It was a short trip to Utica for Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning told Sportsnet's John Shannon that the second-year pro will return to Vancouver on Sunday.

Virtanen appeared in two games with the club's AHL affiliate. He was held scoreless in those appearances, recording six shots. Virtanen has one point in 10 games with the Canucks this season.

The Canucks assigned Virtanen to Utica on Wednesday, a move which Benning described as an opportunity for Virtanen to regain his confidence.

Utica coach Travis Green was impressed with Virtanen's play.

Green told Ben Birnell of the Utica Observer-Dispatch, "(Virtanen was) much better tonight. Night and day. He was on top of the puck. Had a purpose in his game. It is an adjustment coming down here from the NHL. It is a little bit (of a) different game. (In) some ways it is a little bit quicker.

"We spent the day watching his shifts from last night, just talking about his game. I like how he responded tonight. I thought he was okay last night."

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