The Vancouver Canucks players get to deal with the distraction that is Sin City – otherwise known as Las Vegas – for the first time this season as they face the Golden Knights on Wednesday night.

Canucks vs Golden Knights Betting Analysis

The schedule-makers won’t overly kind to the Canucks this week as they play four games in six nights, with a trip to Phoenix on Thursday night in the second of a back-to-back and then returning home to face the talented Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Vancouver has yet to beat the Golden Knights, who of course are only in their second season. Vegas won all four matchups a season ago and three were decided by three goals. The only close one was the finale between the two in late April in Vancouver, a 5-4 shootout victory for the Knights.

Canucks No. 1 goalie Jacob Markstrom played in all four and started three, going 0-2-1 with a 3.53 goals-against average and .885 save percentage. William Karlsson led Vegas four goals and five assists vs. Vancouver. Jonathan Marchessault added three goals and two assists. Marc-Andre Fleury was 2-0-0 with a 2.25 GAA and .925 save percentage.

Vancouver Canucks

Off an impressive 2-1 overtime home win over Boston on Saturday, the Canucks couldn’t keep it up Monday as they were beaten 5-2 by the visiting Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored what would prove to be the winner at 19:34 of the second. He added a second goal at 5:35 of the third and also had two assists to be named the No. 1 star. Troy Stecher (first of season) and Sven Baertschi (third) had the Vancouver goals. Anders Nilsson stopped 28 of 32 shots. The Caps were 2-for-5 with the man advantage and lead the NHL in power-play goals. Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson sat again with a concussion but did skate Monday so is getting close to a return. Vancouver is 3-13 in its past 16 games when allowing at least five goals in the previous game.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Canucks Team Leaders

VAN

Points	Elias Pettersson 66
+ / -	Troy Stecher 9
Shots	Bo Horvat 227
Penalty Mins	Antoine Roussel 118
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 28
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.77

VEG

Points	Jonathan Marchessault 59
+ / -	Nate Schmidt 22
Shots	Jonathan Marchessault 278
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 74
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 35
GAA	Marc-Andre Fleury 2.51

VAN

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

VEG

Points	Mark Stone 12
+ / -	Brayden McNabb 4
Shots	Max Pacioretty 30
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 17
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 3
GAA	Marc-Andre Fleury 2.7

Vegas Golden Knights

The Knights might have had a bit of a Stanley Cup hangover – yep, you can get one even if you lose in the Finals – to start the season as they were 1-4-0 but have since won three in a row by a combined score of 8-2. Vegas last took the ice Saturday at home vs. Anaheim and prevailed 3-1. Fleury faced only 18 shots in winning his 408^th career game, moving into sole possession of 10^th on the all-time wins list. He had been tied with Hall of Famer Glenn Hall. Next on the list is another legend, Tony Esposito, with 423 wins. Vegas has been good defensively but is scoring only 2.1 goals per game. It hasn’t helped that centre Paul Stastny has been out with a lower-body injury and could miss at least two months. Marchessault leads the team with five goals and 10 points. No one else has more than three goals. Vegas is 37-15 in its past 25 at home.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Golden Knights Team Leaders

VAN

Points	Elias Pettersson 66
+ / -	Troy Stecher 9
Shots	Bo Horvat 227
Penalty Mins	Antoine Roussel 118
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 28
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.77

VEG

Points	Jonathan Marchessault 59
+ / -	Nate Schmidt 22
Shots	Jonathan Marchessault 278
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 74
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 35
GAA	Marc-Andre Fleury 2.51

VAN

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

VEG

Points	Mark Stone 12
+ / -	Brayden McNabb 4
Shots	Max Pacioretty 30
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 17
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 3
GAA	Marc-Andre Fleury 2.7

Injuries

Vancouver

Jake Virtanen (RW)

Prob Thurs Lower Body - 31 / 03 / 19

Tyler Motte (C)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 25 / 03 / 19

Guillaume Brisebois (D)

Out indefinitely Hip - 24 / 03 / 19

Josh Leivo (LW)

Prob Tues Illness - 24 / 03 / 19

Quinn Hughes (D)

Prob Thurs Ankle - 23 / 03 / 19

Christopher Tanev (D)

out for season Lower Body - 16 / 03 / 19

Jay Beagle (C)

Prob Sun Illness - 15 / 03 / 19

Quinn Hughes (D)

Late March Ankle - 14 / 03 / 19

Antoine Roussel (LW)

out for season Knee - 13 / 03 / 19

Jacob Markstrom (G)

Doub Thurs Rest - 07 / 03 / 19

Vegas

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (LW)

day-to-day Undisclosed - 24 / 04 / 19

Nate Schmidt (D)

