The Panthers (17-18-8) are off to a 0-2-1 start on their five-game road trip, including a 4-3 loss in Calgary on Friday in which they let an early 2-0 lead slip through their fingers. After the game, coach Bob Boughner said his team's inability to convert on their scoring chances proved costly.
According to NaturalStatTrick.com, Florida had 18 scoring chances in Calgary.
"I thought they took the play to us in the second period, which we knew that they would have their push," Boughner said. "At the end of the day, we had four or five glorious opportunities to go ahead in this game and get the next goal, and we never did."
Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov each scored for the Panthers against the Flames. Huberdeau leads the team in points (47) and assists (35), while Hoffman paces the club in goals (21) and power-play goals (10). Dadonov ranks second on the team with 17 goals.
Hoffman's first-period goal in Calgary also highlighted a recent positive trend for the Panthers. After surrendering the first goal in seven consecutive games, they have since jumped out to 1-0 leads of their own in each of their last two contests, starting with Thursday's loss in Edmonton.
In that two-game span, Florida has held a combined 22-9 shot advantage in the first period.
"It's tough," Hoffman said. "Obviously when you come out and have as strong a first period as we did, get the lead and then execute on the power play at the start of the [second] period, you definitely want to take advantage of those games.
"They're a good hockey team over there. We weren't going to dominate them for the entire game. It's just how things work. The team that makes the most mistakes usually loses. There were one too many."
Roberto Luongo, who made 20 saves against the Flames, is expected to start in net for the Panthers, looking to break out of a personal four-game losing streak of his own. A longtime member of the Canucks, the 39-year-old holds Vancouver's franchise record for wins (252).
Luongo is six victories away from passing Ed Belfour for third on the NHL's all-time wins list.
The Canucks (20-21-5) also find themselves mired in a losing streak, having dropped each of their last three games, including a 4-3 overtime loss to Arizona on Thursday that kicked off a six-game homestand. In their previous meeting, Vancouver topped Florida 3-2 on Oct. 13.
A lower-body injury is expected to keep the Canucks' leading scorer and Calder Trophy favorite Elias Pettersson out of the lineup for the third straight game, which bodes well for the Panthers. In 38 games this season, the 20-year-old center leads the team in goals (22) and points (42).
Without Pettersson, Vancouver has gone 3-4-1 while averaging just 1.75 goals per game.
