CANUCKS (7-10-2) at COYOTES (6-9-2)
TV: 10 p.m. ET; FS-A, SNP, NHL.TV
Canucks team scope
The Vancouver Canucks, 1-6-1 on the road this season, begin a three-game, four-night trip Wednesday against the Arizona Coyotes. Vancouver finished 2-1-1 on a four-game homestand and got a lift from forward Brandon Sutter, who has four goals and one assist in a four-game points streak after having one assist in his previous 10 games. One of those goals came in a 3-2 overtime win against the Coyotes on Nov. 16. Vancouver rallied from being behind 2-0 and defenseman Ben Hutton won the game on a penalty shot in overtime. "They have a fast, skilled team," Hutton said. "We don't want to play from behind against them again." Goaltender Ryan Miller is expected to start. He's 9-1-0 with a 1.58 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in 10 career games against Arizona. Forwards Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin have combined for 95 points (25 goals, 70 assists) in 60 career games each against the Coyotes.
Coyotes team scope
Goaltender Mike Smith will start, and looks for back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Smith returned to the Coyotes lineup Nov. 16 at the Calgary Flames after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury. He gave up two goals in each of his two previous starts, a 2-1 victory against the Flames and a 3-2 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks last Saturday. The Coyotes are 1-0-2 in a stretch of eight straight games against Pacific Division opponents. "I don't think we've strung together 60 minutes where each player could look in the mirror and suggest they've brought their best A-game to the table," general manager John Chayka told the Arizona Republic. "Until we do that, we're going to struggle." Coyotes captain Shane Doan needs one assist to pass Thomas Steen and become the all-time franchise leader with 554.
Canucks projected lineup
Daniel Sedin -- Henrik Sedin -- Brandon Sutter
Sven Baertschi -- Bo Horvat -- Alexandre Burrows
Markus Grandlund -- Michael Chaput -- Loui Eriksson
Jack Skille -- Brendan Gaunce -- Jayson Megna
Alexander Elder -- Troy Stecher
Ben Hutton -- Erik Gudbranson
Luca Sbisa -- Nikita Tyamkin
Ryan Miller
Scratched: Alex Biega, Phillip Larsen, Joseph Labate
Injured: Derek Dorsett (shoulder), Jannick Hansen (rib), Anton Rodin (knee), Christopher Tanev (lower body)
Coyotes projected lineup
Max Domi -- Martin Hanzal -- Radim Vrbata
Tobias Rieder -- Jordan Martinook -- Shane Doan
Jamie McGinn -- Christian Dvorak -- Anthony Duclair
Lawson Crouse -- Laurent Dauphin -- Ryan White
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Connor Murphy
Alex Goligoski -- Anthony DeAngelo
Jakob Chychrun -- Michael Stone
Mike Smith
Louie Domingue
Scratched: Kevin Connauton, Luke Schenn
Injured: Brad Richardson (broken leg)
Status report
The Canucks recalled Labate from the Utica of the American Hockey League, and he could make his NHL debut. Vancouver's fourth-round pick (No. 101) in the 2011 NHL Draft, LaBate, 23, has two goals and four assists in 12 games with Utica this season. … Goligoski (illness) and White (upper body) will play for Arizona after missing practice on Monday. … Doan is trying to become the fifth player in NHL history to own franchise records for goals, assists and points with one team, and join Ron Francis (Carolina Hurricanes), Mike Modano (Dallas Stars), Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche).
Who's hot
Smith is coming off his strongest game of the season, making 43 saves in a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Daniel Sedin has nine points (four goals, five assists) in an eight-game point streak. His career-long points streak is 11 games.
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