Hurricanes blow into Vancouver

With the Hurricanes in town tonight to face the Canucks at the Rog, here are some points to ponder ...

THE BIG MATCHUP

Teuvo Teravainen vs. Brock Boeser

OK, so this is Teravainen’s third full season in the NHL and this is Brock Boeser’s first. Still, both these young forwards are leading their teams in scoring and doing so at a point-per-game pace. The real contrast is in how they build their points totals: Boeser, of course, has his amazing shot, while Teravainen is known as a slick passer.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME 1. Parity parade

If you’re looking for two teams that lead the list of why the NHL likes parity, take the Canucks and the Hurricanes. The Canucks have picked up 30 points in 27 games this year; Carolina 27 in 25. Both teams have scored just about as many goals as they’ve given up. And both teams are on the edge of the playoff hunt.

2. Home not so kind to Canucks

Home cooking hasn’t done the Canucks many favours this year, as just four of their 13 wins have come at Rogers Arena. But after Saturday’s impressive defeat of the Maple Leafs and the soso Hurricanes in town followed by the underwhelming Flyers, is Vancouver set for a run of home wins?

3. Back to Markstrom?

After Jacob Markstrom recorded his latest near shutout Saturday, you figure he has the inside track to start against Carolina. But head coach Travis Green wasn’t tipping his hand Monday. So maybe he switches course to Anders Nilsson, who’s been pretty solid.

4. Sky-high shooting percentages

Loui Eriksson, Sven Baertschi, Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser have all amassed shooting percentages above 15 per cent. Boeser and Baertschi are above 20. That won’t last. Alex Ovechkin’s career shooting percentage is 12.4.

5. Stecher’s face is A-OK

He may have taken a puck square on the nose Saturday and then bled on the ice, but Troy Stecher is apparently not much worse for wear. Scans showed no break, just a bunch of “bloody boogers.”