CANUCKS (16-9-5) at UTAH (14-11-5)

10:00 p.m. ET; SNP, SN1, TVAS, Utah16

Utah?

What?

The Canucks have never faced this team....and therefore they have never lost! If you were to look at the team they used to be....they split the season series last year. The Utah team with no name is very annoying to write about, as you have to keep referring them as Utah...or the Hockey Club from Utah. That team started off like gang-busters and then remembered that moving from Arizona only has a limited bump. They do have 5 players with 20+ points, so they do have the potential to put up some goals.

The great news is that Canucks finally escape Rogers and get back to their real home, the road. Unfortunately, it is only for two games and one of those will be in Vegas. So hopefully the Canucks can get more momentum before hitting Sin City tomorrow.

Bettman must drool when he see standings like this. I cringe.

Remember when my mom asked about Petey's performance when Miller came back?

Well, bad news. So far he has 0 points and is -3. Sweet lord....Buffalo is waiting.

At least we have a guy named Kiefer, who can win games on his own.

LINEUPS

Canucks projected lineup

Conor Garland -- J.T. Miller -- Brock Boeser

Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Max Sasson

Danton Heinen -- Pius Suter -- Kiefer Sherwood

Dakota Joshua -- Teddy Blueger -- Nils Hoglander

Quinn Hughes -- Noah Juulsen

Carson Soucy -- Tyler Myers

Erik Brannstrom -- Vincent Desharnais

Thatcher Demko

Kevin Lankinen

Scratched: Derek Forbort, Linus Karlsson, Phil Di Giuseppe

Injured: Filip Hronek (upper body)

Utah projected lineup

Clayton Keller -- Barrett Hayton -- Nick Schmaltz

Jack McBain -- Logan Cooley -- Dylan Guenther

Lawson Crouse -- Nick Bjugstad -- Matias Maccelli

Alexander Kerfoot -- Kevin Stenlund -- Michael Carcone

Mikhail Sergachev -- Olli Maatta

Ian Cole -- Michael Kesselring

Juuso Valimaki -- Vladislav Kolyachonok

Karel Vejmelka

Jaxson Stauber

Scratched: Liam O’Brien, Dakota Mermis

Injured: Robert Bortuzzo (lower body), Maveric Lamoureux (undisclosed), Sean Durzi (upper body), John Marino (upper body)

Status report

The Canucks assigned goaltender Arturs Silovs and defenseman Mark Friedman to Abbotsford on Tuesday. Forwards Karlsson and Di Giuseppe were recalled on Tuesday. ... Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Forbort, a defenseman, will not play tonight against Utah but “could possibly tomorrow” at the Vegas Golden Knights.

GAME DAY CHATTER

“They’re an up-and-coming team. They’re tough to play against.”

🗣 Hear from Head Coach Rick Tocchet ahead of tonight's game against Utah Hockey Club.#Canucks | @theprovince pic.twitter.com/xchg5SwI2N

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 18, 2024

“It’s a beautiful city. Cool flying in. Still have some friends on the team so I hear about how nice it is here.”

🗣 Conor Garland speaks on the team playing their first game in Utah and expectations going into tonight.#Canucks | @theprovince pic.twitter.com/Hdi42AWz2D

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 18, 2024

GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN

In honor of the Canucks hitting the road and Petey needing to get going, I give you some guy named Bob.

Go Canucks Go!