The Vancouver Canucks (16-10-7) host the San Jose Sharks (11-19-6) in the final game for both teams before a brief holiday break.
Tonight’s game is the first of four this season for the Canucks streamed on Amazon Prime, and it also features North Vancouver’s Macklin Celebrini, the first pick in last June’s NHL Draft, making his first NHL visit to Rogers Arena.

The line-up

With the earlier-than-usual 6 pm face-off, the Canucks opted not to hold a morning skate of any kind. At practice on Sunday, Nils Höglander skated with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. That indicates that Höglander, who has gone 26 games without a goal, will draw back into the line-up after being a healthy scratch the past two games. Look for Conor Garland, who was on Pettersson’s wing, to shift to a line with Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua. Phil Di Giuseppe will remain on the left side with JT Miller and Brock Boeser while Teddy Blueger will centre a line with Danton Heinen and Kiefer Sherwood.
Captain Quinn Hughes was given the day off while his teammates skated on Sunday. But he’ll be ready to go tonight. It looks like the Canucks will use Hughes with Tyler Myers, Carson Soucy with Noah Juulsen while Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais comprise the team’s third pairing.
Expect Linus Karlsson and Max Sasson to be the healthy scratches up front while Erik Brännström is the likely extra body on defence.
All signs are that Thatcher Demko will get the start in net after Kevin Lankinen allowed five goals on 22 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss to Ottawa on Saturday night. Brock Boeser scored twice while Jake DeBrusk netted his team-leading 15th goal of the season, and Quinn Hughes had a goal and a pair of assists to reach the 40-point mark on the season.
Demko has not played since a 3-2 overtime defeat in Utah on Wednesday. That was his third straight start in goal. He is 1-1-2 in his four starts this season and is 11-0 lifetime against San Jose.
The Canucks have dropped three straight games (0-1-2) and have just two wins in their last eight contests, however they have managed to secure at least a point in five of those outings (2-3-3). The Canucks have also come out on the short end of their last four trips to overtime versus Minnesota, St. Louis, Utah and Ottawa.
It’s been a tough go for Elias Pettersson who has been held without a point in six straight games. Conor Garland has now gone 11 games without a goal. And the Canucks power play has clicked just once in the last 11 opportunities – a Danton Heinen goal in the second period in Utah.

The opponent

The Sharks arrive in Vancouver on the heels of a 3-2 overtime loss in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon. They held a 2-1 lead into the final minute of regulation but couldn’t make it stand up. They have lost four straight (0-3-1) and seven of their last eight.
Luke Kunin and Jan Rutta scored the San Jose goals, while Yaroslav Askarov stopped a career-high 39 of the 42 shots he faced.
The young Russian netminder is expected to make a second straight start tonight. Askarov is 1-0-2 in his three starts this season with a sizzling 2.30 GAA and a 92.8% save percentage. He’s allowed just seven goals in his three starts this season.
Macklin Celebrini had an assist on Saturday and now has 11 goals and 23 points in his first 24 NHL games. The 18-year-old, who played youth hockey at the North Shore Winter Club, has a share of the team lead with three power play goals and leads the Sharks with three game-winners. Former Canuck Tyler Toffoli is San Jose’s top goal scorer with 13 on the season while Mikael Granlund leads the team with 32 points.
San Jose has struggled when giving up the first goal going 2-16-3 when its opponents hit the scoreboard first. Penalties have also been an issue for the Sharks. Only the Utah Hockey Club has been shorthanded more often this season.
The Canucks needed a final minute goal from Pius Suter to eke out a 3-2 victory in San Jose on November 2nd. The Sharks will be back in Vancouver on February 6th while the Canucks final road game of the regular season is in the Bay Area on April 14th.
Tonight’s referees: Steve Kozari & Chris Schlenker
Tonight’s broadcasters: John Forslund, Jody Shelley & Thomas Hickey

What we heard

Rick Tocchet on what he’s seen from Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini so far this season: “I watched them against Edmonton, I’ve watched them (a lot) this year. I mean he’s 18. The kid’s a player. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. Can’t give him odd man rushes. Have to stay above him and when you have a chance to go through a guy like that, you have to go through him.”
Make sure to join the Rink Wide Vancouver postgame livestream 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.
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