Canucks to Host Blackhawks in Contrast of Endurance
The Vancouver Canucks will look to complete a season sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks when they meet on Saturday in Vancouver. While the Canucks are pushing through a brutal schedule, the Blackhawks are trying to salvage the final game of a rough road trip.
Canucks Battling Through Grueling Stretch
Vancouver (45-20-8) is playing its fourth game in six nights and faces back-to-back matchups, hosting the Blackhawks on Saturday before taking on Utah on Sunday.
Despite injuries to Elias N. Pettersson, Tyler Myers, and goaltender Thatcher Demko, the Canucks secured a 4-3 shootout win over Calgary on Wednesday.
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Captain Quinn Hughes returned from a four-game absence and logged a team-high 29:48 of ice time, proving his value once again.
“I don’t know a lot of guys who can do that – not practice and then go in and play a game and make an impact. I’m lucky to have him,” coach Rick Tocchet said.
However, Elias Pettersson left the game in the first period after taking a crosscheck to the head from Calgary’s Connor Zary, who has since been suspended two games.
Pettersson still managed to score a goal and an assist before exiting, while Conor Garland netted the shootout winner. The win marked Vancouver’s first comeback victory when trailing after two periods all season.
“Someone reminded me we were the only team who has not come back in the third period,” Tocchet said. “So glad we broke that goose egg.”
Bedard and Blackhawks Struggling to Find a Win
The Blackhawks (20-46-5) close out their four-game road trip after losing the first three, including a 4-2 defeat to San Jose on Thursday.
Hometown star Connor Bedard, the reigning Calder Trophy winner, leads the team with 52 points in 66 games, but his night against San Jose ended in frustration. He was hit with a 10-minute misconduct for verbal abuse of an official, leaving Chicago without its top playmaker in the third period.
“It is not fun to watch,” Bedard admitted. “I got to be smarter with my words. I am supposed to be out there.”
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Chicago continues to develop a promising core around Bedard, including Frank Nazar, who scored against San Jose alongside former Canuck Ilya Mikheyev.
Goaltender Arvid Soderblom is expected to start after Spencer Knight got the nod against the Sharks.
“I feel like we are playing better and have really taken some steps the past week,” Bedard said.