Gameday preview: Canucks vs Golden Knights (April 6)

After losing 3-2 at home in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks will look to get some revenge as they face them again, this time in Sin City.

The Canucks are also looking to keep their playoff hopes alive as they have a 1% chance of making it to the sweet 16 according to a model from Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic. It looks like a loss on Thursday night will officially kill the playoff odds.

Here is how the Canucks forwards lined up for morning skate in Las Vegas.

On Tuesday, it was revealed Brock Boeser would be out with an upper body injury. It was sustained last game when he was accidentally hit by Elias Pettersson.

Quinn Hughes is dealing with illness and  won’t be able to play.

Jack Rathbone was called up from Abbotsford on emergency basis on Tuesday but head coach Bruce Boudreau says he is unlikely to play Wednesday night in Vegas and Thursday night in Glendale. Kyle Burroughs will also return to the lineup after being out over a month with an upper body injury.

Thatcher Demko will once again get the start.

The Canucks have not been good in the first period all season but have done well in the later stages of the game.

“We have to play a complete 60 minute game or we don’t have success,” said Boudreau to the media on Thursday.

For the Golden Knights, it is expected they will go with more or less the same lineup from Sunday and we could see Robin Lehner in net for them.

Players to watch

Vancouver Canucks- J.T. Miller: The Canucks leading scorer has five points in his last five games.

Vegas Golden Knights- Shea Theodore:  The Langley BC native got the overtime winner against the Canucks on Sunday and he has 11 goals and 30 assists for 41 points in 67 games this season.

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM. You can watch the game on Sportsnet Pacific or listen to it on Sportsnet 650.