OTTAWA — Halfway through a seven-game National Hockey League slog that has been unsatisfying so far, the Vancouver Canucks could use some enthusiasm tonight (4:30 p.m. Pacific time, on Sportsnet Vancouver, TSN 1040) when they play the Ottawa Senators. Hopefully, Ben Hutton is contagious.
The 22-year-old rookie defenceman, whose impact on the Canucks has been as significant as it was unexpected, will play in front of about 100 friends and relatives from his hometown of Prescott, Ont., an hour's drive south of Ottawa. Hutton played Junior A hockey in nearby Kemptville, Ont., and the Ottawa suburb of Nepean, where attendance for some games rivalled the defenceman's personal cheering section tonight.