The Vancouver Canucks (3-1-2) chase a fourth straight win when they open a three-game homestand tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-5-1) at Rogers Arena. 
The Canucks held an optional skate this morning with 11 skaters and two goalies taking part.
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<h1>What we saw</h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
highly optional morning skate for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a>. Kevin Lankinen going through starter’s routine with Marko Torenius <a href="https://t.co/WrUmpXdGzH">pic.twitter.com/WrUmpXdGzH</a>
&mdash; Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1850227703775187363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Despite winning three straight, Rick Tocchet will make one line-up change from the group that beat the Blackhawks 6-3 in Chicago on Tuesday. Daniel Sprong draws back in and will replace Nils Aman. Otherwise, it’s the same forward lines and defence pairs. Sprong has played three games and been a healthy scratch on three occasions. He scored the first Canucks goal of the season on opening night, but hasn&#8217;t found the scoresheet since.
Kevin Lankinen makes his fourth straight start in goal. He has won his last three outings and has helped the Canucks gain at least a point in the standings in all four of his starts so far this season. He is 3-0-1 with a 1.70 GAA, a 94.1% save percentage and a shutout.
Brock Boeser has scored in back to back games and has 2+2=4 on a four-game point streak. Boeser has points in five of the team’s six games this season. He has feasted on Penguin netminders with 11 goals in 11 career games against Pittsburgh.
Kiefer Sherwood has 31 hits in his last three games and leads the NHL with 44 on the season. He is also riding a career-high three-game point streak (1+3=4) into action tonight.
As a team, the Canucks have scored 20 goals on the season while still waiting for Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk to find the back of the net for the first time.
Tonight marks the season debut of the Canucks black skate jerseys. They will wear them a total of 18 times including all three times on the homestand that starts tonight. The club will also celebrate Tyler Myers for reaching the 1000 NHL game milestone last Saturday in Philadelphia. Derek Forbort is expected to rejoin the Canucks on Saturday after taking a personal leave. He will not play against Pittsburgh.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Penguins did not skate this morning after giving up 50 shots in a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-dominate-the-penguins-to-a-4-0-finish-and-it-could-have-been-so-much-worse-than-that">4-0 loss in Edmonton last nigh</a>t. The Pens are 0-3-1 in their last four games after a 3-2 start to the season.
After serving as the back-up last night, Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to get the start in goal. He is 0-1-1 this season with a 3.86 GAA and an 86.9% save percentage. Earlier today, the Penguins assigned Surrey native Tristan Jarry to their Wilkes-Barre AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint to work on his game after a tough start to the season.
Pittsburgh is led in scoring by Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Malkin got off to an incredible start with 2+9=11 in his first five games, however the 38-year-old has been held without a point in his last four outings. Meanwhile, Crosby has 1+6=7, but has just a lone assist in his past four contests.
Tonight will be Crosby’s 12th NHL appearance in Vancouver. He has 5+8=13 in his first 11 visits games. Of course, he is best known in these parts for his golden goal for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics. February will mark 15 years since that memorable occasion.
The Penguins line-up also includes former Canuck Anthony Beauvillier who has 2+0=2 in nine games this season. He leads the team with 26 shots on goal.
These two teams exchanged 4-3 OT results last season with each winning in the other team’s building. Elias Pettersson capped a four-point night with the winner in Pittsburgh in mid-January while Erik Karlsson netted the overtime goal in the Penguins victory in Vancouver.
The Canucks and Penguins will meet again on November 27th in Pittsburgh.
Tonight’s referees: Wes McCauley &amp; Graham Skilliter
Tonight’s broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Ray Ferraro
<h1>What we heard</h1>
Rick Tocchet on expecting Penguins to respond to 4-0 loss in Edmonton: “Listen, we’ve all been in situations like that. The Penguins have a rich history and they’re winners, so they’re going to be ready to play. They’ve got a lot of pride.”
Jake DeBrusk, on still looking for his first goal of the season: “Yeah, I think I wasted them all in the preseason, to be honest with you. I think the first six games of the season has been a bit of a mixed game. I feel like I have been learning a lot on the fly and, at the same point, playing with a couple of different players. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement and it’s one of those things where I’m looking forward to getting on the board and getting my game in a better spot as well.”
Tyler Myers on being recognized for his 1000th game tonight: “I’m excited for it. I’m really excited to have my family out on the ice to enjoy the moment with them and to have my teammates behind me. It’s going to be a fun night and then we want to put a good game together and try to get a win.”
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The Vancouver Canucks (3-1-2) chase a fourth straight win when they open a three-game homestand tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-5-1) at Rogers Arena. 

