New Jersey @ Vancouver preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2019 ) Vancouver 0, New Jersey 1

The Vancouver Canucks have stumbled after a strong start, losing three in a row and four of five, but they hope to get back on track when they open a four-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday afternoon. The Canucks have dropped back-to-back games by three goals but they are the only Western Conference team that has yet to lose in regulation at home (4-0-2).

Playing on the road for the fifth time in six games, Vancouver came out on the short end of a 4-1 decision at Winnipeg on Friday, although coach Travis Green was happier with his team's effort than 24 hours earlier in Chicago. “That game could have gone either way,” Green told reporters. “There are probably games earlier we would have won with that kind of game or get a point. That’s the ebbs and flows of he NHL.” New Jersey had a promising start to its five-game road trip with victories at Carolina and Winnipeg before suffering a pair of lopsided losses in Calgary and Edmonton. The Devils have dominated the series versus Vancouver, running their winning streak to 10 games with a 1-0 victory Oct. 19 on the first career goal by Jack Hughes - the top overall pick in this year's draft.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE DEVILS (4-7-4): Cory Schneider started in Edmonton, ending a streak of four straight starts by Mackenzie Blackwood, who is expected back in the net after making 25 saves last month for his second career shutout against the Canucks. New Jersey could be short-handed on the blue line after defenseman Sami Vatanen was injured in the opening period at Edmonton. "I thought the D-core did a great job and we managed it really well," coach John Hynes told reporters. "I thought the team managed the puck well and we didn't have to defend for long, long periods of time."

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (9-5-3): Vancouver, which has scored four goals during the three-game slide (0-2-1), had a familiar face back the lineup when Sven Baertschi made his season debut, logging a pair of shots on goal and two hits in 13:13. “Not bad. He had his looks,” Green said of Baertschi, a former 18-goal scorer in 2016-17 with the Canucks who was waived and sent to the minors just before the start of the regular season. J.T. Miller has scored in each of his last two to extend his point streak to four games, but he has only seven points in 23 meetings versus New Jersey.

OVERTIME

1. Vancouver is seeking its first win against New Jersey since Nov. 25, 2014.

2. Devils F Taylor Hall had a seven-game point streak halted Friday but he has 35 in 34 games against Vancouver.

3. Canucks D Quinn Hughes, the older brother of Jack Hughes, is plus-3 at home and minus-6 on the road.

PREDICTION: Canucks 2, Devils 1