Vancouver Canucks Look to Avoid Season Sweep Against Winnipeg Jets on Hockey Night in Canada

The Vancouver Canucks head to Winnipeg on Saturday for an all-Canadian Hockey Night in Canada showdown with the Jets. It's the third and final meeting of the season between the two clubs, and the Jets have won both previous matchups.Vancouver snapped a seven-game losing streak on Friday with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser led the charge offensively in a game the Canucks needed badly. As the longest-tenured Canuck on the roster, his leadership carries extra weight with veterans having departed at the trade deadline.

Vancouver Canucks Seeking Consistency Amid Catastrophic Performance Issues

As Vancouver heads to the final part of the regular season, Boeser remains one of their best forward options.

He scored twice in Vancouver’s last game, bringing his total to 15 this season. Head coach Adam Foote praised Boeser for stepping up when the room needed it most.Vancouver's recent stretch has been brutal. However, the win in Chicago was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult run for a team sitting at the bottom of the NHL standings. The top performers over the last five games tell the story of a team leaning on its core. Boeser and DeBrusk each have four points. Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson have matched that output.

Drew O'Connor has chipped in three points. Building on Friday's effort will be the challenge. Back-to-back games on the road against a Jets team settling into a long homestand is a tall order.Winnipeg, meanwhile, remains in the midst of a season-long eight-game homestand. They've won the first two games and will look to keep the momentum going against Vancouver. Mark Scheifele leads the Jets with 29 goals and 75 points this season. He has historically dominated the Canucks, posting 18 goals and 42 points in 40 career games against Vancouver. Connor Hellebuyck has started 40 of Winnipeg's 61 games this season. His numbers have been uncharacteristically modest, with a .901 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average. The Jets sit sixth in the Western Conference at 24-26-10. One number stands out for Winnipeg. They are 21-9-6 when scoring first and 4-17-4 when the opposition gets on the board first. For the Canucks, getting out to an early lead would be critical.Puck drop is at 4:00 PM Pacific on Hockey Night in Canada. Brendan Batchelor has the radio call on Sportsnet 650.