The Canucks held an optional skate this morning with 11 skaters and two goalies taking part.
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<h1>What we saw</h1>
https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1850227703775187363

Despite winning three straight, Rick Tocchet will make one line-up change from the group that beat the Blackhawks 6-3 in Chicago on Tuesday. Daniel Sprong draws back in and will replace Nils Aman. Otherwise, it’s the same forward lines and defence pairs. Sprong has played three games and been a healthy scratch on three occasions. He scored the first Canucks goal of the season on opening night, but hasn't found the scoresheet since.

Kevin Lankinen makes his fourth straight start in goal. He has won his last three outings and has helped the Canucks gain at least a point in the standings in all four of his starts so far this season. He is 3-0-1 with a 1.70 GAA, a 94.1% save percentage and a shutout.

Brock Boeser has scored in back to back games and has 2+2=4 on a four-game point streak. Boeser has points in five of the team’s six games this season. He has feasted on Penguin netminders with 11 goals in 11 career games against Pittsburgh.

Kiefer Sherwood has 31 hits in his last three games and leads the NHL with 44 on the season. He is also riding a career-high three-game point streak (1+3=4) into action tonight.

As a team, the Canucks have scored 20 goals on the season while still waiting for Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk to find the back of the net for the first time.

Tonight marks the season debut of the Canucks black skate jerseys. They will wear them a total of 18 times including all three times on the homestand that starts tonight. The club will also celebrate Tyler Myers for reaching the 1000 NHL game milestone last Saturday in Philadelphia. Derek Forbort is expected to rejoin the Canucks on Saturday after taking a personal leave. He will not play against Pittsburgh.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Penguins did not skate this morning after giving up 50 shots in a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-dominate-the-penguins-to-a-4-0-finish-and-it-could-have-been-so-much-worse-than-that">4-0 loss in Edmonton last nigh</a>t. The Pens are 0-3-1 in their last four games after a 3-2 start to the season.

After serving as the back-up last night, Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to get the start in goal. He is 0-1-1 this season with a 3.86 GAA and an 86.9% save percentage. Earlier today, the Penguins assigned Surrey native Tristan Jarry to their Wilkes-Barre AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint to work on his game after a tough start to the season.

Pittsburgh is led in scoring by Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Malkin got off to an incredible start with 2+9=11 in his first five games, however the 38-year-old has been held without a point in his last four outings. Meanwhile, Crosby has 1+6=7, but has just a lone assist in his past four contests.

Tonight will be Crosby’s 12th NHL appearance in Vancouver. He has 5+8=13 in his first 11 visits games. Of course, he is best known in these parts for his golden goal for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics. February will mark 15 years since that memorable occasion.

The Penguins line-up also includes former Canuck Anthony Beauvillier who has 2+0=2 in nine games this season. He leads the team with 26 shots on goal.

These two teams exchanged 4-3 OT results last season with each winning in the other team’s building. Elias Pettersson capped a four-point night with the winner in Pittsburgh in mid-January while Erik Karlsson netted the overtime goal in the Penguins victory in Vancouver.

The Canucks and Penguins will meet again on November 27th in Pittsburgh.

Tonight’s referees: Wes McCauley &amp; Graham Skilliter

Tonight’s broadcasters: John Shorthouse &amp; Ray Ferraro
<h1>What we heard</h1>
Rick Tocchet on expecting Penguins to respond to 4-0 loss in Edmonton: “Listen, we’ve all been in situations like that. The Penguins have a rich history and they’re winners, so they’re going to be ready to play. They’ve got a lot of pride.”

Jake DeBrusk, on still looking for his first goal of the season: “Yeah, I think I wasted them all in the preseason, to be honest with you. I think the first six games of the season has been a bit of a mixed game. I feel like I have been learning a lot on the fly and, at the same point, playing with a couple of different players. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement and it’s one of those things where I’m looking forward to getting on the board and getting my game in a better spot as well.”

Tyler Myers on being recognized for his 1000th game tonight: “I’m excited for it. I’m really excited to have my family out on the ice to enjoy the moment with them and to have my teammates behind me. It’s going to be a fun night and then we want to put a good game together and try to get a win.”

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Canucks game day: Sprong springs into lineup for visit from Crosby’s Penguins

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