Canucks Return Home Looking to Halt Skid Against Oilers on Hockey Day in Canada
The Vancouver Canucks are back at Rogers Arena tonight, opening up a crucial eight-game homestand with a showdown against the Edmonton Oilers. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
PT as part of Hockey Day in Canada festivities, but the stakes go well beyond the celebration. Vancouver is staring down the barrel of a 10-game winless streak-something the franchise hasn’t experienced in nearly three decades.
The Canucks are 0-7-2 in their last nine and have dropped six straight in regulation. This homestand isn’t just a chance to reset-it’s a lifeline.
Morning Skate Notes: Changes, Returns, and a Rookie Blue Line
After wrapping up a tough six-game road swing, the Canucks hit the ice for a full morning skate. There’s some encouraging news on the injury front: both Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger have shed their non-contact jerseys, signaling that returns could be imminent. That said, neither will suit up tonight.
Between the pipes, Nikita Tolopilio gets the nod with Kevin Lankinen under the weather. Tolopilio is coming off a 35-save effort in a 6-3 loss to Montreal, and he’ll need to be sharp again facing one of the league’s most potent offenses. Lankinen will dress as the backup, but the Canucks had to bring in a practice goalie just to get through the morning skate.
Up front, Liam Öhgren will start on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser. Öhgren finished Thursday’s game in that spot, and the coaching staff clearly liked what they saw.
Boeser, for his part, finally broke out of a 21-game goal drought with a power-play tally against Columbus-his 10th of the season. Arshdeep Bains remains in the lineup, while Nils Höglander sits as a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
On the back end, it’s another night of youth on display. The Canucks will once again roll with three rookie defensemen.
Zeev Buium pairs with veteran Tyler Myers, while Tom Willander and Victor Mancini will skate together. Mancini, called up from Abbotsford last week, is set to play his first home game since October 26-coincidentally, also against Edmonton.
Special Teams a Growing Concern
Vancouver’s penalty kill has hit a serious rough patch. In January, the Canucks have killed off just 9 of 18 shorthanded situations.
That 50% success rate has dragged them down to 31st in the NHL on the PK at 72.1%. No team has given up more power-play goals this season.
Against an Oilers squad that leads the league with a 33.3% power play-34.4% on the road-that’s a dangerous combination.
The Canucks have also struggled at home, dropping six straight (0-4-2) at Rogers Arena and going just 1-8-3 in their last 12 games on home ice. They’ve played the fewest home games in the league so far, but that’s about to change in a big way.
Nineteen of their next 24 games-and 22 of their final 35-will be played in Vancouver. If there’s ever been a time to turn things around in front of the home crowd, it’s now.
Scouting the Oilers
Edmonton rolls in after a frustrating 1-0 loss to the Islanders on Thursday, despite firing 35 shots at Ilya Sorokin. That game snapped Connor McDavid’s 20-game point streak, a stretch where he racked up 19 goals and 27 assists.
Before Thursday, the last time McDavid didn’t register a point? December 2-also in a 1-0 loss.
Even with the streak snapped, McDavid still leads the NHL with 82 points. Leon Draisaitl, tied for fourth in league scoring with 67 points, won’t be in the lineup tonight as he tends to a family matter in Germany.
The Oilers have won just once in their last four games (1-1-2), and surprisingly, haven’t strung together more than two consecutive wins all season. Still, they remain lethal offensively, ranking third in the NHL in goals per game.
Their power play is the best in the league, and they’ve already tallied 44 goals with the man advantage. Draisaitl leads the way with 11 power-play goals, followed closely by McDavid’s nine.
This will be Vancouver’s first look at Tristan Jarry in an Oilers uniform. The Delta native, acquired just before Christmas, is 3-0-1 in his first four starts with Edmonton, though his 3.28 goals-against average and .878 save percentage suggest there’s still room for improvement. He recently returned from a four-week absence due to a lower-body injury and took the overtime loss in a 4-3 game against Nashville.
Also worth noting: Burnaby’s own Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is set to play his 999th NHL game tonight. His milestone 1,000th will come tomorrow when the Oilers host the St. Louis Blues.
Season Series and Officiating
This is the third of four meetings between the Canucks and Oilers this season. They’ve split the first two, each team winning on home ice-Edmonton took the opener 3-1 on October 11, while Vancouver answered back with a 4-3 overtime victory on October 26. The season series wraps up on April 16 in Edmonton, which also happens to be the final regular-season game for both clubs.
Tonight’s referees are Graham Skilliter and Tom Chmielewski.
What the Coaches Are Saying
Canucks assistant coach Adam Foote provided updates on injured players Kiefer Sherwood and Thatcher Demko, noting that it’s an important evaluation day for both as they look to take the next step in their recoveries.
Foote also addressed the decision to play right-shot rookie Tom Willander on the left side-a move that raised some eyebrows. “If we’re doing it, it shows how we value him and what his potential is,” Foote explained.
“It’s always great to learn that. If you’re a great defenceman in this league, like Fil (Hronek), you can play your off side.
There are little adjustments in the neutral zone. We’re going to watch it.
Do we love it right now? No.
But it’s a good thing when a player is trusted with that kind of role.”
Final Word
The Canucks are desperate for a spark, and tonight offers a chance to reset on home ice against a high-powered but inconsistent Oilers squad. With key players nearing returns and a long homestand ahead, this could be the moment Vancouver starts to climb out of its midseason hole.
But it starts with one win. And it has to start tonight.