Pettersson still missing but Boeser could return for Canucks tonight
The Vancouver Canucks will be without Elias Pettersson again tonight.
The Canucks’ leading scorer is sick, according to head coach Bruce Boudreau, and will miss his second straight game. Pettersson and Brock Boeser both sat out Saturday’s game with non-COVID illnesses.
Boeser, who skated at Rogers Arena this morning, is an option to play tonight against the St. Louis Blues, according to Boudreau.
The Canucks had one of their most disappointing efforts of the season without Pettersson and Boeser, losing 5-1 to the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night at Rogers Arena. The team was booed off the ice, and one Canucks fan even tossed his jersey over the glass in protest.
With just five wins in 14 games at Rogers Arena this season, the Canucks have the third-worst home-ice record in the NHL. Of the eight regulation losses on home ice, six have been by 3-4 goals.
It’s a puzzling development, as the Canucks have a .563 points percentage on the road (16th-best in the NHL), with an 8-6-2 record. They’ve won six in a row away from home.
Silovs called up
Spencer Martin will have a new goalie backing him up tonight, as Arturs Silovs has been called up.
The 6-foot-4 Latvian netminder has a .887 save percentage in 17 games with the Abbotsford Canucks this season — his first full season in the AHL. Silovs is getting the call to allow Collin Delia to spend time with his new baby that was born this morning.
Silovs, 21, was drafted by the Canucks in the sixth round of the 2019 draft.
Dermott getting closer
Defenceman Travis Dermott appears to be getting closer to playing his first game of the season.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that D Travis Dermott has been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL) for LTI conditioning loan. G Collin Delia has been returned to Abbotsford (AHL) and G Arturs Silovs has been recalled from Abbotsford under emergency conditions.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 19, 2022
The 25-year-old blueliner suffered a concussion in training camp and has been out ever since. He’s been skating with the Canucks at practice for weeks now, though, and has been assigned to an AHL conditioning stint with Abbotsford.