The Vancouver Canucks (18-13-10) start the second half of their National Hockey League schedule when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (27-14-2) at Scotiabank Arena.
As if the challenge of playing top teams on consecutive nights on the road wasn’t tough enough, the Canucks were stranded in Raleigh, North Carolina following last night’s 2-0 loss and were forced to fly north on game day.
What we know
Due to a severe ice storm that hit the US Southeast, the Canucks scrambled to get their charter flight to Toronto this morning and made the two-hour flight on game day. The club wasn’t scheduled to have a morning skate, so that part of the team’s routine wasn’t interrupted, but game day travel in the NHL is a rarity except in the preseason.
Kevin Lankinen will get the start in goal after Thatcher Demko stopped 18 of 20 shots in Carolina last night. Lankinen faced 18 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss in Washington on Wednesday. Nils Höglander, who was a healthy scratch last night, could draw back into the line-up. It’s possible that Erik Brännström could return to action after sitting the past five games. Otherwise, the line-up is expected to look much as it did last night in Carolina. The question is will the team look and play any different than it did 24 hours earlier?
The Canucks are winless in four games (0-2-2), have just one win in seven since Christmas and have two victories in their last 11 games. They remain above the playoff bar in the Western Conference, but their grasp on a playoff spot is tenuous at best. A big part of their recent issues is the fact they have just one win in their last eight road games (1-3-4) after starting the season 10-2 away from home.
Defensively, the Canucks have allowed just three goals in regulation in the past two games and have surrendered a total of 38 shots on goal. But they’re just not generating enough at the other end of the ice to make that count.
Shots and goals have both been in short supply of late. The Canucks had a season-low 14 shots on goal last night. They have just one goal – a power play goal by Conor Garland – in their past two games and only nine goals in their last six outings. Since holding a 3-1 lead in the second period in Montreal on Monday, the Canucks have been outscored 8-2 overall and 5-0 at 5-on-5.
Elias Pettersson returned to action last night after missing six games with an undisclosed upper body injury. It was his first game since December 23rd. He didn’t register a shot on goal in 20:27 of ice time, but did draw a pair of third period power plays.
This is the fifth time the Canucks have played back to back games this season. They are 0-4 in the second game of contests on consecutive nights.
The opponent
The Maple Leafs return to action after falling 6-3 in Carolina on Thursday. That snapped a five-game win streak. Toronto actually led 2-0 before the midway mark of the first period before the game got away.
William Nylander scored his team-leading 24th goal of the season while Nick Robertson and Auston Matthews with his 13th also scored for the Leafs. Somehow Matthews and Mitch Marner were each -6 in the hockey game.
Marner is second in the NHL with 45 assists and sits fourth overall in league scoring with 59 points. Nylander is tied for fourth in the NHL in goals behind Leon Draisaitl (31) along with Brayden Point and Mikko Rantanen who each have 25.
Former captain John Tavares is having a strong season with 20 goals and 42 points in 42 games.
Dennis Hildeby gets a rare start in goal. He’s played twice at the NHL level since October. He is 3-1 on the season with a 3.22 GAA and an 89.2 save percentage.
Toronto has been a dominant team on home ice posting a 17-7 record. Those 17 wins match Vegas and Carolina for the league lead. The Leafs have won three straight at home and tonight will be the Maple Leafs league-leading 25th home game of the season.
Toronto is a perfect 5-0 against Pacific Division opponents this season.
The Canucks and Leafs will meet again on February 8th at Rogers Arena – their final games before the 4-Nations Face-Off. The teams split their two games last season with each winning at home. Toronto posted a 5-2 victory while the Canucks were 6-4 winners.
Tonight’s referees: Garrett Rank & TJ Luxmore
Tonight’s broadcasters: Chris Cuthbert & Craig Simpson on Hockey Night In Canada
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