FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
7 p.m., Rogers Arena TV: SNET; TSN3Radio: TSN 1290
1 Sam Gagner is back
With just four even strength goals in four games, the Canucks called up the scoring forward on Sunday. Where he’ll slot into the lineup isn’t clear, but there seems little doubt he’ll make his season debut on Monday after recording 15 points in 15 games in the American Hockey Leagu e.
2 Power play
No team fires the puck more on the man advantage than the Jets. They’re getting huge results because of that, scoring on 1-in-3 power play opportunities, the best rate in the league. The Canucks’ power play has not looked great, but they’ve still managed to score in three straight games.
3 Bo Horvat’s durability
With the Canucks still missing out on key defensive centre Brandon Sutter, Bo Horvat continues to take 35-plus draws a night. That means lots of extra ice time for the centre, who is doing well but even so, that’s a heavy load to carry with lots of hockey left to play on the season.
4 Laine’s trigger
The star winger has eight goals in 18 games, a respectable total. But given he’s a career 17.1-per-cent shooter, his 11.6-per-cent mark this season tells us that a heap of goals are likely to come. Watch out, Canucks.
5 Goaltending
Pretty simple story here: The Jets have been getting strong play in the crease, while the Canucks have not. Led by Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets are eighth in the league in even-strength save percentage. Jacob Markstrom and the Canucks, on the other hand, sit fifth from the bottom.