CANUCKS (23-23-6) at PREDATORS (25-19-8)
8 p.m. ET; SNP, FS-TN, NHL.TV
Canucks team scope
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton will return to the lineup after missing 11 games with a hand injury. "It's been a long time," Hutton said. "It's been a tough time just sitting out watching, but I'm excited to get back in the lineup and try and help the guys get some points on the board." Hutton, who has not played since Jan. 6, has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 41 games this season and will play on Vancouver's third defense pair with Nikita Tryamkin. The Canucks begin a six-game road trip having lost three straight, are 3-5-3 in their past 11 games and are five points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. "If you struggle, there has to come a time where you get out of that struggle," goaltender Jacob Markstrom said. "We all believe that this road trip is going to be the turning point for us. This time of the year, every game is super important, road or home. The points are huge, and we all know what's at stake right now. We're below the playoffs right now, and we want to get back in. We know what we need to do."
Predators team scope
Forward Vernon Fiddler is expected to make his Nashville Predators season debut. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils on Saturday for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Fiddler, 36, spent parts of six seasons with the Predators from 2002-09 and is excited to be back where he began his NHL career. "It's been great," Fiddler said. "I got the news a couple days ago there, and I'm very excited to be back. My career started here and I had lots of great memories. I'm looking forward to making some more." Fiddler is expected to center Nashville's fourth line between Cody McLeod and Austin Watson. The Predators have gone 4-1-1 in their past six home games and are 14-6-6 at Bridgestone Arena this season. Nashville is one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues for third place in the Central Division.
Canucks projected lineup
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Loui Eriksson
Markus Granlund - Brandon Sutter - Jannik Hansen
Sven Baertschi - Bo Horvat - Alexandre Burrows
Jayson Megna - Michael Chaput - Jack Skille
Alexander Edler - Troy Stetcher
Luca Sbisa - Christopher Tanev
Ben Hutton - Nikita Tryamkin
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched: Alex Biega, Reid Boucher, Philip Larsen
Injured: Derek Dorsett (neck), Erik Gudbranson (wrist), Anton Rodin (knee)
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg - Ryan Johansen - James Neal
Colton Sissons - Mike Fisher - Craig Smith
Colin Wilson - Calle Jarnkrok - Viktor Arvidsson
Cody McLeod - Vernon Fiddler - Austin Watson
Juuse Saros
Scratched: Pontus Aberg, Anthony Bitetto, Brad Hunt
Injured: Harry Zolnierczyk (upper body), Miikka Salomaki (lower body)
Status report
The Canucks and Predators each held an optional morning skate. … The Predators placed Zolnierczyk on Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury and recalled Aberg, a forward, from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
Who's hot
Sutter scored two goals in the Canucks' 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. … Johansen has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past seven games and leads the Predators with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists).
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