Thrilled to be Home
Vancouver, BC – Following a pair of one-goal losses on the road, the Vancouver Canucks may be thrilled to return home.
The Canucks look to extend their home winning streak to eight Friday night when they meet the Los Angeles Kings.
Vancouver (34-23-9), fifth in the Western Conference, is coming off Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime loss at Anaheim, two nights after falling 3-2 at Los Angeles (29-28-9). Those defeats came after the Canucks went 12-2-0 over the previous 14.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook Sportsbook.com have made the Canucks –230 money line favorites for Friday’s game against the Kings. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 71% of more than 215 bets for this game have been placed on the Canucks -230.
"Every point is important, especially this point," center Ryan Kesler said after scoring a goal against the Ducks. "Every game you want to get the two points and that’s the most important thing and we didn’t get that tonight. That’s not good enough and we’re not happy."
The Canucks have certainly enjoyed being at home of late, winning seven in a row – all in regulation. That streak, which has followed a nine-game slide at GM Place, is their longest since an eight-game run from Dec. 8, 2006-Jan. 7, 2007.
Kesler, tied with Alex Burrows for second on the team with 20 goals, has played a big part in the Canucks’ recent success at home, scoring seven goals and adding seven assists in the last eight there.
Roberto Luongo has been another key contributor for Vancouver, winning all seven games during the home streak with a 1.86 goals-against average. He will try to maintain that impressive play after making 37 saves Wednesday before allowing the winning goal to Scott Niedermayer at 3:37 of overtime. It was the first time in 12 starts that Luongo gave up more than three goals.
He made 19 saves to take the loss against the Kings on Monday after stopping 28 shots in the previous meeting, a 4-0 win at Los Angeles on Oct. 30.
The Kings, 13th in the cluttered West playoff race, are looking to carry some momentum onto the road after sweeping a three-game homestand with Monday’s win. During that stretch, Los Angeles also defeated Minnesota and Dallas, taking three meetings with teams ahead of it in the playoff chase.
"At this point of the season, it doesn’t matter how we win games – as long as we’re winning them," captain Dustin Brown said. "We’ve got to keep this momentum going and scrape and claw for everything we get. We’re on the outside looking in. And with the way the schedule is, teams are flip-flopping left and right, night after night.
"It’s about digging in and finding a way to win. And in these three home games, we found a way. We’ve had really good goaltending and good power plays. Now, we need to take this momentum on the road, and we really can’t be worrying about what other teams are doing."
The Kings have dropped four in a row as the visitor.
Center Anze Kopitar, who had his four-game goal streak halted Monday, has eight points over the last five. He leads the Kings with 58 points and has four points – all assists – in four career games at Vancouver.
Posted: 3/13/09 12:00AM ET
