Canucks ride early spark to win over Penguins
First-period power-play goals by Jake Virtanen and J.T. Miller sparked the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at Rogers Arena.
Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves for Vancouver, while Matt Murray stopped 10 shots for Pittsburgh.
The game got off to a sluggish start, with 10:24 elapsing in the first period before Antoine Roussel recorded the game’s first shot on goal.
Soon after, the Canucks earned a long 5-on-3 power play. Dominik Simon received a double-minor for high-sticking Adam Gaudette, befire Brandon Tanev was whistled for holding 29 seconds later.
J.T. Miller appeared to give the Canucks the lead during the 5-on-3 power play, but the goal was called back due to a coach’s challenge for offside.
Jake Virtanen eventually opened the scoring with 4:50 left in the first, on a slap shot from the left boards that beat Murray high to the glove side. With the Canucks still on the power play, Miller doubled Vancouver’s lead just 1:50 later, picking up his 14th of the year by tipping an Oscar Fantenberg shot over Murray’s glove.
In the second, the Penguins dominated play, outshooting Vancouver 20-6. Guentzel’s goal came off a rebound with 4:32 left to play, while Gaudette was serving a high-sticking double minor.
Less than a minute later, the Canucks replied, with Pettersson roofing a rebound high over Murray’s glove after a shot by Tyler Myers. It was Pettersson’s 17th goal of the year and his fifth in his last six games.
In the third, the teams traded power-play chances before Boeser recorded his 13th of the year, converting a feed from Pettersson from behind the net. Vancouver finished the game 2-for-5 with the man advantage, while Pittsburgh was 1-for-5.
