Vancouver Canucks make veteran forward a healthy scratch for Sunday's clash with Pittsburgh Penguins
Photo credit: Bob Frid - Imagn Images.
Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote has decided to make a veteran forward a healthy scratch for Sunday afternoon's clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After Friday night's loss to the New Jersey Devils, the Vancouver Canucks will look to get back into the win column this afternoon as they welcome Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins to Rogers Arena for their lone trip to British Columbia this season.
Coming into Sunday's game, the Penguins have had a very successful western road trip thus far, defeating the Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers by a combined score of 16-6 and will look for the sweep this afternoon before heading home to Pittsburgh for a date with Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
For the Vancouver Canucks, who have played better in their last few games on home ice, they're looking to avoid the season sweep after losing 5-1 in Pittsburgh back in October and it appears that Adam Foote is making a big change to the team's lineup.
Vancouver Canucks scratch veteran forward for Sunday's game vs Pittsburgh Penguins
When meeting with reporters this afternoon, Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed that goaltender Kevin Lankinen will get his fourth consecutive start for the club today, while Nikita Tolopilo, who was called up by the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday under emergency conditions, will serve as the backup.
Additionally, Adam Foote announced that Max Sasson will return to the lineup against Pittsburgh after a trip to the stands on Friday, with veteran forward David Kampf set to be a healthy scratch for the first time since he was signed by the Vancouver Canucks in mid-November.
"Lankinen starts. Kämpf comes out for Sasson. #Canucks" Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 said on X.
In 30 games with the Canucks this season, the Chomutov, Czechia native has tallied six points (two goals, four assists), six penalty minutes and is a minus-seven.
Aside from David Kampf being a healthy scratch and Max Sasson coming back in, it looks like Adam Foote will roll with the same group that fell to the Devils two days ago, with Filip Chytil remaining in the second line center role after making his return to the lineup on Friday following a three month absence due to injury.
Vancouver Canucks Projected Lineup
Evander Kane -- Elias Pettersson -- Jake DeBrusk
Drew O'Connor -- Filip Chytil -- Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren -- Teddy Blueger -- Conor Garland
Nils Hoglander -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium -- Tyler Myers
Marcus Pettersson -- Tom Willander
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo
Scratched: P.O. Joseph, Aatu Raty, David Kampf
Injured: Thatcher Demko (lower body), Marco Rossi (lower body), Derek Forbort (undisclosed)
Evander Kane -- Elias Pettersson -- Jake DeBrusk
Drew O'Connor -- Filip Chytil -- Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren -- Teddy Blueger -- Conor Garland
Nils Hoglander -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium -- Tyler Myers
Marcus Pettersson -- Tom Willander
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo
Scratched: P.O. Joseph, Aatu Raty, David Kampf
Injured: Thatcher Demko (lower body), Marco Rossi (lower body), Derek Forbort (undisclosed)
Puck drop for today's game between the Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins is set for 3 p.m. PT on Sportsnet Pacific.
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