The Vancouver Canucks (8-9-1) open a quick three-game road trip to the southeast when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes (11-5) at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The game is set to begin at 4 pm Pacific time.

There is concern about the health, well-being and readiness of captain Quinn Hughes, who was shaken up in the team’s last game on Tuesday night. However, after taking the day off from practice on Thursday, Hughes was among the Canucks who participated in an optional morning skate today.

According to head coach Adam Foote, Quinn Hughes is considered a game-time decision for tonight’s contest. Hughes had three assists in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Jets, but he left the game briefly in the second period after getting tangled up with Winnipeg forward Mark Scheifele. If Hughes can’t go, P-O Joseph will return to the lineup.

Drew O’Connor also missed practice on Thursday due to illness. O’Connor will play tonight.

Kevin Lankinen will start for the fourth time in the last five games in the absence of Thatcher Demko, who is out for a couple of weeks after getting injured on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets. Lankinen made his first relief appearance of the season and has now tended net for 14 of the team’s last 15 periods.

The Canucks have allowed five goals in three of their last four games. A huge part of the problem is the penalty kill, which surrendered a pair of power play goals for the seventh time in the last 16 games on Tuesday. The Canucks have now allowed a league-high 20 power play goals against. Marcus Pettersson has been on the ice for 14 of them.

Jake DeBrusk scored a power play goal on Tuesday and has now scored in three straight games and four of the last five. Kiefer Sherwood netted his team-leading 11th goal of the season against the Jets. Brock Boeser had Vancouver’s other goal.

The Hurricanes are off to another hot start, although they dropped a 4-1 decision on home ice to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. The loss snapped a four-game win streak. The team is still 5-2 in its last seven games. Nikolaj Ehlers scored his third goal of the season to provide the ‘Canes’ lone marker against the Capitals. Frederik Andersen stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced to drop to 5-4 on the season. Pyotr Kochetkov will get the start tonight.

Although neither found the scoresheet on Tuesday, Sebastian Aho leads the team with 16 points, while Seth Jarvis is the club’s top goal scorer with 10 on the season. Four of his goals have been game winners. That’s tied with Utah’s Dylan Guenther for the NHL lead.

Despite having just four players in double digits in points, Carolina is the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference and the third highest scoring team in the league, averaging 3.69 goals per game. And they’re doing it despite a power play that ranks 31st in the league at 12.5%. They have scored a league-low six power play goals on the season. Andrei Svechnikov leads the club with a pair of goals with the man-advantage.

As a team, the Canes lead the NHL in puck possession at 5-on-5 (57.9% CF) and have outscored opponents by 10.