GAME PREVIEW - CDC - Jan 16

The Vancouver Canucks begin a homestand on Thursday night when the Los Angeles Kings roll into Rogers Arena for a Pacific Division matchup between the two West Coast teams.

Following a five-game road trip, the Canucks return home for their next three games as they look to pile up some points over the next week.

Kiefer Sherwood currently sits with 259 hits this season. He is 92 hits ahead of second-place Mark Kastelic. Sherwood has contributed more than just physical play, scoring 13 goals while playing in all 43 Canucks’ games this season. He is averaging a career-high of 14:47 and averaging 99 seconds of shorthanded ice time per game.

Brock Boeser is up to 15 goals this year and is tied with Vincent Trocheck for the league lead in tipped goals with six. In 478:16 of ice time at five-on-five, Boeser has been on the ice for 22 goals scored and 17 goals against.

The Kings come into Thursday’s game holding onto the third spot in the Pacific Division. They are 24-12-5 on the season and 10-10-4 on the road. Thursday's game will be the fourth game of the Kings’ five-game road trip. They picked up a win in Winnipeg, lost to the Calgary Flames and then to the Edmonton Oilers.

There have been three or fewer total goals scored in each of the Kings’ last five games. The Kings are atop the league in defending against goals this season – they have allowed 2.41 goals per game.

Quick Hits on the Competition

  • Anze Kopitar tops the Kings with 40 points through 41 games. The 37-year-old has also won 55.7% of his faceoffs and leads the team with five game-winners.
  • Adrian Kempe leads with 20 goals this season and has scored 17 of those goals at even-strength.
  • On defence, they are anchored by Vladislav Gavrikov and Michael Anderson. Both defencemen are averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per game. The Kings are missing Drew Doughty, who has not played this season after breaking his ankle in preseason.
  • Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich have been splitting the crease this season. Kuemper has made 21 starts while Rittich has 19. Kuemper has the better numbers, holding a 12-3-5 record with a .921% save percentage and a 2.11 goals-against average.
  • The Kings rank ninth in the league on the penalty kill and are killing off 82.5% of their penalties this season. Kempe and Trevor Moore have one shorthanded goals apiece.
  • Kevin Fiala has five power play goals as the Kings’ power play ranks 29th in the league with their 14.9% conversion rate.

The Story: The Return of Fil

Filip Hronek returned to the lineup on Tuesday night and finished the game with 20:50 of ice time, two blocked shots and three hits.

The right-shot defenceman played 19:17 at five-on-five and played 75% of that alongside Quinn Hughes. Hughes spoke about having Hronek back in the Canucks’ lineup in the Tuesday’s postgame media availability.

“We missed him,” said the Canucks’ captain. “He headman's pucks well, he defends hard always competes and he cares. I'll take him on my team, any day.”

Canucks’ Top Performers over the Last Five Games

Quinn Hughes: 1g-4a-5p
J.T. Miller: 2g-2g-4p
Tyler Myers: 0g-3a-3p
Kiefer Sherwood: 1g-1a-2p
Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 1g-1a-2p
Brock Boeser: 1g-1a-2p
Nils Höglander: 1g-1a-2p

When and Where to Watch

Thursday’s game is a 7:00 p.m. PT start, and you can watch it on Sportsnet or listen along to the radio call with Brendan Batchelor on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.