Canucks Look To End Two-Game Skid Against Suddenly Surging Sharks

It's Hockey Night in Canada, and the Vancouver Canucks will serve as the nightcap as they open a three-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks arrive in Silicon Valley mired in a two-game skid after finishing their homestand with home losses to Carolina and New Jersey. They'll face a Sharks team that answered a season-opening nine-game slide with three straight wins.

Two of the higher-scoring teams meet tonight in Columbus, as the Winnipeg Jets meet the Columbus Blue Jackets in a non-conference clash.

Vancouver is tied for fourth in the Pacific Division, while the Sharks can climb out of last place with a win and into a seventh-place tie with the Anaheim Ducks.

WHY THE CANUCKS: Vancouver is much better than the team that was just skunked, 6-0, by the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. Before their two straight losses, the Canucks turned back a season-opening three-game skid with four consecutive wins, outscoring the Panthers, Flyers, Blackhawks and Penguins by a combined final of 16-8. If there was going to be a game to bounce back in, it's tonight in San Jose.

WHY THE SHARKS: San Jose got off the schneid by earning its first win after nine straight losses by topping the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City. The Sharks then opened a five-game homestand with wins over the Kings and Blackhawks. The Sharks have gone from allowing 4.17 goals per game, to 3.50 gpg. Considering they've been in the comforts of home, and don't have to leave for another week, momentum is on their side

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THE PICK - CANUCKS -1.5, -110: Vancouver isn't going to lose a third-straight game when it's coming off two incredibly tough games. Think of this like a maiden race at the track, after the Canucks just ran hard in stakes races against Eastern Conference powerhouses from Carolina and Jersey. The Canucks have won 14 of the last 16 meetings, outscoring the Sharks 80-41. That's a near 2-to-1 ratio, which strengthens the case to play this one on the puck line. Don't be surprised to see J.T. Miller get on the board, as he leads all active Canucks skaters in scoring against San Jose with 29 points, not to mention some help from Quinn Hughes, who has 21 points in 15 career games against San Jose. Miller has nine points (4 goals, 5 assists) in nine games this season, while Hughes has eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) in nine games this season. Canucks win big.

(Season Record: 1-0-0, Net: $100, based on $100 units)