Canucks at Panthers
After beginning their six-game road trip with a pair of losses, the Vancouver Canucks attempt to post their second straight win in the Sunshine State when they visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Vancouver allowed a total of 12 goals in setbacks at Calgary and Carolina before recording a 4-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Teenage sensation Elias Pettersson is off to a Calder Trophy-type start as he leads the Canucks with seven points after scoring his team-high fourth goal in the victory over the Lightning. The 19-year-old Swede, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft, has landed on the scoresheet in each of his first four NHL games. Florida is seeking its first win of the season after dropping a 5-4 decision to Columbus on Thursday in its home opener. Evgenii Dadonov scored one goal and set up two others in the loss for the Panthers, who play only three of their nine contests this month at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Vancouver), FS Florida
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (2-2-0): Vancouver has recorded at least four goals in three of its first four games, netting all four of its tallies Thursday in the final 8 minutes, 53 seconds. Jake Virtanen scored against the Lightning, giving the Canucks four players with at least two goals over their first four contests. The 22-year-old Virtanen, who was drafted sixth overall in 2014, notched 10 tallies and as many assists in 75 games last season.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (0-1-1): Aleksander Barkov, who led the team in scoring last season with a career-high 78 points, recorded a goal and an assist against the Blue Jackets. The 23-year-old Finn is looking to register his fourth consecutive 20-goal season while Dadonov is coming off a campaign in which he set personal bests with 28 tallies and 37 assists. Vincent Trocheck was kept off the scoresheet Thursday but was a force in the faceoff circles, winning 15 of his 21 draws.
OVERTIME
1. Panthers LW Juho Lammikko made his NHL debut Thursday, registering one shot and a plus-1 rating while going 4-2 on faceoffs in 9:43 of ice time.
2. Vancouver C Bo Horvat won 11 of his 14 faceoffs against Tampa Bay.
3. Florida has gone 0-for-7 on the power play over its first two games.