The Vancouver Canucks (21-41-8) take on the Los Angeles Kings (28-25-18), who are still firmly in the thick of the playoff race. Puck drop is set for 7 PM PT.

This will be the first of three head-to-head matchups between the Canucks and Kings throughout the final three weeks of the season.

It was another very optional skate for the Canucks today. Typically, there will be a handful of young guys out there, but today, it was both goaltenders and tonight’s scratches. Kevin Lankinen and Nikita Tolopilo were accompanied by Curtis Douglas, Victor Mancini, and a surprise appearance from Filip Chytil.

Chytil has been out of action since being struck in the face by a deflected Brock Boeser shot in practice before play resumed for the Olympic break. Head Coach Adam Foote was non-committal on whether Chytil would return this season. Chytil has played just 12 games this season, scoring three goals with a minus-seven rating in his appearances.

Foote confirmed that Lankinen will get the start in goal tonight. This marks his fifth straight start after dropping his last three games. Over his consecutive start streak, Lankinen has a 3.53 goals against average and a .864 save percentage. Earlier this season against the Kings, Lankinen stopped 21/23 shots he faced, for a 1.90 goals against average and a .913 save percentage in the 2-1 overtime loss.

Nikita Tolopilo will serve as the backup. The 26-year-old netminder has been on the bench since March 14 against the Seattle Kraken, where he struggled, allowing five goals on 33 shots faced. The Canucks will have 11 more games down the stretch to further test what they have in their developing netminder.

Foote mentioned after yesterday’s practice that Nils Höglander would get back into the lineup tonight and confirmed today that he will replace Douglas. Höglander took a seat last game for Max Sasson. It’s been an in-and-out season for Höglander, who is still trying to find an everyday spot in the lineup.

With three veterans given a maintenance day for yesterday’s practice (Filip Hronek, Brock Boeser and Evander Kane), there were no line rushes. So, based on last game’s mid-game adjustment, and assuming Höglander fills Douglas’s spot, here are your projected lines for tonight’s match:

As mentioned, the Kings enter this matchup amid their playoff push. It’s been a struggle for the Kings of late, losers of four straight, but they picked up three loser points against the Philadelphia Flyers, Utah Mammoth and Calgary Flames. They sit three points and seven regulation wins behind the Nashville Predators, who hold the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

The Kings’ biggest acquisition, Artemi Panarin, has made a good first impression since heading out West following a pre-Olympic break trade. In 15 games in Los Angeles, Panarin has six goals and 11 assists for 17 points with a plus-five rating while averaging 20:53 minutes of ice time. While he has brought some much-needed offence to the Kings’ lineup, that hasn’t translated to results, as Los Angeles has the seventh-lowest points percentage (0.438%), trailing only the Florida Panthers, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, Seattle Kraken and Canucks.

Los Angeles has a pair of linemates catching heat of late. Quinton Byfield has scored four goals and three assists for seven points, while Alex Laferriere has two goals and four assists for six points over a five-game stretch.

Darcy Kuemper is expected to get the start tonight. With every point mattering down the stretch as they try to claw their way back into the playoffs, the Kings have relied heavily upon Kuemper, giving him four of the last five starts, where he has a 1-0-3 record, 2.39 goals against average and a .899 save percentage.

The Kings are currently on the ice for their morning skate at the time of this writing. We will update you all on the line combinations and starting goaltenders once the team confirms them. But based on their game on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, here is how the Kings project to lineup tonight:

The Canucks and Kings met once earlier this season, a 2-1 overtime loss on November 29. Evander Kane scored his fifth of the season early in the second period, but Adrian Kempe had the game-winner in the extra frame.

Tonight is the seventh annual Autism Acceptance Night in Rogers Arena. Canucks will be rocking their blue Orca jerseys with the green trim.

Adam Foote on what positives he and his group are pulling from the last game: “Yeah, we talked about it, discussed it a couple times already. There was lots of good things we did. We’re good up ice and pressing and, you know, we had a solid game against a good team. Got to find a way to win. But, you know, tonight we face another opponent. They’re going for that playoff spot. They’re heavy, and they’re hard, and they’re going to be, you know, they’re going to be [playing] playoff hockey here, so we’re at to be ready.”

Foote on what he’s seeing from Linus Karlsson this season: “He’s having more than a decent year, he’s having a great year. He’s really coachable. His feet and conditioning have come this year, as far as keeping his feet moving and knowing where to move around the ice. He’s a good wall player at both ends of the ice. He’s way more consistent with it. You know, playing pro game from the minors to the NHL is just more of that consistency, and he’s been doing it.”