Vancouver Canucks: November 2011 Preview and Predictions

The Vancouver Canucks play 13 games in November, with nine of those on the road including a six-game roadtrip to start the month.

There are three different back-to-back situations on the road as well. Only three of the games are against Northwest Division opponents. 

Vancouver Canucks November 2011 Schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 1 @ Calgary Flames

Thursday, Nov. 3 @ Minnesota Wild

Friday, Nov. 4 @ St Louis Blues

Sunday, Nov. 6 @ Chicago Blackhawks

Thursday, Nov. 10 @ LA Kings

Friday, Nov. 11 @ Anaheim Ducks

Sunday, Nov. 13 vs. New York Islanders

Wednesday, Nov. 16 vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Sunday, Nov. 20 vs. Ottawa Senators

Wednesday, Nov. 23 @ Colorado Avalanche

Friday, Nov. 25 @ Phoenix Coyotes

Saturday, Nov. 26 @ San Jose Sharks

Tuesday, Nov. 29 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets 

Notable Games

Nov. 4—The Canucks go into St. Louis after the Blues humiliated them with a shutout loss in Vancouver. The Canucks will try and return the favor.

Nov. 6, 16—The Canucks play a home-and-home series with the Chicago Blackhawks. The teams have met in the playoffs in each of the last three years.

The fact that the Hawks beefed up their lineup with goons in the offseason pretty much guarantees sparks are going to fly. I’m betting at least one player (my money is on Chicago's Daniel Carcillo) gets suspended. 

Nov. 28—The Canucks visit San Jose for the first time since ousting the Sharks in the Western Conference finals.

The Sharks will be looking for payback after an especially chippy and physical playoff series. I wonder if Joe Thornton will be challenging Canucks to fight before the anthems again.

Canucks to Watch

David Booth—The speedy winger showed flashes of why Mike Gillis traded for him in the win against the Capitals, where he recorded his first point as a Canuck.

Can he start scoring some goals now that he has a solid line with Ryan Kesler and Cody Hodgson?

Roberto Luongo—Now that October is over, can Luongo regain his Jennings Trophy form?

Cody Hodgson—Two goals and an assist while playing out of position on the wing and bouncing back and forth between the second and third lines isn’t bad for a rookie, but Canucks fans are expecting something more.

Now that Hodgson has a stable line with Kesler and Booth, can he start playing the playmaker role and rack up some points? 

November Predictions

After a 5-5-1 record in October, the Canucks are looking to turn the corner get back into the same form that saw them dominate the NHL and win the 2010-11 President’s Trophy. 

I think the six-game road trip to start the month is just what the team needs, especially since there is a three-day break in California, perfect for some team building and practice time. 

The Canucks will go 7-4-2 in November, climbing back into the playoff picture and threatening to take the Northwest Division title away from the upstart Oilers if they don’t just stake out first place in the division outright by the end of the month.