup will be big for the Canucks, who are looking to rebound after falling to the Flames by a 5-2 score on Thursday night. While the Russian sniper hasn’t found the back of the net as often as expected early this season with three goals, he has still managed to put up 14 points through 16 outings.
Despite their recent loss, the Canucks have been fantastic so far this season. Through 17 games, they sit second in the Western Conference with a 12-4-1 record. They boast the league’s three top scorers at 27 points apiece in Miller, Quinn Hughes, and Elias Pettersson, proving their dominance. Thatcher Demko has been lights out as well, with a 2.04 goals against average and a .932 save percentage through 11 starts.
Tonight’s game will come against a Kraken team that has struggled to replicate their success from a season ago. Through 18 games, they have a 6-8-4 record, along with a -18 goal differential. Puck drop between the two is set for 7:00 pm PT.
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