Two of Canada's top challengers for the starting goaltending job at the 2010 Winter Games will be in net tonight as Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils hosts Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks.
Luongo will not only be trying to improve Vancouver's 4-8-0 road mark to start the season, but also his own personal record against the Devils. The Canucks captain has struggled against Brodeur's Devils over the years having only picked up five wins in 23 attempts.
The Canucks had won two straight and four out of five before Sunday's 4-2 setback at the hands of the visiting San Jose Sharks.
The Canucks will have Rick Rypien back in the lineup tonight. Rypien had missed three straight games with an upper-body injury. Darcy Hordichuk appears he'll be the odd man out up front.
Canucks defenseman Shane O'Brien will also be back in the lineup. He is expected to replace Mathieu Schneider who will be a healthy scratch.
Vancouver will also have the services of fourth line centre Ryan Johnson. Johnson blocked a shot with his foot in Sunday's loss to the Sharks. He took part in Tuesday's practice after having X-rays done on his sore foot. Canucks' coach Alain Vigneault said the X-rays on Johnson's foot came back negative.
Tonight marks the only scheduled meeting between the two clubs this season. New Jersey earned a 5-3 victory the last time these two teams met in 2008-09, but the Canucks have won five of the last seven encounters against the boys from the Swamp.
This is the first game for the Devils since Saturday's 6-1 defeat of the New York Islanders. The Devils still find themselves second in the Atlantic Division, three points behind Pittsburgh, despite having won three straight and 11 of their past 14.
Devils' captain Jammie Langenbrunner is questionable for tonight's game with an undisclosed injury.
Tonight's game is the second of a four-game homestand for the Devils. The Devils have won seven of their last eight games at home after losing their first three games at home to open the season.
After tonight's tilt the Canucks are scheduled to make stops in Philadelphia, Carolina and Nashville before returning to Vancouver to open a season-high, eight-game homestand next Thursday against Atlanta.
With files from The Sports Network
