Author Archives: Tyler Asaoka

Vancouver Canucks Star Goaltender, Thatcher Demko, Re-injuries Knee in Practice; Out Indefinitely

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The dark cloud hovering over the Vancouver Canucks organization this year continues to strike, as Canucks start goaltender, Thatcher Demko, has re-injured his knee at practice on Thursday. He was nearing his return from his injury but is now out indefinitely. He suffered his injury on December 1st at the end of the 1st period against the Florida Panthers.

He will likely be out for the rest of the season, as there really is no reason to rush him back. It’s better for him to fully recover and be ready for next season than rush him to come back and play when the Canucks season is already basically over, as it’s pretty much impossible for the Canucks to make the post-season this year.

While Demko has been recognized as a star goaltender across the league, he hasn’t had a stellar season this year to top his Vezina-caliber performances from last season. This season so far, Demko started in 15 games and had a record of 3-10-2 with a 0.883 save percentage. In comparison, last season Demko played in 64 games (started in 61 games) and had a record of 33-22-7 with a 0.915 save percentage. 

The plan was to have Demko be the backup for the Canucks game Vs Philadelphia Flyers game this Saturday, but that obviously won’t be the case anymore. If Demko did return, it wasn’t confirmed on who would have been sent down to make room for him. It likely would have been Arturs Silovs since he’s only played 1 game and it was in a losing effort. It’s obvious that the Canucks organization looks at Collin Delia as their backup goaltender, as they chose him over Spencer Martin and likely will choose Delia over Silovs.

With how bad things have gone for the Canucks this season, this isn’t even much of a surprise. The Canucks and their fans should just be used to bad news and bad misfortune every day. I’m sure Canucks fans can’t wait for this year to end, but should we really be excited for Canucks hockey next year? I guess it depends on how the trade deadline, the draft and free agency goes for them this year.

What to Takeaway from Canucks Goaltender, Arturs Silovs’, First NHL Start

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The Vancouver Canucks started Lavian goaltender, Arturs Silovs, for their game against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. It was his first start in the NHL, and it likely didn’t go the way he envisioned.

The Canucks lost 6-4, meaning it was a much closer game than most people likely expected. The Rangers are a top team in the NHL this year with Vezina trophy winning goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, and the Rangers started him against the Canucks. He allowed 4-goals against the Canucks, which is surprising since the Canucks don’t score lots of goals every game.

For Silovs, he allowed 5 goals against the Rangers. The loss, 6-4, was because the Rangers scored an empty net goal to hand the Canucks their 30th loss of the season. With the Canucks suffering their 30th lost, their playoffs hopes are basically over (if it wasn’t already obviously over), as teams who suffer 30 losses in a season usually don’t make the playoffs.

Perhaps that’s the reason why the Canucks chose to give Silovs a chance to play, as they don’t have many other good options. Since they’re basically already out of the playoffs, they might as well give other goaltenders and players a chance to get some NHL experience before this abysmal season ends. 

Despite the loss, Silvos kept his chin up after his first game being a loss. He was grateful for the opportunity and talked about how it was fun to play. He also talked about how the skill and speed level is significantly different from the AHL to the NHL, which is expected. 

The Canucks will again on Satuday at home against the Philidelphia Flyers. Head coach, Rick Tocchet, hasn’t confirmed if Silovs will get his 2nd start of his NHL career or if the Canucks’ other goaltender, Collin Delia, will get the start.

One thing’s for sure is that Silovs will stay with the team for the next few games, as the Canucks’ star goaltender, Thatcher Demko, has re-injured his knee at practice, meaning he will continue to sit on the sidelines, despite him nearing his return.

Vancouver Canucks Vs New York Rangers Pregame Analysis – February 15th

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The Vancouver Canucks play their 55th game tonight against the New York Rangers. 

The Canucks play their 2nd straight home game, following a 6-1 brutal loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. 

