Coyotes at Canucks
It's been another dud of a season for the Vancouver Canucks, who are on course for a third consecutive next-to-last finish in the Western Conference. The brightest part of the team's future, rookie Brock Boeser, won't be on display Wednesday -- and perhaps the rest of the season -- when the Canucks host the last-place Arizona Coyotes.
Boeser was injured when he tumbled into the open gate of Vancouver's bench on Monday night and suffered a non-structural, non-displaced fracture of the transverse process in his lower back that will sideline him for four to six weeks. "It's unfortunate, for sure," coach Travis Green said of Boeser, who leads the team in goals (29) and points (55). "Brock has had a great rookie season and the good news is he'll have a full recovery." Arizona is playing some of its best hockey of the season, earning points in 10 of 12 games (8-2-2) following Monday's 4-3 overtime loss at Edmonton. The Coyotes dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the Canucks on Feb. 25, but will get three more cracks at Vancouver, including a matchup in Arizona on Sunday night.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet1, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (20-34-11): Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who ended a drought of nearly 14 months with the tying goal late in the third period, likes what he's seen out of the team over the past month. "We've got a totally different confidence and just a different feeling in the group," Hjalmarsson said. "We've been playing great and taking a lot of points. We're just going to try to keep going here." The Coyotes are struggling on the power play, converting on 2 of 27 chances over the past eight games, including 1-for-6 against Vancouver
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (25-32-9): Boeser, who turned 21 when the teams met last month, had four goals in nine games in a late-season promotion last season and the former first-round pick continued to be a dynamic presence in 2017-18. "We're going to miss him on the power play and the respect he gets from other teams," forward Daniel Sedin said. "That's a guy, I think why fans in this city should be excited because you can see he is the real deal and we've seen it all year." The Canucks have had 11 players miss at least 10 straight games due to injury.
OVERTIME
1. Canucks F Brendan Leipsic, acquired from Vegas at the trade deadline, has two goals and five points in three games.
2. Arizona recalled G Adin Hill on an emergency basis from Tucson of the American Hockey League.
3. Canucks F Bo Horvat has six goals and 11 points in his last 11 games.