The Vancouver Canucks are back at Rogers Arena on Friday night following a four-game road trip and will face the Utah Mammoth for the first time this season.
Note the 6:00 p.m. start time.
Quinn Hughes met with the media on Thursday in preparation for the four-game homestand. He spoke about the importance of taking advantage of the upcoming stretch of home games.
“Just got to do what we can and control [what] we can control. I think everyone’s excited just to be back home, and we’ll start tomorrow with Utah and enjoy being at home with our families and whatnot. And, like I said, a long road trip [coming up]. So obviously, we know that these are crucial games,” said Hughes.
The captain also discussed his team’s improved defensive play over the past few games.
“We’re playing really hard, we’re really well coached. Our D zone system is pretty good,” said Hughes. “We’ve also had a lot of new faces over the course of those [last] 20 games, where it’s not as easy for everyone to just learn the system on the spot. So, I think that we’re defending hard, and coaches have been doing a great job with us. So, yeah, I think our defending is coming along.”
Quick Hits on the Competition
- With a 13-12-3 record, the Mammoth currently sit in a wild card spot within the Western Conference.
- The Mammoth come into Friday’s game after a 7-0 shellacking of the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night. That win was on the heels of a three-game losing streak and was their fourth game of a season-long six-game road trip.
- They have four double-digit goal scorers: Logan Cooley (14), JJ Peterka (12), Nick Schmaltz (10), and Dylan Guenther (10).
- Captain Clayton Keller is the leading point-getter, with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 28 games played.
- The Mammoth are 6-9-2 on the road this season and are outscoring their opponents 36-27 in the first and third periods, but have been outscored 25-12 in second periods on the road.
- Karel Vejmelka has started 21 of their 28 games this season. He has an 11-7-2 record with an .889% save percentage, a 2.73 goals-against average, and one shutout.
- Logan Cooley has two hat tricks this season, including one four-goal game on November 24th against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Story: Hroning his Craft
Filip Hronek has been an essential piece of the Canucks’ defence corps since joining the team in the 2022-23 season, and is continuing to take on more of a leadership role within the room.
Head Coach Adam praised Hronek for his leadership in the room and noted that Hronek is impactful to captain Quinn Hughes.
“The first guy that comes to my mind is a guy like Fil. He’s that guy,” said Foote. “[From] the Winnipeg trip to now, it’s huge growth, as far as maturity, how it’s in his play. It doesn’t matter from game to game. If we’re down 10 guys or five, or the PK is struggling, Fil has been there, solid, as a leader for not just Quinn, but the team.”
Hronek is playing more minutes per game this season than he ever has in his career, averaging 24:29 per game. He is tied for second on the team with 14 assists and has been on the ice for 24 goals for and 14 goals against at five-on-five this season.
Canucks’ Top Performers over the Last Five Games
Filip Hronek: 1g-3a-4p
Evander Kane: 2g-1a-3p
Tom Willander: 0g-3a-3p
Linus Karlsson: 2g-0a-2p
Brock Boeser: 1g-1a-2p
When and Where to Watch
Friday’s game is at 6:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
