The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (26-18-11) start out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights (33-17-6) tonight at T-Mobile Arena. It’s the start of a busy weekend with the Canucks moving on to Utah for a game on Sunday night.
For the fifth straight game, the Canucks will have to get by <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-injury-update-elias-pettersson-quinn-hughes-play-saturday-vs-vegas-golden-knights">without their captain and leading scorer Quinn Hughes</a>.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;
<h1>What we know</h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Looks like an optional morning skate in Vegas for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a>. No Rick Tocchet on the ice, Hughes and Pettersson participating.
3 defensemen, 11 forwards and both Silovs and Lankinen working with Yogi, Gonchar and Foote as the gate closes. <a href="https://t.co/1NMfFltooG">pic.twitter.com/1NMfFltooG</a>
&mdash; Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasDrance/status/1893375577563775448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Despite taking part in the team’s optional skate this morning, Quinn Hughes will not play tonight as he continues to deal with a reported oblique strain. That means the club will go with the same six defencemen used prior to the break. Derek Forbort will skate alongside Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers will form a duo and rookie Elias Pettersson will remain in the line-up and play with Carson Soucy who remains on the right side.
Forward Elias Pettersson is listed as a game time decision for tonight’s contest as he deals with what is believed to be a lower body injury. If he can’t play, Arshdeep Bains will likely draw in and see his first NHL game action since November 26th at Boston. Bains skated as a placeholder for Pettersson during team practices earlier in the week, although it remains to be seen if he will play centre. It’s quite possible that Bains would slide to the wing while Nils Aman would be the team’s fourth centre behind Filip Chytil, Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger.
The Canucks have not played since a 2-1 win over Toronto on February 8th. That was their third straight victory and their sixth win in the past eight games. Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek lead the team with seven points apiece over that eight eight game run,  however, Hughes has only played in four of those due to injury. 
The Canucks have allowed just two goals in their past three games and have outscored opponents 22-14 over their last eight contests.
With his new contract in hand, Kevin Lankinen gets the start in goal. The 29-year-old Finn agreed to a five-year/$22.5M extension with the Canucks on Friday morning. Lankinen is looking for his 20th win of the season tonight. While he started a pair of games for Finland at the 4 Nations tournament, he has started just one of the last six Canucks games. He came on in relief of Thatcher Demko and picked up the win against Toronto in the team&#8217;s last game. 
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/nhl-odds-betting-preview-feb-22-vancouver-canucks-vs-vegas-golden-knights-predictions">Golden Knights</a> start out of the break tied with Edmonton for top spot in the Pacific Division. They won their final two games in New Jersey and Boston prior to the pause. 
Jack Eichel leads the Knights in scoring with 69 points in 55 games. He is 20 points ahead of Mark Stone in the team scoring race. Pavel Dorofeyev is having a breakout season and leads Vegas with 23 goals. That’s already 10 more than his previous high. Tomas Hertl is second on the team with 21 goals. Since January 15th, Hertl is tied for the league-lead with nine goals in his last 12 games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Golden Knights morning skate line rushes:
Barbashev—Eichel—Olofsson Dorofeyev—Hertl—Lavoie Saad—Howden—Stone Pearson—Roy—Kolesar
Hague—Pietrangelo Hanifin—Whitecloud McNabb—Korczak
&mdash; Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseGranger_/status/1893376008092336462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Adin Hill gets the start in goal for Vegas. The Knights will be without Shea Theodore who was injured early in the 4 Nations tournament. Theodore is third in Golden Knights scoring and fourth among all NHL defencemen with 48 points this season. 
Vegas is one of the top home ice teams in the NHL with a record of 19-6-3. The Knights have outscored opponents 97-68 in 28 home games. The Knights are also the most disciplined team in the NHL averaging a league-low 5.4 penalty minutes per game this season. The Golden Knights are 14-2-1 against Pacific Division opponents this season. That includes a 3-1 win against the Canucks on December 19th. The teams will meet twice in Vancouver in the final 10 days of the regular season – April 6th and then in the season finale on April 16th.
Tonight’s game features a pair of head coaches – Rick Tocchet and Bruce Cassidy – who were assistants under John Cooper on Canada’s gold medal winning staff at the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-team-canada-silences-team-usa-3-2-overtime-win">4 Nations tournament</a>.
Tonight’s referees: Garrett Rank &amp; Brandon Schrader
Tonight’s broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Dave Tomlinson
<h1>What he heard</h1>
Rick Tocchet on team picking up where it left off before the break: &#8220;I think guys are getting more confident with the team identity. Guys are happy with the way the team is playing better. There is a long way to go, but the room is really good right now and it&#8217;s important that we build off that.&#8221;
Tocchet on improved team speed helping Canucks play a more direct game: &#8220;You get a couple of new defencemen in there that can skate and can move the puck makes it a little easier to play a faster game. Obviously adding some speed with the two guys we got helps in the neutral zone. It&#8217;s something we&#8217;ve always preached but personnel-wise it&#8217;s really helped us.&#8221;
Make sure to join the Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="RINK WIDE POST-GAME: Vancouver Canucks at Vegas Golden Knights | Game 56 - Feb. 22, 2025" width="1333" height="1000" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dKOk8FAbtlY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Sponsored by bet365
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (26-18-11) start out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights (33-17-6) tonight at T-Mobile Arena. It’s the start of a busy weekend with the Canucks moving on to Utah for a game on Sunday night.

