Benn boys battle it out in front of friends, family

Benn vs. Benn

The two Saanich boys will face each other for the sixth time in their NHL careers.

They were, of course, teammates for parts of six seasons with the Stars, before the Canucks’ Jordie Benn was shipped to the Montreal Canadiens at the 2017 trade deadline. One of the reasons Jordie signed to play in Vancouver was a chance to play in front of family and friends.

It will be interesting to see tonight how the loyalties split with brother Jamie in town.

NEXT GAME

Tonight

Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks

7 p.m., Rogers Arena TV: Sportsnet Pacific Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Blockade

Dallas isn’t a team that lets opponents shoot from the slot.

They’re the third-stingiest team in the NHL in goals against. Veteran defenceman Roman Polak is expected to return to the lineup after missing most of the season with a sternum injury.

2. Fizzle

That’s the sound the Stars’ offence has made so far this season. Despite the addition of veteran scorers like Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry, they’ve scored the third-fewest goals in the NHL. This, of course, means they’re primed for a breakout against the Canucks. Vancouver, on the other hand, has now scored five goals on eight occasions on the season. They may have struggled to score over the past week, but Tuesday against Nashville they reminded everyone how potent they can be.

3. PP depth

The Canucks need their power play to be great. After Tuesday’s three-goal outburst, they’re now sixth overall in the NHL with the man advantage. Getting two goals from the second unit Tuesday was a great sight, as the first unit has been carrying the load so far this year.

4. Centres of attention

If both the injured Jay Beagle and Brandon Sutter are out against the Stars, Bo Horvat will be leaned on heavily to carry the defensive load. He and Beagle have been facing the opposition’s best centres. With neither Beagle nor Sutter available late in Tuesday’s game, Horvat played six of the game’s final seven minutes. That’s impressive, but hardly sustainable. Tyler Graovac will likely draw in as the third-line centre if Beagle is out.

5. Birthday hangover

Elias Pettersson’s two-goal performance on his 21st birthday Tuesday was surely followed by some serious celebrations. The Lotto Line continues to score at an incredible clip, with the Canucks shooting 13.5 per cent while he’s on the ice at even strength.