Tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET, the Vancouver Canucks (28-26-10, 66 points) and Dallas Stars (29-23-10, 68 points) faceoff live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the third and final meeting against each other this season. The game can be live streamed here. Vancouver fans can hear all of the action on Team Radio 1040 while Dallas fans can do the same on 105.3 The Fan.
After a busy NHL trade deadline for both teams, they'll take the ice with the roster that they'll have for the rest of the season. Vancouver is looking to turn things around after dropping 10 of its last 11 games while Dallas searches for the season sweep of its opponents. The Stars defeated the Canucks on Nov. 17 by a 2-1 margin in Vancouver then again on Dec. 19 in Dallas by a 4-1 margin.
The Stars acquired goaltender Tim Thomas from the Florida Panthers to help Kari Lehtonen shoulder the load going forward.
"We've liked how [Thomas has] played. He's played very well. He's experienced," general manager Jim Nill said per NHL.com. "I think it is going to be good for [Lehtonen] to see a guy, how he prepares, how he handles pressure. Kari is kind of growing into this role. It's Kari's team still, but when we have back-to-back games or four games in six nights, he knows there is somebody that can go into the net and the team is going to continue to win. That's very important."
Thomas could very well start tonight, and is 16-20-3 this season with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Following the Canucks trading Roberto Luongo to Florida, Eddie Lack will likely man the crease for the team tonight and is 9-10-4 with a 2.05 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
The Canucks have come under a bit of fire after shipping out Luongo, but it seems like for now Lack is their man while they received Jacob Markstrom from the Panthers to fill the backup void if Lack continues as their No.1.
"We had to get cap compliant in a changing marketplace," Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis said Tuesday regarding the Luongo trade, according to NHL.com. "We feel really confident in Eddie Lack, and Jacob is another really good, young goaltender with good size that fits with how we have to play, so I'm comfortable with it."
Vancouver has been led offensively by the Sedin twins as Daniel Sedin (13 goals, 27 assists) and Henrik Sedin (nine tallies, 31 helpers) each have 40 points, but Daniel is sidelined with a leg injury. Ryan Kesler, who stayed put despite trade speculation surrounding him, is second on the team with 39 points while lighting the lamp 21 times and adding 18 assists.
Tyler Seguin has paced Dallas with 58 points off of 25 goals and 33 assists while Jamie Benn has 23 markers and 33 helpers for 56 points and Cody Eakin and Valeri Nichushkin each have found the twine 13 times while adding 16 assists for 29 points.
The Canucks look to get back on the right track while the Stars try for the season sweep when the puck drops tonight at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
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