Florida @ Vancouver preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2018 ) Vancouver 3, Florida 2

There's a chance that Roberto Luongo could be making his final appearance in the city where he starred for nearly a decade when the Florida Panthers continue their five-game road trip with a visit to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. The 39-year-old Luongo played eight seasons with the Canucks before he was traded back to Florida during the 2013-14 season.

“We’re talking about a special athlete,” Vancouver coach Travis Green said of Luongo. “He’s had an amazing career. Guys that are that elite and play that long are pretty exceptional.” Luongo was in net for Friday's 4-3 setback at Calgary that kept the Panthers winless on the road trip (0-2-1) and extended their losing streak to five games (0-3-2). Vancouver also is in a rut, having been shut out four times in its previous seven games before falling to Arizona 4-3 in overtime on Thursday. The teams are meeting for the first time Canucks rookie sensation Elias Pettersson suffered a concussion when he was checked into the boards by Florida's Mike Matheson on Oct. 13 for what Green termed a "dirty" hit.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, Sportsnet (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (17-18-8): Florida was unable to protect a 2-0 lead in Friday's loss to Calgary after giving up the tying goal in the final seconds of regulation in a shootout loss in Edmonton 24 hours earlier. Mike Hoffman scored his team-leading 21st goal against the Flames, giving his six tallies in his last 10 games and leaving him one shy of matching his season total with Ottawa in 2017-18. Jonathan Huberdeau, who scored his first goal of the season in the 3-2 loss to Vancouver in October, pushed his team-high point total to 47 with a power-play tally Friday.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (20-21-5): Sven Baertschi, who missed 30 games due to a concussion, scored twice Friday and has three goals in six games since returning to the lineup. “I’m starting to feel more comfortable and I’m getting my chances,” said Baertschi, who was elevated back to the No. 1 line. "With a (concussion) break that long, I can be happy with the way things are progressing, but there’s always room for improvement.” Pettersson, who suffered a sprained knee on Jan. 3, skated after practice Saturday but Green told reporters "we’re not going to rush him back."

OVERTIME

1. Canucks G Jacob Markstrom owns a 1-3-1 mark and 3.30 goals-against average all time versus Florida.

2. Huberdeau has four goals and seven points in nine games against Vancouver.

3. Canucks F Josh Leivo (back), sidelined the last three games, practiced Saturday and is expected back in the lineup.

PREDICTION: Panthers 3, Canucks 2