VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Before the season started, neither club was expected to shine.
However, the Vancouver Canucks (6-3-2) and New Jersey Devils (8-2-0) are surprising their critics.
The Canucks are keeping pace with playoff contenders in the tough Pacific Division, while the Devils are doing even better, hovering at the top of the Metropolitan Division.
Heading into Wednesday's contest against each other, both the Canucks and Devils have won four of their past five games, and it is no longer a foregone conclusion that both will be among the NHL's bottom-feeders by season's end.