The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (32-26-12) play the third game of a six-game road trip when they face the New Jersey Devils (37-28-6) at Prudential Center in Newark. 
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It’s the latest instalment of the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-clocked-highest-speed-nhl-season">Hughes Bowl</a>, although the game will feature just two of the three brothers with Jack’s season over due to shoulder surgery.
<h1>What we know</h1>
After a practice Sunday, the Canucks opted to take the morning off, so lineup details will have to wait until closer to game time. And Rick Tocchet appears to have a number of lineup decisions to make. 
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Thatcher Demko on the ice for Canucks practice this afternoon at Prudential Center <a href="https://t.co/7jp42QWDHB">pic.twitter.com/7jp42QWDHB</a>
&mdash; Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/1903864323325194500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Thatcher Demko was a full participant in <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-thatcher-demko-possibility-start-monday-vs-new-jersey-devils">Sunday’s practice and it’s possible he could make his first start</a> since pulling himself from a February 8th game against Toronto. Kevin Lankinen started for the 10th time in the team’s last 11 games in Saturday&#8217;s 5-3 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. 
Forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander both left that game with undisclosed injuries after two periods and neither participated in Sunday’s practice. They are considered questionable for tonight’s game. Aatu Räty was recalled from AHL Abbotsford on Sunday and could see his first NHL game action since January 31st at Dallas. Räty has two goals and two assists in 21 games for the Canucks this season. At the AHL level, Räty leads Abbotsford with 39 points in 41 games.
Brock Boeser scored a third period goal against the Rangers giving him a share of the team lead with Jake DeBrusk. Both players have 23 goals on the season. Boeser has scored in three straight games netting a total of five goals over that span. He skated on a line at practice Sunday with DeBrusk and Pius Suter.
Dakota Joshua and Drew O’Connor had the other Vancouver goals on Saturday. O’Connor has now scored in two of his last four outings. Nils Aman chipped in with a pair of assists.
Quinn Hughes logged a team-high 28:25 and picked up the 400th point of his NHL career on a first period assist. The captain also matched his season-high with nine shots on goal on 15 attempts. The Canucks set a season high with 39 shots on goal on Saturday while also establishing a season low permitting just 12 shots on net.
The Canucks are 0-1-1 to start this six-game road trip. With weekend wins, St. Louis has moved five points ahead of Vancouver in the chase for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks hold two games in hand with 12 games remaining on their schedule.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Devils have dropped back to back games and three of their last four. They fell 3-1 to Ottawa on home ice on Saturday. That was on the heels of a 5-3 loss to Calgary on Thursday. 
Nico Hischier scored his team-leading 30th goal of the season on a second period power play against the Senators. Erik Haula scored their other goal in the final minute of play. Luke Hughes picked up a pair of assists.
Jesper Bratt also had a helper in the game and leads the Devils in scoring with 81 points. He sits 10th in NHL scoring. 
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NJDevils?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NJDevils</a> have changes coming to their forward group today ahead of facing the Canucks: 
• Ondrej Palat returns to the lineup. 
• Dowling in.
• Lazar and Sprong are out.
• Defense stays the same. 
🥅 Markstrom starts <a href="https://t.co/cjof2l2S5c">pic.twitter.com/cjof2l2S5c</a>
&mdash; Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/amandacstein/status/1904181435168137440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former Canuck Jacob Markstrom gets the start in goal. He has just one win in six starts since missing six weeks with a knee injury in late January. He has a 4.22 GAA and an 83.3% save percentage over that span.
The Devils appear locked into the third spot in the Metropolitan Division which will put them on a collision course with Carolina in the opening round of the playoffs. However, they’ll be in tough without Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton who is also done for the season.
Despite their recent struggles, the Devils are one of the top defensive teams in the NHL this season. They sit fourth in average goals allowed (2.61 per game) behind only Winnipeg, Los Angeles and Washington. They are also fourth in the league on the power play at 27.1% while the penalty kill ranks sixth in the league at 82.7%.
The Devils blitzed the Canucks 6-0 in their first meeting of the season. That continued a bizarre run of dominance over the past decade. New Jersey has won 16 of the last 18 head to head contests between these teams. 
Today’s referees: Frederick L&#8217;Ecuyer &amp; Furman South
Today&#8217;s broadcasters: John Forslund, Jody Shelley &amp; Thomas Hickey on Amazon Prime
Make sure to join the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@rinkwidevancouver">Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream</a> immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.
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The <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> (32-26-12) play the third game of a six-game road trip when they face the New Jersey Devils (37-28-6) at Prudential Center in Newark. 
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It’s the latest instalment of the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-clocked-highest-speed-nhl-season">Hughes Bowl</a>, although the game will feature just two of the three brothers with Jack’s season over due to shoulder surgery.
<h1>What we know</h1>
After a practice Sunday, the Canucks opted to take the morning off, so lineup details will have to wait until closer to game time. And Rick Tocchet appears to have a number of lineup decisions to make. 

