Hughes Brothers Lead Crucial Canucks, Devils Matchup

The New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks are in similar positions. Both organizations are playing inconsistent hockey in a crucial time. The Canucks are outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, while the Devils have fallen from top team in the Metropolitan Division to barely holding on to the final guaranteed spot in the division.

The Devils and Canucks meet in a crucial matchup, and amidst the playoff implications, this game is also a family reunion. Canucks captain Quinn Hughes will battle against his younger brother and Devils defenseman, Luke Hughes. The only one missing is Jack, who is out for the season for New Jersey due to an upper-body injury that required surgery.

This matchup is even more special because of how well the Hughes brothers are playing. Since Quinn returned from injury, he's been red hot. In six games he's posted two goals and five assists for seven points.

Meanwhile, Luke is showing flashes of his older brother in his sophomore NHL season. He posted an impressive 47 points as a rookie, but he's evolved his game in year two. Despite missing the beginning of the season due to injury, he's collected 35 points in 62 games.

What makes him so impressive is how he's responded to more ice time and opportunity. The Devils are without their top defender, Dougie Hamilton, for the regular season as well. They've turned to Hughes, giving him at least 21 minutes of ice time in 12 straight contests. In those contests, he's recorded at least a point seven times and 11 in total. He's looked like a 200-foot defender over this span and looks like he can assume the number one defender role moving forward.

At stake in this matchup is two crucial points. The face-off between the Hughes brothers will be something to watch all night long, but these two teams enter playing desperate hockey in search of a playoff berth.