The Rangers are currently on a 5-game win streak and a 7-game point streak entering tonight’s game. They will look to extend their streaks against the struggling Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks are currently 6th last in the league but are close to falling even further down the standings with teams below them starting to catch up to them. Teams like the Arizona Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks are 6 or fewer points away from jumping over the Cancuks in the standings. For Canucks fans, they might look at this in a good way, as the further they fall down the standings, the better chance they will have to land franchise-changing talent and personal Canucks fan, Connor Bedard. The Vancouver native is touted as a generational talent, and I’m sure even he is getting excited at the thought of playing for his hometown team.

The Canucks will have some changes to their lineup tonight. Canucks goaltender, Spencer Martin, was placed on waivers on Monday and went unclaimed, meaning he will report to the Canucks AHL affiliate, Abbotsford Canucks. His first start on the Abbotsford Canucks wasn’t too great, as he let in 3 goals in the first period. Not too good for someone who was playing on the main Canucks team.

Canucks head coach, Rick Tocchet, has confirmed that 21-year-old, Arturs Silovs, will get the start in goal tonight. It will be his NHL debut against a top 5 team in the NHL… yikes!

The Canucks are currently 21-29-4 heading into this game. They will play again at home on Saturday against the Philidelphia Flyers. The game will be on at 7 pm (PST).

Toronto Raptors Vs Orlando Magic Pregame Analysis – February 14th

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The Toronto Raptors are set to play the Orlando Magic in a Valentine’s Day showdown.

The Raptors currently hold a record of 27-31, while the Magic hold a record of 24-34. This will be the last game the Raptors play for the next week as after this game, the Raptors will be on the All-Star weekend break. 

The Raptors will have 1 representative for the All-Star game this coming Sunday, as Power Forward, Pascal Siakam, will present the Raptors in the All-Star game. He will either play on Team LeBron or Team Giannis after the team captains draft their team right before the All-Star game.

The starting lineup for the Raptors has been confirmed by head coach Nick Nurse. The starting 5 will be VanVleet, Barnes, Achiuwa, Siakam, and Poeltl.

Raptors Power Forward, Scottie Barnes, is on the verge of making Raptors history, as he’s only a few points away from hitting 2000 career points. The Rookie of the Year last year is currently averaging 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season.

The Magic sit 3rd last in the Eastern Conference, while the Raptors sit 9th in the Eastern Conference. This same conference matchup is an important one for the Raptors as they look to continue to push for a play-in spot. They’ve made it clear at the trade deadline that they are looking to make the post-season and not sell the team to rebuild or retool, meaning, this matchup is important, as a win tonight for the Raptors would push them further up in their fight for a play-in spot, and push the Magic (who are in the same conference and below them in the standings) further down the standings.

Catch this important Eastern Conference matchup tonight at 4:30 pm (PST). Since it’s Valentine’s Day, maybe watch this game with your significant other if you’re both into basketball and/or the Raptors.

Vancouver Canucks Vs Detroit Red Wings Pregame Analysis – February 13th

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The Vancouver Canucks return to action tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. The Canucks are finally back on home ice after a 4-game road trip following the All-Star weekend break. 

The Canucks last faced the Red Wings on Saturday in a 5-2 loss, making this a home-and-home game.

The Canucks will look to get the victory tonight, as they celebrate Black History Month for tonight’s game. The Canucks will wear special warmup jerseys that commemorate the occasion and these special jerseys were designed by award-winning artist, Yared Nigussu.

The warmup jerseys worn by the Canucks in tonight’s warmup will be auctioned off when the game ends at 10 pm (PST). Auctions have already begun, with starting bids for the top players like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes starting at $850. The other Canucks players who aren’t the top stars have their game-worn jerseys starting at $800.

There will be additional special merchandise alongside the jerseys. There will be a tee shirt, pin, puck, and stickers that all have the special Black History Month Canucks logo on them. All proceeds from the jersey auctions and merchandise will go to BC Black History Awareness Society.

Canucks goaltender, Collin Delia, will get the start in goal tonight. The Canucks placed their other goaltender, Spencer Martin on waivers earlier today. This is a bit of a surprise, even though his last few games have been very lackluster. Despite him being placed on waivers, he is still set to back-up Delia for tonight’s game… weird. This could be because Canucks star goaltender, Thatcher Demko, is nearing his return from injury. The hockey world will find out if Martin clears tomorrow morning.

