Vanecek went on a conditioning assignment with the Barracuda last Friday and stopped 22 of 24 shots in San Jose’s 6-2 win over Henderson. Warsofsky had previously said that Vanecek would play at least one game before the NHL breaks for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Sunday. The Sharks host Dallas on Saturday.

Thursday, 7:30 p.m., SAP Center TV: SN Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650 The buzz: Quick: Which team this season do you think has attempted more shots at the opposition goal, the Vancouver Canucks or the San Jose Sharks?

The Vancouver Canucks (24-18-11) hit the road for one game as they visit the San Jose Sharks (15-34-6). This is a matchup the Canucks have dominated in recent years, with a record of 14-1 in their previous 15 games. An important lineup note: Quinn Hughes will not play for the second straight game as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury.

With only two games remaining before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Vancouver Canucks travel down to San Jose for a single-game road trip to battle with the Sharks. Note the 7:30 p.m. PT start time for Thursday night’s game.

The Vancouver Canucks enter this game fresh off their first win in the post-JT Miller era. The San Jose Sharks have been struggling for months now and sit in last in the league after losing to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.