By Dave Vest
The Coyotes will place their season-high five-game winning streak on the line tonight when they play the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. The puck drops at 8 p.m. (Arizona time).

Seven Coyotes have notched 11 multi-point games during the winning streak, including winger Ray Whitney who has done it three times. Whitney has an eight-game point streak, with two goals and 10 assists during that stretch.

Phoenix (27-21-8) last played on Saturday when it blanked Chicago, 3-0, on home ice. Goalie Mike Smith stopped all 38 shots he faced in that game to push his career-best winning streak to five games.

► On Monday, the NHL saluted Smith for his outstanding play during the streak by naming him its First Star of the Week. Click here to read more.

The Coyotes, however, are turning to backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera to play against the Canucks. LaBarbera owns a 4-1-0 record and a .924 save percentage vs. Vancouver, the team he played nine games for before signing with the Coyotes before the 2009-10 season.

Phoenix will be looking to avenge a 5-0 loss to Vancouver on home ice on Nov. 25. Canucks backup goalie Cory Schneider stopped all 22 Phoenix shots in that game.

Photo by Getty Images.

The Canucks (34-15-6) have earned points in nine straight games (6-0-3) and rank second in the Western Conference and third in the NHL with 74 points.

Vancouver, which last played Saturday – a 3-2 shootout loss at Calgary – has the League’s best power-play attack (22.6 percent). Forward Daniel Sedin (9 goals, 13 assists) is tied for second and Henrik Sedin (7 goals, 13 assists) is tied for fifth in the NHL in power-play points with 22 and 20, respectively.

The Canucks have scored a League-high 61 goals in the first period and are 29-6-1 when scoring first.

Goalie Roberto Luongo has notched a 4-0-2 record and 2.35 goals-against average since Jan. 21.