Canucks can clinch home-ice advantage in first round of playoffs tonight

The Vancouver Canucks have been the NHL’s biggest surprise for the entirety of the 2023-24 season.

The Canucks had middling expectations at best entering the season but came out of the gates with a tremendous start. Many thought it wasn’t sustainable and waited for their drop off, but it hasn’t come.

The Canucks were able to clinch a playoff spot exactly one week ago and are sitting atop the Pacific Division with a 47-21-8 record. Tonight, they have a chance to add to what has already been a magical season.

With a win of any sort tonight against the LA Kings, the Canucks will be guaranteed home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The #Canucks can clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a win of any kind tonight in LA.

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) April 6, 2024

Doing so certainly won’t come easy, as the Kings have defeated the Canucks in two of their three games this season. Their last matchup came less than two weeks ago, with the Kings walking away with a 3-2 victory.

Tonight’s game isn’t only important to secure home ice but also to ensure the Canucks maintain their division lead over the Edmonton Oilers. With a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche last night, the Oilers sit five points shy of the Canucks with a game in hand. They are also in action tonight, going up against the Calgary Flames.

Who the Canucks will see in the first round remains to be seen. If the playoffs started today, they’d be going up against the Nashville Predators, who currently occupy the top wild-card spot. That said, many teams remain tight in the playoff race, which could see the standings change numerous times between now and the end of the regular season.

Puck drop tonight between the Canucks and Kings is set for 7:00 pm PT.

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