Demko makes 31 saves, Canucks blank Blackhawks for 3rd straight win

VANCOUVER -- Thatcher Demko made 31 saves, and the Vancouver Canucks extended their point streak to nine games with their third straight win, 2-0 against the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena on Monday.

It was Demko’s fifth shutout of the season, tying Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the NHL lead.

“Happy for [Demko], because I think he’s been one of the best in the League for a while now, but in that position, it has a lot to do with statistics and with how loose we’ve been the last two years, he probably hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves,” Vancouver captain  Quinn Hughes said. “Now were starting to clean some stuff up, and you guys are starting to see his numbers.”

Pius Suter and Hughes scored, and Andrei Kuzmenko had two assists for the Canucks (32-11-4), who are 8-0-1 in their past nine.

“I thought [Demko] was solid as [heck]. We got the two-goal lead and a little prevent defense and won 2-0,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “Obviously when you get a shutout, it’s always a team thing, but obviously, he’s a huge part of it.

"I love shutouts. I’d rather win 2-0 than 8-4 any day of the week. It gets you in the game, it means you’re doing the right things when you get a shutout.”

Petr Mrazek made 27 saves for the Blackhawks (14-31-2), who have lost five of seven and 17 straight on the road dating to Nov. 9 (0-16-1).

“Let's be honest, our record on the road isn't great, and I think sometimes we're wading into games on the road,” said Chicago forward Nick Foligno, who returned after missing seven games with a broken finger sustained Jan. 5. “Maybe I have a little bit better perspective watching a few games, and our tenacity and our compete and our readiness at home, it doesn't seem to be [there on the road]. It's almost like we're waiting to see what they're going to do before we respond and tonight, we get caught in that.”

Vancouver made it 1-0 at 1:47 of the first period when Kuzmenko’s spinning backhand pass from the left dot found Suter at the back post. Suter slid the puck five-hole for his 100th NHL point.

Hughes made it 2-0 at 6:40, finishing off an extended shift in Chicago's end with a wrist shot short side over the shoulder of Mrazek from the bottom of the left circle.

“[I am] trying to find those spots down low where I can score from there instead of the wristers from 80 feet out,” Hughes said. “I don’t know how many goals I have from that side. I want to say nine out of the 12. It’s definitely something I worked on, and a lot of my moves are on the left side being a left defenseman, and just trying to find ways to score and create more.”

Demko made his best saves in the second period, twisting to sweep away a puck that got behind him after Blackhawks forward Taylor Raddysh batted a rebound out of the air in the first minute, and stopping forward Reese Johnson on a deflection and rebound in tight at 12:54.

“I definitely had a couple chances tonight, would have liked to bury those to help the boys out,” Johnson said. “He made some good saves tonight. We had some chances but there's a point where you tip your hat to the goalie."

It was the second time in the past three games Chicago has been shut out.

“Well, that's the best team in the League, and I think it was a little bit of them and a little bit of us,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. “We just didn't kill plays in the [defensive] zone, and they extended it and really came out ready to go. They flexed their muscles and showed why they're No. 1 in the League.”

NOTES: Demko extended his overall winning streak to a career high-tying seven games. He is 8-0-0 in his past eight home games dating to Dec. 9. … Hughes’ 12 goals are the most by a Canucks defenseman in a season since Christian Ehrhoff (14 in 2010-11). … Vancouver defenseman Noah Juulsen had one assist and five hits in 15:51 of ice time after being scratched the previous five games. He came in for Carson Soucy, who will miss 5-6 weeks after blocking a shot with his hand in a 6-4 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. … Blackhawks forward Ryan Donato had two shots and was minus-1 in 15:06 after missing the previous two games with an illness.