NHL: 4 things to know for Thursday night
With eight games being played, it's another busy Thursday night in the NHL.
Here's what you need to know:
Home ice advantage?
The Calgary Flames are 0-1-1 at home this season (4-3-1 overall) as they get set to play the Carolina Hurricanes at the Scotiabank Saddledome at 9 p.m. ET. This could be the Flames' chance to win their first on home ice, as the Hurricanes haven't won a game at all this season.
Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau, who fans have dubbed Johnny Hockey, has three points in his last two games since being a healthy scratch. In those two games he managed some highlight-reel material, including this assist on Tuesday night in a 2-1 OT loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Defensive slump
The Vancouver Canucks (3-2-0) have been struggling since going undefeated in their first three games, dropping their last two. In their early winning streak they only allowed six goals, but in their two losses they allowed a whopping 10 goals.
Canucks goalie Ryan Miller allowed five goals in 21 minutes before being pulled in Monday's 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars.
The Canucks face the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center at 8 p.m. ET, and expect Vancouver to try to make improvements defensively.
Central division battle
The Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks are the last two remaining teams who are undefeated in regulation. They are also battling for the top spot in their division. The Predators (4-0-2) currently occupy that spot with 10 points in six games, but the Blackhawks (4-0-1) are only a point behind with a game in hand.
Chicago won their last meeting 2-1 on October 18, with a Jonathan Toews shorthanded overtime goal.
The puck drops in Nashville at 8 p.m. ET.
First returns
Two players will return to their former cities for the first time tonight. The New York Islanders' Johnny Boychuk, who spent six seasons with the Bruins, will be back in Boston for the first time since he was traded on Oct. 4.
Ryan Miller is returning to St. Louis for the first time following his departure as a free agent this past summer. A trade deadline acquisition, he only played 19 regular-season games with the Blues, going 10-8-1 before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in six games by the Blackhawks.
