Sherwood scores 1st NHL hat trick, Canucks defeat Avalanche

VANCOUVER -- Kiefer Sherwood scored his first NHL hat trick for the Vancouver Canucks in a 3-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena on Monday.

Sherwood has an NHL career-high 11 goals in 30 games this season, one more than he scored in 68 games with the Nashville Predators last season, and was serenaded by fans after both his second and third goal.

“A pretty special honor. I was trying to take it in,” Sherwood said. “I really appreciate the fan support. Obviously, their passion is something that Vancouver is known for, and it’s pretty cool. I'll definitely remember it.”

Thatcher Demko made 30 saves for his first win in three starts this season for the Canucks (16-9-5), who finished 3-2-1 on a six-game homestand.

“Big one for me,” said Demko, who missed the first two months recovering from a knee injury. “Certainly wouldn't have liked 0-3 my first three back.”

Vancouver bounced back from a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday to improve to 6-7-4 at home. The Canucks are 10-2-1 on the road.

“Last game was obviously unacceptable and disappointing,” Sherwood said. “We owe it to our fans to be better on home ice. It's something we've been talking about. Obviously, it's a strength for us to have them in our back pocket, and we need to give them stuff to feed off.”

Valeri Nichushkin scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves for the Avalanche (18-15-0), who have lost two of three following a three-game winning streak.

“I didn't hate our game. I didn't love it,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “Vancouver's forecheck was the difference tonight. They checked the puck back in our zone. Even if we got to it first, we didn't make a lot of clean breakout plays. Their forecheck was a factor, and they created some really dangerous chances off it.”

Sherwood scored off a forecheck to put the Canucks ahead 1-0 at 16:14 of the first period. He knocked in a rebound in the crease after Danton Heinen was sent in alone across the front of the net by Pius Suter.

“We know that they're man on man, so you got to attack them low sometimes and set picks, and we just kind of created possession and kind of held onto it, and then from there stuff will open up with breakdowns,” Sherwood said. “I told [Heinen] before the game just get to the net, and I picked up his change.”

Sherwood scored a short-handed goal at 16:04 of the second period to make it 2-0. He intercepted Nathan MacKinnon's zone entry pass at the blue line, won a race down the ice, and scored with a quick wrist shot over the glove of Blackwood from between the hash marks.

“Just turn on the jets,” Sherwood said. “I kind of was a little hesitant when Nate was coming on, just because obviously you got to be aware of his speed, but once I had it, I was just trying to put my head down and get it off quick because I knew that there were guys behind me.”

Demko made his best saves early in the second period, stopping Cale Makar on a power-play rush and the rebound attempt by Nichushkin just 15 seconds in. He then got a piece of a wrist shot from MacKinnon from the top of the left circle at 3:47.

“[Demko] played well, credit where credit is due, but I think we got to not accept not scoring and try to find a way no matter what,” Blackwood said. “He's a good goalie, been battling through some adversity there, but obviously the game aside I'm happy he can come back and play this year.”

Blackwood was good at the other end, too, in what was only his second start since being acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Dec 9.

“It was a fine game," he said. "Nothing tremendous, but there's a lot to build on."

MacKinnon hit the post on a power play at 13:11 of the third period for Colorado, which finished 0-for-4 with the man-advantage and is 1-for-18 in its past seven games.

“A work in progress for us lately,” Bednar said. “It's kind of been the story of our last handful of games. ... They're in a battle right now to make it more consistent, to get to the interior of the ice, to get some good looks. There are some things I like today where they took a step, but just couldn't find the back of the net.”

Sherwood completed the hat trick at 17:25 of the third period to make it 3-0, shooting into an empty net from just inside his own blue line.

“I was just trying to take it in, having the whole arena [chanting is] something you dream of as a kid,” he said. “Those are the kind of moments that you work for and just kind of manifest and visualize, so I'm really thankful and grateful for them.”

Nichushkin ended Demko's shutout bid with 46 seconds remaining, converting a pass from Mikko Rantanen in the slot for the 3-1 final.

NOTES: Rantanen extended his point streak to six games (three goals, nine assists). ... Colorado forward Tye Felhaber had one hit in 4:34 of ice time in his NHL debut after signing a two-year contract on Sunday. ... Sherwood is the 13th player in Canucks history to score a natural hat trick, and the first to do so since Brock Boeser on Dec. 12, 2023. ... Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen missed his second straight game with an illness.