The Vancouver Canucks (18-31-6) are set to embark on a brief two-game road trip, beginning with a matchup against the Utah Mammoth (28-23-4) at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City tonight at 6:30 pm PT. This trip marks the Canucks’ last before the Olympic break, and notably, the players will have their mothers accompanying them, a tradition that adds a special touch to the journey that will wrap up in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
During their morning skate at the Delta Center, all Canucks players were present except for forward Conor Garland, who missed the session due to illness. However, Garland is anticipated to participate in tonight’s game. His line placement is still uncertain; he had been playing alongside Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane in prior outings, but Jake DeBrusk skated in that position this morning. It remains to be seen if Garland will fill in for Aatu Räty, who has been shifted around the lineup.
The Canucks are expected to maintain the same six defensemen used in their previous games, meaning Victor Mancini will be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive match. In goal, Kevin Lankinen will take the starting position after a rough outing last Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks, where he allowed three goals on six shots. He did manage a brief relief appearance against the Anaheim Ducks shortly after.
The Canucks are looking to bounce back from a recent 3-2 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where they managed to secure a point despite ending an eight-game homestand with a record of 2-5-1. This disappointing series of games saw Jake DeBrusk lead the team in scoring, contributing six points throughout the homestand.
On the other side, the Mammoth are reeling from a 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars and have experienced back-to-back defeats. Utah, which has been strong at home with a 15-8-2 record this season, has seen notable contributions from Kailer Yamamoto, who scored twice in each of the last two games. Despite their recent struggles, the Mammoth are closely contesting a Wild Card position in the Western Conference and possess dangerous scorers including Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther.
Tonight’s match is pivotal for both teams, as the Canucks look to end their road struggles — they have only one win in their last eight away games. Fans are advised to tune in to Rink Wide Vancouver for comprehensive postgame analysis and discussions immediately following the conclusion of the match.