Gameday preview: Canucks vs Panthers (January 11)

After ten days off, the Vancouver Canucks are finally going to play a hockey game.

It is the start of a five-game road trip and the first stop is Sunrise Florida where they take on the Florida Panthers. The Panthers are one of the NHL’s best teams as they currently sit with a 23-7-5 record for 51 points and they are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first place in the NHL. Florida also is second in the league in goals for with 137. That is two behind the Colorado Avalanche.

The Canucks held practice in Sunrise on Monday and this is how they lined up.

Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Jason Dickinson were in COVID protocol and they have completed their isolation and will return to the lineup.

“I had no symptoms, felt completely normal,” said Pettersson on Monday per Jeff Paterson of the Rink Wide Podcast.

“All three of them worked really hard today,” said Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau on Pettersson, Boeser, Dickinson after Monday’s practice per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. ” I’m sure their shifts will be a little shorter than normal.”

The Canucks held an optional skate on Tuesday morning.

Boudreau and the Canucks are eager to get back into game action.

“They’re certainly tired of practicing,” said Boudreau per Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650. ” I think a game will be really good for them. You could see it that they’re excited that they get a chance to play.”

“We’ve got our work cut out for us, but no better way to challenge ourselves and see where we’re at than this road trip,” said Horvat per Batchelor. ” We have to be ready to go every night.”

Thatcher Demko will get the start for the Canucks.

Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start for the Florida Panthers.

It also looks like Olli Juolevi will suit up against his former team.

This afternoon’s game as well as the rest of the road trip will be a big test for the Canucks.

“I’d like to see how we do against teams of this calibre in their buildings,” said Boudreau per Batchelor. ” We have played some good teams in this stretch here, but none of the calibre we’re going to meet in the next 7 games.”

Players to watch

Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes– The Canucks defenceman is second in team scoring with 28 points. He has two goals and 26 assists in 33 games this season. He is tied for seventh in scoring among defencemen with Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins

Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau- Hurberdeau leads the Panthers in points with 46 points in 35 games. His 13 goals is third on the Panthers. Huberdeau is tied for fourth in the NHL in points with Nazem Kadri of the Colorado Avalanche.

Puck drop is at 4:00 PM. You can watch the game on Sportsnet Pacific and listen to it on Sportsnet 650.