Hughes, Höglander Extend Point Streaks, Canucks Sink Seattle 5-1

Just down the I-5 on their second game of a three-game road trip, the Canucks tripped up the Kraken 5-1, avenging a loss to Seattle at home less than a week ago.

The Canucks led the whole way, but it was strong performances from their depth players and a big third period that sealed the victory.

“I thought Teddy was great, Dakota’s been playing every game, and it’s nice to see Gars [Conor Garland] get a couple points. Gars deserves a few more points, he’s been playing good. That line deserves to stay together,” Tocchet said.

“It’s [the third period] one of our better periods for game management of the puck. Positional, I really liked our third and it was a professional third period.”

The Canucks only allowed 2 shots on goal in the third, outshooting the Kraken 12-2 in the final frame. 

Teddy Blueger, who got Vancouver on the scoreboard first, said he was happy with the team’s execution throughout the game, but in the last period in particular.

“That’s something we focused on in between periods, trying to limit their chances and we knew they were going to push. I think that’s a skill that’s going to come in handy throughout the course of the year as the games get more and more intense and the points get more valuable. I thought we stuck together, got some big block shots, guys are doing the little things, playing unselfish hockey,” Blueger said.

Blueger mentioned linemates Dakota Joshua and Conor Garland have been consistently relentless pursuing the puck and against the Kraken was no different.

“To me it’s their forechecking that really tilts the ice. They can hem the other lines in, they’re not one and done. This year we’re getting a lot of that, where we’re getting a lot of good forechecking from the bottom six,” Tocchet said.

The Blueger-Joshua-Garland line combined for four points against Seattle (2 goals and 2 assists) and Joshua said it’s nice to get goals as a result of their hard work.

“[We’re] just working together as one unit out there and knowing where each other are going to be goes a long way,” he said.

Thatcher Demko posted 

a .958 save percentage in Seattle, stopping 23 of 24 shots.

Game Recap

Teddy Blueger got things going, scoring his first goal as a Canuck and Vancouver’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season. Blueger's steal off Justin Schultz’s pass gave him a breakaway to the net, deking Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord forehand and finishing backhand to put the Canucks up 1-0.

Seattle forward Matty Beniers scored a goal, but it was overturned due to a challenge. The Canucks are three for three on challenges so far this season.

Vancouver took a double-minor for high-sticking, giving Seattle a four-minute power play, but the Canucks penalty kill and Thatcher Demko dialed in and closed out the period up 1-0.

n the second, Joshua scored off a rebound from Garland’s shot. Joshua dug deep during a longer shift, putting in work in the offensive end. He fished the puck out from behind the net, giving the Canucks another opportunity in the o-zone and capitalized on his hard work.

Seattle’s Tye Kartye scored a goal inside the blue line at 17:29 to send the Canucks into intermission with a 2-1 lead.

In the third, Sam Lafferty scored off a redirect from a Filip Hronek one-timer. Quinn Hughes had the secondary assist, extending his point streak to 10 games.

Nils Höglander also got in on the action, scoring his fourth goal in the last five games. Höglander sped through the neutral zone, Conor Garland matching his speed and creating a two-on-one for Vancouver, and patiently waiting for the right read.

The Canucks didn’t let up, Ilya Mikheyev scored on the power play in front of the net off a pass from Garland to give Vancouver their fifth goal of the night.

The Canucks travel to San Jose to take on the Sharks Saturday, November 24th at 7 p.m.