The Vancouver Canucks vigorously defended home ice and continued their recent dominance over the Los Angeles Kings with a 4-1 victory at Rogers Arena on Friday night.
Period One
The two halves of the first period were night and day. Tough sledding through the first ten minutes with the only real opportunity being a breakaway chance for Ilya Mikheyev of the Canucks, stopped by Jonathan Quick.
Matters opened up in the second half of the period and featured a Canucks power play, one in which Vancouver failed to get a shot-on-goal. LA blocked three during the two minutes and had eight blocked shots in the period. Much later in the period LA failed on the first portion of their lone man advantage, one that actually carried over into the 2nd.
Period Two
Former Norris Trophy winner (2016) Drew Doughty took an interference call early in the period for a brief 4-on-4 followed by an abridged Vancouver power play. Nothing doing. No shots again for the Canucks.
After the first eight shots of the period came from Los Angeles, Vancouver scored on its very first effort.
1-0 Vancouver – Even Strength – Elias Pettersson (8) from Andrei Kuzmenko and Ilya Mikheyev, 5:40
On a rush, the puck ended up on Petey’s stick in the high slot and he buried it over a sprawling D-man, through Quick.
2-0 Vancouver – Power Play – Brock Boeser (1) from J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes, 10:09
A selfish retaliation cross check by Sean Walker gave Miller a chance to find Boeser in front for a redirect on the PP.
3-1 Vancouver – Even Strength – Pettersson (9) from Kuzmenko and Hughes, 14:50
Petey was alone in the left wing circle and didn’t miss a gaping net after a cross-ice pass from Kuzmenko.
Period Three
4-1 Vancouver – Even Strength – Boeser (2) from Sheldon Dries, 5:07
On a 4-on-1 rush, Dries fired a shot from the left slot and Boeser batted the high rebound in out of midair.
The Kings outshot the Canucks 38-25, while Vancouver outhit Los Angeles 30-14.
Canucks 3 Stars:
1) Elias Pettersson – Two goal night and the Canucks team leader with 22 points.
2) Brock Boeser – Off the schneid with his first two goals of the season.
3) Curtis Lazar – His energy made all the difference. He drew the Walker penalty and dished out seven hits, tying a career high.
