Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

(Sports Network) - The goal is simple for the Vancouver Canucks in tonight's meeting with the Los Angeles Kings: get one point and clinch a playoff spot. Vancouver will try to do just that at the Staples Center versus Los Angeles, which hopes to get another boost from an unlikely source Thursday night.

The Canucks currently sit in first place in the Northwest Division, seven points up on Colorado with six games to play. They are also nine points ahead of the ninth-place Calgary Flames with a game in hand, meaning they can claim a playoff spot for the third time in five seasons since the lockout with a point tonight.

The reigning Northwest Division champs are being led by Henrik Sedin, who is tops in the NHL with 104 points and 75 assists. Sedin had a short-handed goal and two helpers in Tuesday's 4-1 triumph over Phoenix, giving him a goal and nine assists over his last five games.

Alexandre Burrows scored for a third straight game and added an assist for Vancouver, while Daniel Sedin posted a goal in a fifth consecutive contest. Mason Raymond added a goal and Roberto Luongo made 32 saves to help overcome the early loss of Ryan Kesler, who was given a game misconduct for a hit from behind on a Phoenix defenseman.

"It was a real good game for us without a doubt," said Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault. "(Henrik's) line played one of their best games of the year on both ends of the rink. That combined with our (goaltender) being better than their (goaltender), and we won the game."

While the Canucks won for the 10th time in their last 12 home games on Tuesday, they will be looking to snap a three-game road skid tonight.

Los Angeles, seventh in the West and a point back of Detroit in that standings with six games to go, recorded a 2-0 victory over Nashville on Tuesday behind a 34-save shutout from Jonathan Bernier and goals from Scott Parse and Sean O'Donnell. The win halted the Kings' four-game overall losing streak and a seven-game slide to the Predators.

The 21-year-old Bernier was called up on Monday because regular backup Erik Ersberg has a strained back. Bernier got the nod on Tuesday over No. 1 netminder Jonathan Quick and responded with his first career shutout in only his sixth NHL start and second this season.

"He had a big game here today. This is a building that we haven't had any success in," said Kings coach Terry Murray of Bernier. "You see his composure on that first power play that they had. He was under control, he absorbed some pucks. The season that he has played in the minors has really done good things for him. He's showing signs of becoming a real good goaltender at this level."

Though Quick remains Los Angeles' top goaltender, Bernier will get the start tonight, his first ever versus Vancouver. Quick is expected to return to action Saturday at home versus Anaheim.

Bernier will try to lead the Kings, who haven't reached the postseason since 2002, to their first win this year over the Canucks. Vancouver has outscored Los Angeles 9-3 in winning the first three meetings, and has taken five straight and seven of the last eight matchups overall.

Luongo has started two of the three games versus LA this year, posting a 1.00 goals-against average and .965 save percentage. He will likely start tonight in the hopes of giving the Canucks their fourth victory in their last five trips to Staples Center.