Five different goal scorers help Canucks sink Kraken 5-1.
The Vancouver Canucks picked up their 14th win of the season Friday night as they beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1. Ten players picked up points while Thatcher Demko made 23 saves for his tenth win of the season. With the win, the Canucks continue their strong start to the season with 29 points through their first 21 games.
First Period
The Canucks got the scoring started early when at 5:05 of the first, Teddy Bleuger found the back of the net for his first in a Vancouver. The goal was Bleuger's 100th point in the NHL and came on a shorthanded breakaway. Overall, the Canucks center showed great patience on the play, moving the puck forehand to backhand before beating Joey Daccord to open the scoring.
Just a few minutes later, on their second power play game, Seattle thought they had tied the game as Matty Beniers beat Demko with 13:01 left to go in the period. After a review, it was determined that the Kraken were offside, and the goal was disallowed. Thanks to some strong goaltending from Demko, Vancouver would kill off the rest of the power play and maintain their 1-0 lead midway through the period.
A pivotal moment of the period came with 8:27 left when Tyler Myers high-sticked not only Jordan Eberle but also J.T. Miller. After a short review, it was confirmed as a double minor, and Vancouver was to their third and fourth penalty kill of the game. Giving up only four shots over the four minutes, the Canucks were able to kill off the penalties and stay up 1-0. Vancouver would hold that lead for the rest of the period and enter the first intermission up one despite being outshot 10-8.
Second Period
Despite strong pressure from the Kraken to start the second, it was the Canucks that found the back of the net to extend their lead to two. At 12:07, Dakota Joshua jumped on a Conor Garland rebound for his third of the season to put Vancouver up 2-0. Garland recorded his 200th career point on the play, while Joshua snapped a five-game goalless drought.
Vancouver would maintain their lead until late in the second when Tye Kartye scored his third of the season with 2:31 to go in the period. The Kraken rookie beat Demko, who was being screened at the time by Ian Cole, to get Seattle within one. Just like the first, the Canucks would enter the intermission up one, but this time, by a score of 2-1.
Third Period
As they did in the other two periods, the Canucks opened the scoring 9:43 into the third, thanks to Sam Lafferty's fifth of the season. Lafferty, who had been elevated to the first line ahead of tonight's game, tipped a Filip Hronek slapshot to increase Vancouver's lead to 3-1. With an assist on the play, Quinn Hughes extended his personal point streak to ten games, becoming the fourth defenceman in franchise history to achieve the feat.
The Canucks would keep pressing and eventually found another as Nils Höglander beat Daccord for his eighth of the season. The goal with 7:22 left in the third extended his personal point streak to five games and was the second time he had found the back of the net against Seattle. It was all Nils's goal as Nils Åman was given the only assist on the play.
Despite having a 4-1 lead, the Canucks were not done scoring as they added a fifth with 2:30 left in the game. This time, it was Ilya Mikheyev getting on the scoresheet with his seventh of the season as he buried a cross-crease pass from Garland seconds after Vancouver's power play had ended. The clock would tick down from there as the Canucks skated away with a 5-1 victory.
Stats and Facts
- Lafferty extends his point streak to three games
- With the win, Demko improves his record to 5-1 versus the Kraken
- The Canucks held Seattle to zero shots through the first 15 minutes of the third period
- Vancouver has now scored five or more goals in 43% of their games so far this season
Three Stars
1) Thatcher Demko: 23 saves, .958 Save Percentage, 1.00 Goals-Against Average
2) Tye Karye: 1 Goal, 3 Shots, 3 Hits, 2 Blocked Shots, 12 Penalty Minutes, 13:30 Time on Ice
3) Nils Åman: 2 Assists, 1 Shot, 1 Takeaway, 1 Blocked Shot, 50% Faceoff Percentage, 14:28 Time on Ice
Canucks Next Opponent
Up next, the Canucks travel to the Shark Tank to face the San Jose Sharks. The last time Vancouver played in San Jose, they smoked the Sharks 10-1 earlier this month. Game time is set for 7:00 pm PT.