The Vancouver Canucks (26-17-3) look to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the Buffalo Sabres (14-32-3) tonight at Rogers Arena. The Canucks have dropped back to back games overall and three straight on home ice.

Ryan Miller, who spent parts of 11 seasons in Buffalo, will face his former team for the first time in his NHL career. He backed up Brian Elliott last season when St. Louis faced the Sabres.

New defenceman Adam Clendening, acquired by the Canucks from Chicago last night, has been recalled from the AHL but will not make his Vancouver debut this evening. Latvian forward Ronalds Kenins who was recalled from Utica yesterday is expected to play in his first NHL game on a fourth line with Bo Horvat and former Sabre Zack Kassian. Kassian has gone 20 games without a goal.

Brad Richardson (foot) and Derek Dorsett (upper body) will not play this evening.

Since Daniel Sedin opened the scoring against Roberto Luongo 3:39 into the first period of a January 8th game against Florida, the Canucks have gone more than eight  periods, and a total 176:21 of playing time without a goal on home ice. Since then, they have been blanked by the Flames’ Joni Ortio and the Ducks’ Frederik Andersen.

The struggling Sabres arrive in Vancouver after a 3-2 setback in Edmonton Thursday night. They have lost 13 straight – all in regulation time –and are closing in on the NHL record of 17 regulation losses in a row. They are 1-16-1 in their last 18 games, and with their past three victories coming in overtime or shootout, the Sabres past 20 opponents have left the rink with at least a point. Buffalo’s last regulation victory was a 4-3 win over Calgary on December 11th.

The Sabres are last in the NHL in the following statistical categories: Points (31), goals (86), goals per game (1.76), goals against per game (3.53), shots per game (22.9), shots against per game (35.0) and power play (10.4%). They are 29th in the league in wins (14) and penalty kill (74.3%).

Josh Gorges played his 600th NHL game last night. Former Canuck Cody Hodgson has gone 19 games without a goal, posting just three assists in that span.

Both Torrey Mitchell (30) and Luca Sbisa (25) are celebrating birthdays today.

Sabres head coach Ted Nolan coached both Zemgus Girgensons and Ronalds Kenins with the Latvian National Team. Tonight marks the first time this season two Latvians have faced off in the NHL.

Nolan would not name his starting goalie for tonight. Jonas Enroth made 34 saves last night in Edmonton. Matt Hackett, who has not played in the NHL this season, is the Sabres’ other netminder.

Commissioner Gary Bettman will be in attendance at tonight’s match-up of these 1970 expansion cousins.