Canucks Gameday Preview #31: A Historic Matchup Against The Utah Hockey Club

For the first time in their history, the Vancouver Canucks (16-9-5) will take on the Utah Hockey Club (14-11-5). While the Canucks have had plenty of battles against the Arizona Coyotes over the years, the franchise records did not travel with the team, meaning that the all-time head-to-head record between Vancouver and Utah is 0-0. With Utah struggling this season at home, tonight's game is a perfect opportunity for the Canucks to build momentum before heading to Vegas on Thursday.

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One of the keys to victory for Vancouver is to take advantage of Utah's blue line. The Utah Hockey Club is currently missing four defensemen due to injury, forcing other defenders to play elevated minutes. If the Canucks can be relentless on the forecheck, they should be able to create turnovers which will lead to scoring chances.

Players to Watch:

Carson Soucy:

Carson Soucy is coming off arguably his best game of the season. He played over 24 minutes against the Colorado Avalanche and was crucial in keeping Nathan MacKinnon off the scoresheet. With plenty of young offensive talent on Utah's roster, Soucy will need to have another strong game if Vancouver wants to skate away with a victory.

Dylan Guenther:

Dylan Guenther comes into this game as one of the hottest players in the NHL. He is currently on a five-game point streak, which included a three-point performance against the Avalanche a week ago. Whether on the power play or at even-strength, Guenther is developing into one of the best young offensive talents in the NHL.

Top 5 Scoring Leaders (Goals, Assists, Points):

Vancouver Canucks (16-9-5):

Quinn Hughes: 7-28-35
Elias Pettersson: 8-18-26
Conor Garland: 8-17-25
Jake DeBrusk: 14-9-23
Brock Boeser (23 Games): 8-11-19

Utah Hockey Club (14-11-5)

Dylan Guenther: 13-16-29
Clayton Keller: 10-18-28
Logan Cooley: 7-19-26
Nick Schmaltz: 5-19-24
Mikhail Sergachev: 7-15-22

Game Information:

Start Time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Delta Center
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650