The Canucks currently hold a record of 21-28-4, while the Red Wings currently hold a record of 23-20-8. The Canucks are essentially out of the playoff race, while the Red Wings still have a chance to make the playoffs, sitting 7 points out of the final wild-card spot.

Catch the game tonight at 7 pm (PST) in what should be another exciting Canucks hockey game.

Vancouver’s VMF AFTER DARK X AFROQUEER YVR: BLACK RAVE

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This coming Friday and Saturday (February 17th and 18th) there will be a Black Rave as an ode to the Black underground dance culture and music.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoVmb1OvRBG/?hl=en

There will be an all-woman DJ lineup with taste makers up the Vancouver Drag scene appearing. The event is called the AFTER DARK stage, which is aimed at creating a safe space for the Afro Diaspora to be seen, heard, and revel on the dance floor.

 

The event will start at 9:30 pm and tickets are required to purchase in advance. The tickets start at $22 for general admission and the event is only for those 19 and older. It will be held in the Bentall Centre Gallery which is located near the Burrard skytrain station.

 

The event is open to everyone of all ages (that can go), genders, ethnicities, abilities, and sexual orientations. 

 

This event is scheduled for this coming Friday and Saturday, but it will also be hosted on 3 more days if this coming Friday and Saturday don’t work well for you. There will be similar events being held on Sunday, February 19th, Friday, February 24th, and Saturday, February 25th. The event is supported by the Bentall Centre, Evo Car Share, Softlanding, and Red Bull.

 

There will be special performances by KG Fresh, Njoki Njoki, DJ Donna Dada, DJ Nea, and MX Bukuru specifically for the Friday, February 17th event. The performers look to change for every event that will occur.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnpivFPvR2C/?hl=en

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to learn more about Black History and have fun at the same time! The event is scheduled to end late into the night at 2:30 am. Remember to be safe if you do attend and drink responsibly. Public transit will be limited at this time, so plan your route home before the event.

Vancouver Canucks Celebrate Black History Month

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The Vancouver Canucks will be celebrating Black History Month tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings. The game will start at 7 pm, and the Canucks will wear special jerseys during the warmup and then wear their very popular Black Skate jerseys for tomorrow’s game.

 

Their special warmup jerseys were designed by award-winning artist, Yared Nigussu. The blank jerseys can be purchased now on Vanbase and at the Canucks Team Store at Rogers Arena tomorrow night. The player-worn jerseys will be auctioned off at the game.

The starting bids for the top players like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are $850, while the other players start at $800. Those are just the starting bids keep in mind. They will all likely be higher than that when the bids officially close tomorrow at 10 pm.

 

There is also other merchandise the Canucks are releasing alongside the special jerseys. There will be a tee shirt, pin, puck, and stickers that all have the Black History Month Canucks logo on them. All sales from the merchandise will go to the BC Black History Awareness Society. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/ColRZBTs-HY/?hl=en

The Canucks will be playing a home-and-home game against the Red Wings, as they just played them on Saturday in Detroit in a 5-2 losing effort. You can expect much more from the Canucks tomorrow celebrating Black History Month other than just the special jerseys and merchandise. During commercial breaks and intermissions, there will likely be special videos played on the jumbotron for people watching the game in Rogers Arena to see.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoiNAtgPxqa/?hl=en

The Canucks will play on home ice for their next 3 games when they host the Red Wings tomorrow, the New York Rangers on Wednesday, and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. All games will start at 7 pm (PST), so be sure to support the Canucks on those nights!

Black History Month 2023 in Vancouver – Events and Festivals

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February is Black History Month, and this year, there are plenty of events and festivals that you can attend to learn more about Black culture, Black history, and Vancouver’s Black community. 

 

Do you like poetry? There will be a poetry and storytelling event aimed at celebrating, amplifying, and illuminating the unique intersections that Black-Indigi-Queer folks bring to the community. It’s free for all ages to attend and it will be held at the Vancouver Mural Festival Winter Arts Hub on 850 W Georgia Street. The date and time for the event is scheduled for Thursday, February 23rd at 7 pm and an estimated end time of 10 pm.

