The first battle of the Hughes Brothers: An extended preview
Although it will be a rather early start time, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes and his brother Jack Hughes will face off for their first battle as NHL’ers tomorrow morning at 10 AM.
Quinn Hughes has been exciting to watch, and has many Vancouver Canucks fans, players, and coaches alike, sold on his abilities. Quinn’s brother Jack Hughes, was the first overall selection at this year’s NHL Draft, which was held in Vancouver.
When the New Jersey Devils selected Jack with the first overall pick, the stage was instantly set for battles between the Hughes brothers in the NHL for years to come. These are storylines that the NHL loves to milk as much as possible, and rightfully so, it’s a big deal when two brothers taken in the first round are put up against one another.
The Devils and Canucks play twice this season, with the second and final meeting coming on November 10th at 1 PM Pacific Time in Vancouver. Here’s what to look for in tomorrow’s game.
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Markstrom Returns
Thatcher Demko has played great in the two games the Canucks have needed him to play while starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom tended to a family matter. Demko got his first two wins of the season, with Thursday night’s shootout win over the St. Louis Blues standing out in particular.
Not only did Demko make 34 saves in regulation, but he also added six more in the shootout, where he continued to look good. These were two good starts for Demko, but one can only assume that Markstrom will be given the nod in tomorrow’s game. He is this team’s starter, and two wins won’t be enough for Demko to be given the starting job over Markstrom.
Will this be the game Jack Hughes and the Devils heat up?
Jack Hughes has had a less than ideal start to his NHL career. Through seven games, Hughes has just one assist to show for his efforts on the scoresheet. Quinn on the other hand, has three points through his first six games of this season.
With tons of friends in family in attendance at tomorrow’s game, maybe this will be the game when Jack finally finds success on the scoresheet. This will be a game that hockey fans in general will not want to miss.
The Canucks are on a four-game win streak, and the Devils are coming off their first and only win of the season. Both Hughes and his Devils are looking to improve on their poor starts to the season with tomorrow’s game against the Canuck. Remember, puck drop is at 10 AM Pacific.