Tonight' game at Rogers Arena features a compelling clash between the Colorado Avalanche and the Vancouver Canucks. The Avalanche, boasting a league-leading 9-1-5 record, are coming off a dominant 9-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Meanwhile, the Canucks, sitting at 8-8-0, are looking to build on their narrow 4-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Colorado Avalanche Projected Lineup
The Avalanche are expected to ice a similar lineup to the one that dismantled the Oilers. Key forwards include Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Martin Necas on the top line. The second line features Ross Colton, Brock Nelson, and Valeri Nichushkin. Gabriel Landeskog, Jack Drury, and Victor Olofsson are projected to form the third line, while Parker Kelly, Zakhar Bardakov, and Gavin Brindley round out the forward lines. On defense, Devon Toews will likely pair with Cale Makar, while Josh Manson and Brent Burns form the second defensive pairing. Ilya Solovyov and Sam Malinski are expected to complete the defensive lineup. Mackenzie Blackwood is projected to start in goal, with Scott Wedgewood as the backup. Danil Gushchin is expected to be scratched, while Samuel Girard (upper body), Joel Kiviranta (lower body), and Logan O'Connor (hip surgery) remain injured.
Vancouver Canucks Projected Lineup
The Canucks' forward lines are expected to remain largely unchanged from their previous game. Evander Kane, Elias Pettersson, and Conor Garland are projected to play on the first line. Jake DeBrusk, Lukas Reichel, and Drew O'Connor are expected to form the second line. The third line may consist of Brock Boeser, Aatu Raty, and Kiefer Sherwood, while Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, and Linus Karlsson are likely to make up the fourth line. Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek are expected to lead the defense, with Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers forming the second pairing. Elias Nils Pettersson and Tom Willander are also in the defensive mix. In goal, Kevin Lankinen is the likely starter, with Jiri Patera as the backup. P.O. Joseph and Mackenzie MacEachern are expected to be scratched. Key injuries for the Canucks include Thatcher Demko (preventative maintenance), Victor Mancini (undisclosed), Filip Chytil (concussion protocol), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (upper body), Teddy Blueger (lower body), Nils Hoglander (lower body), and Derek Forbort (undisclosed).
Storylines to Watch
The Avalanche's potent offense, which leads the league in goals scored, will test the Canucks' defense. Nathan MacKinnon is on an eight-game point streak and shares the NHL scoring lead with 24 points. Cale Makar leads all NHL defensemen with six goals and 20 points. For the Canucks, Brock Boeser is coming off a game-winning goal against the Blue Jackets and has three goals in his last three games. Drew O'Connor has also been a key contributor, with three multi-point efforts in his last five games. The Canucks' goaltending situation is uncertain with Thatcher Demko potentially available after missing practice due to preventative maintenance. If Demko is not ready, Kevin Lankinen, who made 29 saves against Columbus, will likely start.
The game presents a contrast in styles, with the Avalanche's high-octane offense facing off against the Canucks' need to capitalize on minimal shot attempts. The Canucks will need to improve on their penalty kill, which had allowed six goals in the previous four games, to contain the Avalanche's power play.
