Gameday preview: Canucks vs Sharks (April 9)

After a successful two-game road trip which saw the Vancouver Canucks beat the Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes, they return home to take on the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks and Sharks meet for the third and final time this season. Vancouver beat San Jose 5-2 on December 17th and 5-4 in overtime on February 17. Both games were at the SAP Center.

The Canucks are still trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive and will look for a third straight win. Here is how they lined up at Saturday’s morning skate. Quinn Hughes was back skating after missing the road trip with an illness. Brock Boeser, Tanner Pearson and Tucker Poolman are still out with injuries.

Jason Dickinson did not take part in line rushes but will play.

Hughes was put on the second power play unit with Oliver Ekman-Larsson remaining on the first unit. Rookie Vasily Podkolzin will also get some power play time.

The Sharks are having a rough season and have pretty much missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. On Friday, it was announced General Manager Doug Wilson was resigning after 19 years at the helm.

San Jose is on a five-game losing streak and their last win was March 26 which was a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Their last game was a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Calgary Flames.

No word has been made on the starters but it is expected that Thatcher Demko will be back between the pipes for the Canucks. For the Sharks, James Reimer left the game in Calgary with an undisclosed injury but is in Vancouver with the team. Though it is likely Kaapo Kahkonen will get the start instead. He came in relief for Reimer in Calgary.

Players to watch

San Jose Sharks- Timo Meier: Meier leads the Sharks with 31 goals and 38 assists for 69 points this season.

Vancouver Canucks- Elias Pettersson: Pettersson has been on a roll lately and has nine points in his last 10 games.

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