Coyotes at Canucks
The Arizona Coyotes attempt to halt a three-game slide when they conclude their set of back-to-back road games Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. Arizona expected to receive a boost Wednesday as goaltender Mike Smith and center Martin Hanzal returned from lengthy absences because of injuries, but it again was unable to muster any offense as it dropped a 2-1 decision at Calgary in overtime.
Smith (lower body) made 22 saves in his first appearance since Oct. 18 but was abandoned by the Coyotes' offense, which has scored a total of four goals during its winless stretch. Vancouver had begun to get it going offensively before getting steamrolled by the New York Rangers 7-2 on Tuesday. The Canucks, who are 1-1-0 on their four-game homestand, recorded five goals in two of their previous three contests after being held to fewer than three in seven of their previous eight matches. Vancouver won its first four home games this season but has lost four of its last five at Rogers Arena.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, Sportsnet (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (5-9-1): Hanzal, who had not played since Oct. 29 due to a lower-body injury, registered one shot, blocked two and went 9-of-14 on faceoffs in 19 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time Wednesday. Arizona received a scare in the loss to the Flames as Oliver Ekman-Larsson spent the final seven minutes of the second period in the locker room after absorbing a hard check from Calgary's Micheal Ferland, but the defenseman returned after the intermission. Louis Domingue, who has lost three of his last four starts, likely will be in net against Vancouver as Smith is not expected to play on consecutive nights after missing nearly a month.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (6-10-1): Vancouver grew tired of waiting for Jake Virtanen to discover his offensive touch and assigned the right wing to Utica of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. The 20-year-old, who was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft, notched just one assist in 10 games after recording seven goals and six assists in 55 contests as a rookie last season. Daniel Sedin is tied with twin brother Henrik for the team lead in scoring with 10 points thanks to the six-game streak he carries into Thursday's contest.
OVERTIME
1. Coyotes RW Tobias Rieder has scored two goals in his last three games after totaling the same amount over his first 11 contests this season.
2. Vancouver LW Loui Eriksson has tallied in two of his last four contests after beginning the campaign with a 13-game drought.
3. Arizona is 2-1-1 in its last four road games after losing its first five away from home.