Oilers at Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks attempt to extend their point streak when they return from the holiday break to begin a seven-game homestand Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. Vancouver concluded the second half of its six-game road trip with a 2-0-1 record after scoring a total of two goals in losing the first three contests.
The Canucks netted only two tallies on Tuesday, but they were enough to edge Tampa Bay as Daniel Sedin snapped a tie just over 11 minutes into the third period. Edmonton returned home from a disappointing 1-3-0 road trip to post a 3-1 triumph over Winnipeg on Monday. Teddy Purcell scored two goals and set up another while Taylor Hall notched three assists as the Oilers snapped a three-game skid during which it totaled three tallies. Edmonton won the first of the five meetings between the Pacific Division rivals this season, capturing a 2-1 decision in Vancouver on Oct. 18 as Lauri Korpikoski scored 1:46 into overtime.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC
ABOUT THE OILERS (15-18-2): Cam Talbot has begun to turn things around in December following a four-game stretch during which he went 0-3-1 while allowing 17 goals. The 28-year-old made 47 saves to defeat Boston on Dec. 14 in his first start in 17 days and, after yielding four goals on 37 shots in a loss at Chicago, turned aside 44 shots versus the Jets. "Minute 1 through 60, he was easily our best player," coach Todd McLellan told reporters after the win over Winnipeg. "He looked very confident, made some incredible saves. We were very fortunate to have him."
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (13-14-9): Captain Henrik Sedin returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing two games with a lower-body injury and notched an assist on his brother's game-winning goal. Joe Cannata was recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League and backed up Jacob Markstrom on Tuesday as Ryan Miller continued to recover from cramps. Forward Chris Higgins, who is mired in an 18-game goal-scoring drought after netting two in his first three games of the season, also sat out with an undisclosed injury.
OVERTIME
1. Daniel Sedin's goal on Tuesday was his team-leading fourth game-winner - one shy of his total from last season.
2. Hall has scored one goal in his last five contests following a four-game streak.
3. Higgins is one game shy of 700 for his career.