Ques Mon Leg - 31 / 03 / 19

Mark Stone (RW)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 31 / 03 / 19

Paul Stastny (C)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 30 / 03 / 19

Brandon Pirri (C)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 25 / 03 / 19

Max Pacioretty (LW)

Prob Fri Knee - 22 / 03 / 19

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (LW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 20 / 03 / 19

Tomas Nosek (LW)

Prob Fri Lower Body - 10 / 03 / 19

Mark Stone (RW)

Ques Tues Acquired - 25 / 02 / 19

William Carrier (LW)

Prob Sat Upper Body - 18 / 02 / 19

Injuries

Vancouver

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jake Virtanen (RW)	Prob Thurs	Lower Body - 31 / 03 / 19	3-1	0-4	+ -
Virtanen was absent from the lineup during the previous game with a lower-body injury but it is likely he will be available Thursday against the Predators.
Tyler Motte (C)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 25 / 03 / 19	3-4	1-6	+ -
Motte sustained an upper-body injury and is in jeopardy of missing the remainder of the season.
Guillaume Brisebois (D)	Out indefinitely	Hip - 24 / 03 / 19	4-4	2-6	+ -
Brisebois has been out of commission with a hip injury and there is no timetable for return.
Josh Leivo (LW)	Prob Tues	Illness - 24 / 03 / 19	4-4	2-6	+ -
Leivo was absent from the lineup during the last game due to an illness but is likely to be a participant in Tuesday's matchup against the Ducks.
Quinn Hughes (D)	Prob Thurs	Ankle - 23 / 03 / 19	4-4	2-6	+ -
Hughes has sat out the past three games with an ankle injury but is projected to make his season debut against the Kings on Thursday.
Christopher Tanev (D)	out for season	Lower Body - 16 / 03 / 19	7-5	2-10	+ -
Tanev suffered a lower-body injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season.
Jay Beagle (C)	Prob Sun	Illness - 15 / 03 / 19	7-5	2-10	+ -
Beagle missed the previous game with an illness but it is not expected to keep him out of the lineup against the Stars on Sunday.
Quinn Hughes (D)	Late March	Ankle - 14 / 03 / 19	7-6	3-10	+ -
Hughes has a deep bone bruise on his ankle and will be out of action until at least the end of March.
Antoine Roussel (LW)	out for season	Knee - 13 / 03 / 19	7-6	3-10	+ -
Roussel is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
Jacob Markstrom (G)	Doub Thurs	Rest - 07 / 03 / 19	9-7	3-13	+ -
Markstrom is not expected to be available against the Oilers on Thursday as he is to be rested.

Vegas

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (LW)	day-to-day	Undisclosed - 24 / 04 / 19	0-1	0-1	+ -
Bellemare is battling an unspecified injury and it is uncertain if he will play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second round.
Nate Schmidt (D)	Ques Mon	Leg - 31 / 03 / 19	5-6	6-5	+ -
Schmidt is nursing an upper-leg injury and it is undetermined if he will be in Monday's lineup versus the Oilers.
Mark Stone (RW)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 31 / 03 / 19	5-6	6-5	+ -
Stone is battling a lower-body injury and it has yet to be established if he will face the Oilers on Monday.
Paul Stastny (C)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 30 / 03 / 19	5-7	7-5	+ -
Stastny missed his second-straight game with an unspecified ailment but is likely to be available Thursday against the Coyotes.
Brandon Pirri (C)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 25 / 03 / 19	5-9	7-7	+ -
Pirri has been held out of the previous four games due to a lower-body injury and it is unknown if he will return to the ice Monday against the Oilers.
Max Pacioretty (LW)	Prob Fri	Knee - 22 / 03 / 19	7-9	8-8	+ -
Pacioretty sat out his third-straight game due to a right knee injury but it is likely he will draw back into the lineup against the Wild on Friday.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (LW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 20 / 03 / 19	7-9	8-8	+ -
Bellemare has been absent from the lineup during the last three games due to a lower-body injury but it is likely he will be available for Wednesday's matchup versus the Avalanche.
Tomas Nosek (LW)	Prob Fri	Lower Body - 10 / 03 / 19	9-12	11-10	+ -
Nosek was absent from the lineup during the last game due to a lower-body injury but is likely to be available against the Stars on Friday.
Mark Stone (RW)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 25 / 02 / 19	12-14	13-13	+ -
Stone has recently been acquired by the organization and it is unclear if he will make his team debut Tuesday against the Stars.
William Carrier (LW)	Prob Sat	Upper Body - 18 / 02 / 19	13-16	14-15	+ -
Carrier has been out of commission due to an upper-body ailment but it is likely he will return Saturday against the Red Wings.

Canucks vs. Golden Knights Prediction