The Vancouver Canucks (4-3) wrap up a five-game road trip when they face the Nashville Predators (2-3-2) at Bridgestone Arena in a 5 pm Pacific time puck drop.

The Canucks are looking to bounce back from a 5-1 loss in Pittsburgh, while the Preds are out to put a halt to a four-game losing streak.

After a two-game personal leave, Brock Boeser returns to the Canucks lineup. The veteran winger is off to a strong start with three goals and a shootout winner in his first five games of the season. The Canucks went 1-1 in Boeser’s absence. Boeser will start on a line with Max Sasson and Jake DeBrusk, while Elias Pettersson centres Conor Garland and Evander Kane. Sasson’s promotion is a great opportunity to play higher in the lineup, but also means the Calder Cup line of Sasson with Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson has been split up for the time being after solid showings earlier in the road trip.

With Boeser back, the Canucks will make one lineup switch up front. The team held an optional skate in Nashville and did not reveal line combinations beyond the top six. Joe LaBate is the likely candidate to come out after making his season debut on Tuesday. It may take until warm-up to determine if there are any changes on defence. Rookie Tom Willander, who was drafted in the first round in 2023 at Bridgestone Arena, is on the trip and is an option to make his NHL debut.

Thatcher Demko returns to the net looking to pick up his third straight win. He made 28 saves in a 4-3 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday before backing up Kevin Lankinen on Tuesday. Demko is 3-1 on the season with a 2.28 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

Despite the disappointing result in Pittsburgh, the Canucks have an opportunity to finish up their road trip with eight of a possible 10 points. However, with as many recalls as they have in their lineup, they have struggled over their past five periods. Since building a 4-0 lead in Washington on Sunday, the Canucks have been outscored 8-1. While the Canucks have won three of four on their road trip, they have been outscored 13-12.

Captain Quinn Hughes has recorded an astounding 23 assists in 15 career games against the Predators.

Nashville is 0-3-1 in its last four outings after dropping a 5-2 decision at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The game was tied 2-2 with five minutes to play in the second period before the Ducks pulled away with three unanswered goals. Filip Forsberg and Tyson Jost scored for the Predators while Juuse Saros stopped 28 of the 33 shots faced. Down 4-2 heading to the third period, Nashville managed just two shots on goal over the final 20 minutes and only one over the game’s final 13 minutes.

The Preds have been held to two goals or fewer in five of their seven games so far this season. As a team, they have just 17 goals through seven games and have yet to score more than four goals in a game this season.

Six players share the team lead with a pair of goals, while captain Roman Josi is the team’s top scorer with five points. Four forwards have four points apiece.

A big part of the offensive problem is that the Preds have the worst power play in the league so far, converting on just two of 24 opportunities (8.3%). Nashville is one for 10 with the man advantage in three home games.

Always one of the busiest goalies in the league, Juuse Saros, who has started six of Nashville’s seven games so far, is expected to be between the pipes tonight. The Predators have back-to-backs at home on the weekend, and he’ll likely get one of those games off.

On Wednesday, Nashville returned 18-year-old Brady Martin to OHL Sault Ste. Marie after appearing in three NHL games. The fifth overall pick in June’s draft had an assist and three shots on goal. Today, the Preds recalled Nanaimo native and former Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) forward Matthew Wood, and he will be in the lineup tonight.

Veteran winger Jonathan Marchessault is day-to-day and will miss a third straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Canucks and Predators met three times last season, and the road team won each time. Vancouver was 1-0 in Music City, posting a 3-1 victory on January 29th. In a scheduling quirk, the Canucks will be back in Nashville on November 3rd at the end of their next road trip.

Steven Stamkos, off to a slow start with just one goal and two points, has 19 goals in 23 career games against the Canucks, including three goals in three games since signing with the Predators.

Eric Furlatt and Corey Syvret are the referees for tonight’s game.