 

VanCity Soul Skate Sundays is a rollerblading event that you can attend every Sunday this month. The event is for only those 19+ however. This event will feature a Black History Month screening to celebrate the connections between Black communities and rollerblading. The doors will open at 5:30 pm for the February 19th event, but the skating won’t commence until 7 pm. Tickets must be bought in advance, but they are still currently available. They go for around $20 per ticket and can be purchased here

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoLSvbFps-t/

Interested in seeing a drag queen show? Witness Richmond’s own, Kendall Gender, as she hosts a drag queen show celebrating local Black talent. The event will take place on Monday, February 20th (Family Day) at 9 pm at Junction on 1138 Davie Street. The cost will be $18, and the night will feature a lineup of Black performers, artists, and creators. If your family is into drag queen shows, maybe consider seeing this show next week!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoiM-0tumWI/?hl=en

These are only some of the very many events that you can attend to celebrate Black History Month in Vancouver. There are many more you can attend and they aren’t too find, as many events are posted up on social media outlets and can be easily found with a quick Google search.

An Evening with Hayden Concert in Vancouver

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Canadian singer and songwriter, Hayden Desser, will make his way to Vancouver this Wednesday, February 15th, at 7:00 pm. It will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, and tickets started at $39.50, however, the concert is already sold out. This concert is for 19+ only. 

 

The Thornhill, Ontario native was nominated for Juno Awards in 1999 and 2014 respectively. He was nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year in 1999 and then nominated for Adult Alternative Album of the Year in 2014.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoiUCuPyxOO/?hl=en

Hayden has over 33 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, and 2 of his top songs, Home by Saturday and Bad as They Seem have over 950 thousand downloads.

 

The now 52-year-old celebrated his birthday today, February 12th, and has been performing since 1994. He recently released a song only a week ago. The song is called “Miss Fort Erie”, which is available on streaming websites and YouTube. In one week, the YouTube music video has 1.6 thousand views. If you bought tickets to this concert, you will very likely hear his new single.

Hayden last performed in the BC area on October 4th and 5th in the year 2016. He performed in Vancouver on October 4th and Victoria on October 5th. His return to Vancouver will be a highly anticipated one, as this will be the first time he’s back in BC in almost 7 years.

 

While tickets are sold out, there are likely other ways to get tickets to this concert if you’re interested in going. There will likely be people selling them on the secondary market, and the price shouldn’t be much higher than what they were originally going for. So make sure to make a few Google searches or look on places like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc. to find tickets to this upcoming concert!

Margo Price with Lola Kirke – ‘Til The Wheels Fall Off Tour in Vancouver on Interesting Date

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American country singer, songwriter, and producer, Margo Price, will be in Vancouver this Tuesday, February 14th at the Commodore Ballroom. The event will start at 7:00 pm, with tickets starting at $45 CAD (before taxes). Tickets can be bought here

https://www.instagram.com/p/CivAUrIOkCq/?hl=en

Alongside her will be British-American actress, singer, and songwriter, Lola Kirke. Both Lola and Margo are touring alongside each other. They are going to be in Portland on Monday, where they will then eventually make their way down to Vancouver to perform the following day. Like most concerts that occur in Vancouver, the next time on their concert dates is in Seattle.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ColWSqhsF7a/?hl=en

Lola has starred in many films over the years, most notably Mistress America and Mozart in the Jungle. She has just under 75,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and some of her top songs Mama, Omens, and Monster have over 1 million downloads.

Margo is from Nashville and released her debut solo album on March 25, 2016. Her popularity is very visible, as she has almost 2 million monthly listeners, and many of her songs have over a million downloads, like Lola. Margo’s most popular song on Spotify is Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die – Live which has over 10 million downloads.

 

The tour date is interesting, as they decided to have the concert on February 14th, which is globally known to be Valentine’s Day. It could potentially affect the number of tickets they sell, which would ultimately affect how many people show up to the concert. However, if you aren’t doing anything this Valentine’s Day, or want to bring your significant other to a semi-affordable concert, this may be the date option for you!

 

While tickets are still available, it’s recommended to not wait until the last second to purchase these tickets if you’re interested in attending.