https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/1903864323325194500

Thatcher Demko was a full participant in <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-thatcher-demko-possibility-start-monday-vs-new-jersey-devils">Sunday’s practice and it’s possible he could make his first start</a> since pulling himself from a February 8th game against Toronto. Kevin Lankinen started for the 10th time in the team’s last 11 games in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. 

Forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander both left that game with undisclosed injuries after two periods and neither participated in Sunday’s practice. They are considered questionable for tonight’s game. Aatu Räty was recalled from AHL Abbotsford on Sunday and could see his first NHL game action since January 31st at Dallas. Räty has two goals and two assists in 21 games for the Canucks this season. At the AHL level, Räty leads Abbotsford with 39 points in 41 games.

Brock Boeser scored a third period goal against the Rangers giving him a share of the team lead with Jake DeBrusk. Both players have 23 goals on the season. Boeser has scored in three straight games netting a total of five goals over that span. He skated on a line at practice Sunday with DeBrusk and Pius Suter.

Dakota Joshua and Drew O’Connor had the other Vancouver goals on Saturday. O’Connor has now scored in two of his last four outings. Nils Aman chipped in with a pair of assists.

Quinn Hughes logged a team-high 28:25 and picked up the 400th point of his NHL career on a first period assist. The captain also matched his season-high with nine shots on goal on 15 attempts. The Canucks set a season high with 39 shots on goal on Saturday while also establishing a season low permitting just 12 shots on net.

The Canucks are 0-1-1 to start this six-game road trip. With weekend wins, St. Louis has moved five points ahead of Vancouver in the chase for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks hold two games in hand with 12 games remaining on their schedule.
<h1>The opponent</h1>
The Devils have dropped back to back games and three of their last four. They fell 3-1 to Ottawa on home ice on Saturday. That was on the heels of a 5-3 loss to Calgary on Thursday. 

Nico Hischier scored his team-leading 30th goal of the season on a second period power play against the Senators. Erik Haula scored their other goal in the final minute of play. Luke Hughes picked up a pair of assists.

Jesper Bratt also had a helper in the game and leads the Devils in scoring with 81 points. He sits 10th in NHL scoring. 

https://twitter.com/amandacstein/status/1904181435168137440

Former Canuck Jacob Markstrom gets the start in goal. He has just one win in six starts since missing six weeks with a knee injury in late January. He has a 4.22 GAA and an 83.3% save percentage over that span.

The Devils appear locked into the third spot in the Metropolitan Division which will put them on a collision course with Carolina in the opening round of the playoffs. However, they’ll be in tough without Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton who is also done for the season.

Despite their recent struggles, the Devils are one of the top defensive teams in the NHL this season. They sit fourth in average goals allowed (2.61 per game) behind only Winnipeg, Los Angeles and Washington. They are also fourth in the league on the power play at 27.1% while the penalty kill ranks sixth in the league at 82.7%.

The Devils blitzed the Canucks 6-0 in their first meeting of the season. That continued a bizarre run of dominance over the past decade. New Jersey has won 16 of the last 18 head to head contests between these teams. 

Today’s referees: Frederick L'Ecuyer &amp; Furman South

Today's broadcasters: John Forslund, Jody Shelley &amp; Thomas Hickey on Amazon Prime

Make sure to join the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@rinkwidevancouver">Rink Wide Vancouver postgame live stream</a> immediately following tonight’s game. Rink Wide will provide a full breakdown and comprehensive coverage of the Canucks game. When the final buzzer sounds, be sure to log onto Rink Wide and join the YouTube live chat to discuss the game with other Canucks fans. Subscribe to the Rink Wide YouTube channel and never miss an episode.

Sponsored by bet365
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Canucks Game Day: Does Thatcher Demko get to deal with the Devils?

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