Nils Hoglander, Elias Pettersson and Pius Suter each collected one goal and one assist as the host Vancouver Canucks claimed a 5-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday to solidify their hold on the top spot in the Western Conference.
J.T. Miller and Phillip Di Giuseppe also scored for the Canucks, who have won four straight games in which they have surrendered a total of only three goals. Defenseman Quinn Hughes collected two assists.
The victory, which opened a nine-game homestand, may have come at a cost. Vancouver’s No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko left the game early in the second period for an undisclosed reason after stopping all 12 shots he faced. Casey DeSmith made 10 saves while sharing the shutout.
Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves on a night his team was outshot 20-9 in a one-sided first period before never threatening Vancouver the rest of the way.
The Canucks roared out of the gates, and Miller opened the scoring 125 seconds into the game. He was parked in the crease between a pair of defenders and got his stick on a loose puck to net his 32nd goal of the season, which ties his career high.
Hoglander doubled the lead at the 13:47 mark with his 20th goal of the season. While on his off wing as the Canucks rushed up ice, Hoglander set up below the left faceoff dot, released a shot and found the mark.
Di Giuseppe completed his team’s three-goal opening frame at 17:00 of the period. During a two-on-one rush, he converted a pass from Teddy Blueger for his fifth goal of the campaign.
Pettersson extended Vancouver’s edge with a power-play goal at 4:04 of the second period. It was his 31st marker of the campaign.
Suter rounded out the scoring by taking advantage of a loose puck in front of the Jets’ net for his 13th goal of the season with 4:54 remaining in regulation.
The Jets were without trade deadline-day acquisitions Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller. They are expected to join the team for Monday’s home game against the Washington Capitals.
–Field Level Media