For the fifth straight game, the Canucks will have to get by <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-injury-update-elias-pettersson-quinn-hughes-play-saturday-vs-vegas-golden-knights">without their captain and leading scorer Quinn Hughes</a>.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;
<h1>What we know</h1>
https://twitter.com/ThomasDrance/status/1893375577563775448

Despite taking part in the team’s optional skate this morning, Quinn Hughes will not play tonight as he continues to deal with a reported oblique strain. That means the club will go with the same six defencemen used prior to the break. Derek Forbort will skate alongside Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers will form a duo and rookie Elias Pettersson will remain in the line-up and play with Carson Soucy who remains on the right side.

Forward Elias Pettersson is listed as a game time decision for tonight’s contest as he deals with what is believed to be a lower body injury. If he can’t play, Arshdeep Bains will likely draw in and see his first NHL game action since November 26th at Boston. Bains skated as a placeholder for Pettersson during team practices earlier in the week, although it remains to be seen if he will play centre. It’s quite possible that Bains would slide to the wing while Nils Aman would be the team’s fourth centre behind Filip Chytil, Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger.

The Canucks have not played since a 2-1 win over Toronto on February 8th. That was their third straight victory and their sixth win in the past eight games. Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek lead the team with seven points apiece over that eight eight game run,  however, Hughes has only played in four of those due to injury. 

The Canucks have allowed just two goals in their past three games and have outscored opponents 22-14 over their last eight contests.

With his new contract in hand, Kevin Lankinen gets the start in goal. The 29-year-old Finn agreed to a five-year/$22.5M extension with the Canucks on Friday morning. Lankinen is looking for his 20th win of the season tonight. While he started a pair of games for Finland at the 4 Nations tournament, he has started just one of the last six Canucks games. He came on in relief of Thatcher Demko and picked up the win against Toronto in the team's last game. 
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/nhl-odds-betting-preview-feb-22-vancouver-canucks-vs-vegas-golden-knights-predictions">Golden Knights</a> start out of the break tied with Edmonton for top spot in the Pacific Division. They won their final two games in New Jersey and Boston prior to the pause. 

Jack Eichel leads the Knights in scoring with 69 points in 55 games. He is 20 points ahead of Mark Stone in the team scoring race. Pavel Dorofeyev is having a breakout season and leads Vegas with 23 goals. That’s already 10 more than his previous high. Tomas Hertl is second on the team with 21 goals. Since January 15th, Hertl is tied for the league-lead with nine goals in his last 12 games.

https://twitter.com/JesseGranger_/status/1893376008092336462

Adin Hill gets the start in goal for Vegas. The Knights will be without Shea Theodore who was injured early in the 4 Nations tournament. Theodore is third in Golden Knights scoring and fourth among all NHL defencemen with 48 points this season. 

Vegas is one of the top home ice teams in the NHL with a record of 19-6-3. The Knights have outscored opponents 97-68 in 28 home games. The Knights are also the most disciplined team in the NHL averaging a league-low 5.4 penalty minutes per game this season. The Golden Knights are 14-2-1 against Pacific Division opponents this season. That includes a 3-1 win against the Canucks on December 19th. The teams will meet twice in Vancouver in the final 10 days of the regular season – April 6th and then in the season finale on April 16th.

Tonight’s game features a pair of head coaches – Rick Tocchet and Bruce Cassidy – who were assistants under John Cooper on Canada’s gold medal winning staff at the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-team-canada-silences-team-usa-3-2-overtime-win">4 Nations tournament</a>.

Tonight’s referees: Garrett Rank &amp; Brandon Schrader

Tonight’s broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Dave Tomlinson
<h1>What he heard</h1>
Rick Tocchet on team picking up where it left off before the break: "I think guys are getting more confident with the team identity. Guys are happy with the way the team is playing better. There is a long way to go, but the room is really good right now and it's important that we build off that."

Tocchet on improved team speed helping Canucks play a more direct game: "You get a couple of new defencemen in there that can skate and can move the puck makes it a little easier to play a faster game. Obviously adding some speed with the two guys we got helps in the neutral zone. It's something we've always preached but personnel-wise it's really helped us."

Make sure to join the Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKOk8FAbtlY

Sponsored by bet365
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Scenes from Canucks morning skate: Hughes out, Pettersson a game time decision vs. Vegas

Canucks: 10 years later, how does Brock Boeser stack up to the rest of the 2015 Draft class?

Should the Canucks trade for available Penguins wingers Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell?

Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser during day one of Vancouver Canucks training camp from Penticton, BC. Sep. 19, 2024

Recent articles from Jeff Paterson

Breaking News