Adam Henrique and Nicolas Deslauriers scored two goals each as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the host Vancouver Canucks 7-4 Saturday night to snap a four-game NHL winless streak.
Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for Anaheim (24-19-9). Richard Rakell, on the power play, and Sam Steel also scored for the Ducks who were 0-3-1 in their previous four games. Trevor Zegras collected three assists.
Elias Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the Canucks (23-22-6) who saw a two-game win streak end. Tanner Pearson, Quinn Hughes and Conor Garland all had a goal and an assist.
Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko allowed five goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Jaroslav Halak early in the second period. Halak finished with nine saves on 11 shots.
Anaheim goalie John Gibson stopped 16 shots and picked up an assist on the Ducks’ opening goal.
2nd goal in as many games for Huggy! pic.twitter.com/qdKPwmAzRq
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) February 20, 2022
With COVID-19 seating restrictions lifted after two months the 18,910-seat Rogers Arena was about two-thirds full.
Deslauriers’ second goal of the night game off a scramble early in the third period. Sam Carrick collected his second assist of the game.
Garland scored his 13th of the season at 10:41, lifting a backhand over Gibson’s shoulder. Hughes blasted a shot through traffic.
The Ducks led 6-2 after two periods.
With Canucks captain Bo Horvat off for slashing, Henrique scored Anaheim’s second power-play goal of the game at 1:35 of the second, deflecting a shot through traffic.
Steel made it 5-0 at 4:20. With the Canucks defence out of position after killing another man-advantage, Steel was left alone in the slot to take a Zegras pass from behind the net. That goal ended Demko’s night.
The Canucks tried to claw back into the game with Pearson scoring at 4:52, then Pettersson ripping a shot past Gibson on a power play at 15:47.
Henrique restored the four-goal lead just over a minute later. Zegras fired a shot from the point that hit the post, then hit Halak on the back and dribbled toward the net. Canucks defenceman Luke Schenn made a diving attempt to stop the puck, but Henrique poked it home.
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The Ducks scored two goals on their first three shots of the game.
Terry collected his team-leading 25th of the season when he deflected a shot from Hampus Lindholm over Demko’s shoulder with just 57 seconds gone.
Deslauriers made it 2-0 at 3:23 when he tipped a Derek Grant pass from the corner under Demko’s arm.
The Ducks power play went to work after J.T. Miller was called for slashing. Rakell deflected a shot through traffic for his 12th of the season at 14:08.
It was a busy period for Deslauriers. Just 44 seconds into game he laid a big hit on Kyle Burroughs that sent the Canucks defenceman crashing into the boards. Burroughs hit the ice favouring his shoulder and didn’t return.
NOTES: Canucks forward Brock Boeser’s name has been mentioned in trade rumours involving New Jersey. … The Ducks were outscored 17-8 in their last three regulation losses against Edmonton, Calgary and Seattle. …The Canucks were outshot 8-2 in the first period. … Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf missed his second consecutive game with a lower-back injury. … Vancouver has just one winning streak of three or more games all season. … Entering the game, Vancouver’s penalty kill was ranked worst in the league at 69.4 per cent.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
