Vancouver @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2019 ) Arizona 3, Vancouver 2

The Arizona Coyotes are right in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference thanks to their current surge. They hope to continue their push for the postseason against another competitor when they continue a seven-game homestand Thursday versus the Vancouver Canucks.

Arizona, which is three points out of the second wild-card spot, posted its fourth straight victory and seventh in nine games on Tuesday as it rallied to top Florida 4-3 in a shootout. Derek Stepan scored his second goal of the contest late in the third period to forge a tie and the Coyotes converted all three of their attempts in the bonus format to improve to 2-0-0 on their homestand. Vancouver is five points back in the wild-card race after kicking off its three-game road trip with a 3-2 shootout loss in Colorado. Josh Leivo scored with 3:02 remaining in the third period to earn a point for the Canucks, who have dropped nine of their last 12 contests (3-6-3).

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (27-28-9): Tanner Pearson made his team debut on Wednesday, registering two shots and a pair of hits in 14 1/2 minutes of ice time. The 26-year-old left wing, who was acquired from Pittsburgh at Monday's trade deadline after beginning the season with Los Angeles, has recorded nine goals and six assists in 62 games this campaign. Defenseman Alex Biega set up both tallies against the Avalanche, giving him five of his 10 points this season in his last six contests.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (30-28-5): Rookie Conor Garland has impressed the organization so much over his first 36 NHL games, he was rewarded with a two-year contract extension on Wednesday. The 22-year-old right wing, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, has registered 12 goals and three assists since being recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League on Dec. 2. Stepan, who trails Alex Galchenyuk (14) by one goal for the team lead, is riding a four-game point streak (two goals, three assists) and is seven assists shy of 300 for his career.

OVERTIME

1. Coyotes RW Josh Archibald, who enters Thursday with a career-best four-game point streak, has tallied in four of his last eight contests.

2. Vancouver D Alex Edler (concussion) is traveling with the team but missed his 11th consecutive game on Wednesday.

3. Arizona D Oliver Ekman-Larsson is tied with Dave Babych for 13th place on the franchise list with 321 points.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 4, Canucks 2