Canucks winger Brock Boeser picked a great night to break his 12-game goalless streak, scoring twice and adding an assist to push Vancouver over the Western Conference leading Winnipeg Jets 6-2.
Boeser’s 2nd goal, at 13:57 of the 2nd period was the back breaker.
Just seven minutes after the Jets cut the Vancouver lead to 3-2 and following consistent pressure from Winnipeg, Boeser tucked home a loose puck that Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck should have covered but didn’t. It was a rare mistake for the reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s best goalie.
Pius Suter scored 46-seconds later the put the game away at 5-2. He’d add an empty-netter with a few seconds remaining in the game.
Vancouver has won three of its last four games and it desperately needed this one. Earlier in the evening, their main playoff-chase combatants had already won. The Calgary Flames edged the New York Rangers while the St. Louis Blues handled the Nashville Predators.
The Canucks are tied with the Blues with 75 points, but hold the 2nd wild card spot by virtue of holding a game-in-hand on St. Louis. The Flames are two points behind with a game-in-hand on Vancouver.
