Canucks at Panthers
The Florida Panthers are trying to climb back into contention for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and look to extend their winning streak to four when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The Panthers have scored 11 times in the three wins since the All-Star break and capped the run with a 3-2 victory over Detroit on Jonathan Huberdeau’s goal with 8.9 seconds left Saturday.
“We just got to get on a roll,” Huberdeau, who leads the team with 51 points, told reporters. “That’s what we need to have a chance to make the playoffs. We just got to keep going.” Florida, which is eight points out of playoff position, has two more home contests before going on a five-stop trip that includes a matchup at Vancouver on Feb. 14 while the Canucks begin a four-game trek after winning three of five on a homestand. Vancouver is well on the outside of the playoff chase in the West, but are building for the future with a host of talented young players and put a scare into the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday before falling 4-2. “The first period wasn’t what we wanted, but in the second and third we really took it to them,” Canucks center Bo Horvat told reporters. “. … We had them on the ropes in the third. It just shows the character in this room.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FS Florida
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (21-25-6): Right wing Brock Boeser recorded his team-leading 25th goal - most among rookies in the league - Saturday and leads the team with 46 points, including five in his last five contests. Left wing Thomas Vanek also has five points in the last five games after scoring against Tampa Bay and is second on the team with 37 points - three ahead of captain Henrik Sedin, who played his 1,300th NHL contest Saturday. Vancouver is 1-for-11 on the power play over the last four contests, but came into the week eighth overall in the league at 21.5 percent after finishing 29th out of 30 teams in 2016-17 (14.1).
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (22-22-6): Harri Sateri, who was named the NHL’s second star of the week Monday after going 3-0-0 with five goals against, could be back in the minors soon with goalies Roberto Luongo (lower-body) and James Reimer (groin) close to returning. “It’s Harri’s net right now,” Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters. “He’s done a great job in the last few games and we want to let him run with that. At some point, there’s going to have to be a decision made.” Huberdeau has five points in his last four games and Vincent Trocheck boasts four assists in the same span to sit second on the team with 47 points.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver G Jacob Markstrom, who started his career with the Panthers, is 5-3-0 in his last eight starts but has an .899 save percentage on the road overall.
2. Florida D Aaron Ekblad became the 15th blueliner in NHL history to score at least 10 goals in his first four seasons with a tally in Saturday’s victory.
3. The Canucks are 3-1-1 in the last five meetings with the Panthers, but dropped a 4-2 decision at Florida last season.