As the Vancouver Canucks hit the halfway mark of their eight-game homestand, they'll welcome the New Jersey Devils to Rogers Arena on Friday night in a matchup that carries a little extra weight. Not just because it’s the final meeting of the season between these two squads, but because both teams are trending in interesting directions-and this is the kind of game that could say a lot about where each is headed.
Canucks Riding Momentum After Gritty Comeback
The Canucks are coming off a gutsy win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night, a game that saw them claw back from an early 2-0 hole to score four unanswered goals. It wasn’t just a comeback-it was a statement. Vancouver showed resilience, depth scoring, and a commitment to their structure, all of which will be crucial as they look to build consistency through this homestand.
Head coach Adam Foote was clear postgame: the job isn’t done. “You have to build on it,” he said.
“We got a team coming in that’s won their last two. They had a slow start, and they’ve been playing some pretty good defensive hockey.”
Foote’s right to keep the group grounded. The Devils may have struggled early, but they’re finding their footing-and they’re doing it with a defensive edge that wasn’t always there earlier in the season.
Offensive Sparks for Vancouver
Wednesday’s win saw multi-point nights from Brock Boeser, David Kämpf, and Jake DeBrusk-three players who have been quietly effective in different ways. Boeser continues to be a consistent scoring threat, Kämpf is doing the little things right, and DeBrusk is starting to find his rhythm in Vancouver’s system.
Over the past five games, Boeser leads the team with two goals and an assist, while Kämpf has chipped in with three helpers. Evander Kane and Drew O’Connor have each potted a pair of goals, and Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson have each added two points of their own. It’s not just the stars getting it done-it’s a full-team effort, and that depth is becoming a real asset.
Blueger Returns and Makes an Impact
One of the more encouraging developments from Wednesday’s win was the return of Teddy Blueger to the lineup. After a long stretch out of five-on-five action, Blueger logged 18:24 of ice time and didn’t look out of place for a second. He finished with three shots and four hits, skating alongside Conor Garland and Liam Öhgren.
“It was great. I was energized to get back,” Blueger said postgame. “Once you get the first couple of shifts out of the way, then you just let the instincts take over.”
That line-particularly the Blueger-Garland duo-has shown flashes of chemistry in the past, and if they can get rolling again, it gives Vancouver another reliable trio to lean on.
Scouting the Devils
The Devils come into Friday’s matchup riding back-to-back 2-1 wins in Alberta, beating both Calgary and Edmonton in tight, low-scoring battles. They’re now 14-13-0 on the road this season, and while their offensive numbers haven’t jumped off the page, they’ve been making life tough for opponents with a more structured, defensively sound approach.
Nico Hischier leads the team with 15 goals and is tied atop the points leaderboard with Jesper Bratt at 37. Bratt, along with Timo Meier and Jack Hughes, forms the Devils’ top line-a unit that’s been strong at even strength.
In 92 minutes of five-on-five play, that trio has generated 49 scoring chances while allowing just 27. That kind of two-way play is exactly what the Devils have been leaning on during this recent stretch of success.
One stat that jumps out: when the Devils score first, they’re 17-4-1. And when they lead after two periods?
A perfect 17-0-0. This is a team that knows how to lock things down when playing from ahead.
That said, their five-on-five shooting percentage sits at just 7.00%-the lowest in the league. So while they’re generating chances, they haven’t been finishing at a high rate. If the Canucks can weather the early push and keep things tight defensively, they’ll have a real shot to tilt the ice in their favor.
Puck Drop Details
Friday’s game is set for 7:00 p.m. PT at Rogers Arena. Fans can catch the action on Sportsnet or tune in to Brendan Batchelor’s call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
With both teams looking to stack wins and build momentum, this one has all the makings of a tightly contested, playoff-style battle. The Canucks are playing with confidence, the Devils are grinding out results, and Friday night should offer a solid midseason litmus test for both sides.