Pearson propels Canucks past Senators for third win since return

VANCOUVER -- Tanner Pearson broke a tie at 13:45 of the third period to help the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Arena on Saturday.

J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (19-19-3), who have won three of four following an 18-day pause due to a COVID-19 outbreak that had 22 players and four staff members test positive. Braden Holtby made 26 saves, including a penalty shot.
"It was a gutsy effort, some pretty timely goals," Holtby said. "It was one of those games that can go against you pretty quick."
Colin White scored for the Senators (17-27-4), who had their longest regulation winning streak of the season end at three games. Matt Murray made 12 saves before he left at 4:27 of the second period with a lower-body injury. Marcus Hogberg made 18 saves in relief.
Hogberg was on the taxi squad, but scheduled starter Anton Forsberg sustained a lower-body injury before the game.
"It's a hard position for him to come in cold like that, right into the heat of it," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "But in sports, you've got to be ready when you chance comes."
After splitting two games here, the teams play at Ottawa on Monday and Wednesday.
Vancouver is sixth in the seven-team Scotia North Division, eight points behind the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens with five games in hand. Ottawa is last and trails Montreal by 11 points. The top four teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Evgenii Dadonov tied it 2-2 at 11:52 of the third period, shortly after the Canucks failed to score on a two-minute 5-on-3.
Pearson scored on a 3-on-2 1:53 later to give Vancouver a 3-2 lead, and Miller scored an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left for the 4-2 final.
"We just played a little too wide open when the game was tied, and it cost us," Smith said.
Nate Schmidt gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead at 1:43 of the first period with a one-timer from above the face-off circles after a turnover by Colin White.
White responded when he scored on a rebound to tie it 1-1 at 8:32.
"Obviously I wanted it back, and it is tough when we give that up, but to get that goal back was a feel-good moment for me," White said.
Murray left in the second period after getting tangled with Canucks forward Jake Virtanen at the side of the net and taking a tripping penalty.
Brock Boeser gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead on the power play with Pearson in front at 4:46. It was the Canucks' second shot on Hogberg.
"We said right away in the huddle that we've got to get some shots on net," Boeser said. "Obviously, I don't know what it's like to be a goalie coming in midway through a game. Knowing that he was cold, Tanner made a great screen and they gave me a pretty good shot from the dot."

Holtby got his blocker on Alex Formenton's penalty shot at 15:51 of the second period.
"A guy I didn't know much about, so I just tried to react," Holtby said.
Holtby has won three starts since the Canucks returned to play last Sunday.
"It's great to see. He's a great person, a great teammate, he's had a great career so far," Vancouver coach Travis Green said. "I'm not a goalie expert by any means, but he definitely looks confident, he looks freer, things look easier for him."
The Senators were 0-for-6 to end a streak of six straight games with a power-play goal, including two in a 3-0 win against the Canucks on Thursday.
"Too fancy," Smith said. "Tried too many slow plays. Sometimes you've just got to fire pucks and bang them in and get numbers at the net."
NOTES: Senators forward Artem Anisimov, who was on their taxi squad, dressed in goalie gear and would have played had Hogberg been injured, according to Smith. … Ottawa forward Nicholas Paul had one shot in 12:34 after missing most of the third period Thursday and practice Friday … Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler had four shots and was plus-2 in 22:33 in his first game back from a two-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman last Sunday. … Canucks forward Tyler Motte had an assist and was plus-1 in 17:05 in his first game back from COVID-19 protocol. He was their last player to return.