Sharks at Canucks (game 34): Lines, game thread and how to watch

Merry Christmas Eve eve. The San Jose Sharks take a quick trip to the other side of the border just before taking off for the Christmas holiday. San Jose visits Rogers Arena for game four of four this season with the Vancouver Canucks. That’s right, we haven’t even hit the holiday break and already the season series is about to be over. The Sharks have a chance to pull this series to a draw. The Canucks won two games, that 10-1 drubbing at SAP Center and a 3-1 win on Nov. 20. However, the Sharks won the most recent showdown 4-3 at SAP Center on Nov. 25.

The Canucks are still going strong three months into the season. The team is 7-1-2 in its last ten games and sits atop the Pacific Division with 47 points. The Vegas Golden Knights have 47 points as well but the Canucks have a game in hand.

J.T. Miller has 46 points in 34 games and is third in the league in scoring. Honestly, it’s pretty good, considering the two guys ahead of him are Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov. Miller is even ahead of Connor McDavid in the scoring race. Also making the list of top scorers in the league is Quinn Hughes, who is ninth with 42 points. Elias Pettersson is tenth with 41. Brock Boeser makes the top 20 scorers in the league. He’s 16th with 38 points in 34 games. What’s more, Boeser is second in goals leaguewide with 24 goals.

In net, goaltender Thatcher Demko is tied for the league lead with 16 wins. Other goaltenders with 16 wins are Connor Hellebuyck with Winnipeg and Alexander Georgiev with Colorado.

The Canucks continue to be a well-rounded team that will give the Sharks all they can handle tonight.

As for the Sharks, this is the last game before the Christmas break. The team will not play again until Wednesday. In fact, the whole league takes a break until then. If you simply can’t go without hockey for that long, check in on the IIHF World Junior Championship, where six Sharks prospects are taking the ice.

This is Jack Studnicka’s first trip back to Vancouver since he was traded on Dec. 15. Studnicka played 52 games with the Canucks over two seasons and had nine points (5 G, 4 A).

San Jose Sharks lines against the Canucks

According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, some Sharks are too banged up to play tonight.

Barabanov will not play, illness

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 23, 2023

Alexander Barabanov is still ill, so he won’t make it. Givani Smith did not travel with the team. You may recall that he left Thursday’s game with an injury and did not return. Calen Addison will likely be a gametime decision.

Forwards
William Eklund – Tomas Hertl – Filip Zadina
Anthony Duclair – Mikael Granlund – Fabian Zetterlund
Kevin Labanc – Luke Kunin – Mike Hoffman
Justin Bailey – Jack Studnicka – Jacob MacDonald

Defensemen
Mario Ferraro – Kyle Burroughs
Nikita Okhotiuk – Calen Addison
Henry Thrun – Jan Rutta

Goaltenders
Mackenzie Blackwood
Kaapo Kahkonen

Canucks lines for Dec. 23, 2023

For the Vancouver Canucks, one of the storylines will be how Andrei Kuzmenko responds now that he’s back in the lineup. Head Coach Rich Tocchet scratched the forward against the Dallas Stars and the team won 4-3 in overtime. Kuzmenko was also scratched against the Nashville Predators, and the Canucks won.

However, it sounds like he’ll get a shot at earning his spot back tonight. According to Brendan Batchelor, the radio voice of the Canucks, Kuzmenko is back in the lineup and he’s getting time on power play one. This is how Batchelor expects them to lineup.

Morning skate #Canucks lines

Mikheyev. Pettersson. Kuzmenko.
Höglander. Miller. Boeser.
Joshua. Blueger. Garland.
Åman. Suter. Lafferty.

Hughes. Hronek.
Zadorov. Myers.
Cole. Juulsen.

7pm tonight vs. San Jose on @Sportsnet650 pic.twitter.com/dlCgIRiwfz

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) December 23, 2023

Forwards
Ilya Mikheyev – Elias Pettersson – Andrei Kuzmenko
Nils Hoglander – J.T. Miller – Brock Boeser
Dakota Joshua – Teddy Blueger – Conor Garland
Nils Aman – Pius Suter – Sam Lafferty

Defensemen
Quinn Hughes – Filip Hronek
Nikita Zadorov – Tyler Myers
Ian Cole – Noah Juulsen

Goaltenders
Thatcher Demko
Casey DeSmith

I guess Demoko gets the start because he’s 2-0 against the Sharks. Demko backstopped both wins this season while DeSmith was in net for the single loss.

How to watch San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks Dec. 23, 2023

For Sharks fans looking to take in the game, it’s back on NBC Sports California (NBCSCA). That means fans can listen to familiar favorites Randy Hahn and Brett Hedican or Drew Remenda depending on who draws the call. On the radio, Dan Rusanowsky will hold down the fort. You can listen on the Sharks Audio Network at sjsharks.com/listen.

Canucks fans can watch on CITY, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario or Sportsnet Pacific depending on where they’re located. The radio call can be heard on Sportsnet 650.

Puck drop is 7 p.m. PT at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. That’s 10 p.m. ET. And be sure to check back here to join the community in watching the game.