Canucks & Red Wings Game Day

The status of Roberto Luongo remains up in the air as the Canucks prepare to step on to home ice tonight to entertain the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.

Vancouver's captain is to undergo a MRI today after suffering a groin injury last Saturday in their 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fellow netminder Curtis Sanford, who was won back-to-back games for the Canucks, will get the start tonight at GM Place. 22 year-old goalie Cory Schneider has been re-called from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, where he's posted a 10-1-0 record.

The Canucks (13-6-2) are playing their first game at home after going 3-0-1 on their most recent road trip from last week. Henrik Sedin was named as one of the NHL's 3 Stars from the past week. He recorded seven assists in four straight games. His linemates Daniel Sedin and Pavol Demitra are currently riding five-game point scoring streaks. Daniel has four goals and three assists while Demitra has five goals and four assists in the same stretch.

Sami Salo will be a game-time decision to play tonight, after missing the last two games with the flu. If he goes into the line-up, Lawrence Nycholat will likely be a healthy scratch.

The Red Wings (14-2-3) are capping off a three-game road trip after posting a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers and a 5-2 victory against the Calgary Flames. Detroit is without forwards Tomas Holmstrom (back) and Dan Cleary (eye). Fellow forward Valtteri Filppula (flu) will be a game-time decision to dress against the Canucks.

These two teams have split their opening two games of the season. The Canucks were 4-3 winners in overtime at Joe Louis Arena on Oct. 16 while the Red Wings collected a 3-2 victory in Vancouver November 2. In the two games combined, the Canucks are 0-for-11 on the power play while the Red Wings are 5-for-10.

Here are the expected line-ups for both clubs heading into tonight's match-up:

Canucks

D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Demitra
Pyatt - Wellwood - Bernier
Burrows - Kesler - Hansen
Hordichuk - Johnson - Raymond

Ohlund - Davison
Salo - Mitchell
O'Brien - Edler

Sanford
Schneider

Red Wings:

Valtteri Filppula - Pavol Datsyuk - Marian Hossa
Mikael Samuellson - Henrik Zetterberg - Johan Franzen
Jiri Hudler - Kris Draper - Kirk Maltby
Derek Meech - Tomas Kopecky - Darren McCarty

Nicklas Lindstrom - Brian Rafalski
Niklas Kronwall - Brad Stuart
Brett Lebda - Andreas Lilja

Chris Osgood
Ty Conklin