Canucks 5 - 2 Avalanche
Final
  for this game

Canucks eye better effort vs. Avs

Nov 4, 2014 - 4:03 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Vancouver Canucks will aim for revenge against the Colorado Avalanche when the clubs meet in Tuesday's battle at the Pepsi Center.

The Canucks did not fare well when they faced the Avalanche in Denver earlier this season, dropping a 7-3 decision for their most lopsided loss of 2014-15.

Jarome Iginla recorded two goals and an assist for Colorado in the meeting on Oct. 24 and the Avs outshot Vancouver by a 48-29 margin. It was the third straight overall victory in this series for the Avalanche and their third consecutive home win over the Canucks.

Colorado, however, has won only once since slamming Vancouver last month, posting a 1-1-3 mark in its last five outings. The Canucks, meanwhile, followed the loss with four straight victories before having that streak halted in Sunday's home test against Nashville.

The Predators recorded a 3-1 win in Vancouver on Sunday behind a two-goal performance from Filip Forsberg. Pekka Rinne also made 26 saves in the triumph.

The game was tied 1-1 before the Predators scored twice in the third.

Alex Edler had the lone goal for Vancouver, while Eddie Lack stopped 30 shots in defeat.

"We had some chances, just didn't shoot the puck," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said.

Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa left Sunday's game and did not return after getting struck in the right eye with a puck during the first period. However, Bieksa is considered day-to-day and could play tonight.

Fourth-line forward Tom Sestito also was injured on Sunday and could be out for a week, while Alexandre Burrows is serving the final part of a three-game suspension tonight. Those absences will allow 19-year-old rookie Bo Horvat, the ninth overall pick of the 2013 draft, to make his NHL debut on Tuesday.

Vancouver hopes to return to the win column when it begins a four-game road trip on Tuesday. The Canucks own identical 4-2-0 records this season at home and on the road.

The Avalanche have lost two straight, dropping a pair of 3-2 decisions over the weekend. Colorado lost in a shootout Saturday in St. Louis before opening a three-game homestand with Sunday's regulation defeat versus Anaheim.

Colorado led Sunday's tilt 2-1 after 20 minutes, but Anaheim's Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler tallied in the second period to give the Ducks the lead for good. Anaheim outshot the Avs by a 33-18 margin in the game.

Nathan MacKinnon and Dennis Everberg tallied for the Avalanche, while Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves in defeat.

"We were just not sustaining any pressure," Colorado center John Mitchell said.

Colorado fell to 2-2-2 at the Pepsi Center after Sunday's setback, losing for the second time in its past three home games.






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