Lindholm scores twice in debut, Canucks top Hurricanes to push point streak to 12

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Elias Lindholm scored two power-play goals in his debut with the Vancouver Canucks, who extended their point streak to 12 games with a 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Tuesday.

Lindholm was acquired by Vancouver in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday for forward Andrei Kuzmenko, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

“It’s always nice to score and help the team,” Lindholm said. “Obviously, I’m happy to be here and be part of this team.

“There was a lot of information, a lot of new stuff in my head, but I just tried to play my game, work hard and keep it simple.”

J.T. Miller scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes each had two assists, and Thatcher Demko made 22 saves for the Canucks (34-11-5), who are 10-0-2 during their point streak.

“I’m really happy. I thought we had an excellent first, and then we grinded it out at the end,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “I thought we played a really good hockey game. Carolina, they were pushing at the end. Two good hockey teams.”

Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook scored for the Hurricanes (28-16-5), who had won three straight prior to the All-Star break. Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves in his first start since Jan. 11.

“It was what I was afraid might happen,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We were terrible to start, they were good. We got a little better. I could tell we were going to get to it. We probably deserved better in the third, just didn’t happen.”

Martinook scored a short-handed goal to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 4:25 of the first period. He skated out from the left corner, took a return pass from Teuvo Teravainen, and lifted in a backhand short side on Demko.

“They were the better team for the first period,” Martinook said. “It’s two good teams going at each other, but they were playing the style we want to play the first two periods. You’ve got to give some credit to that team. They came out and they knew what they wanted to do, and they were doing it, it felt like, every shift.”

Lindholm tied it 1-1 at 17:23 with his first power-play goal. He redirected in Hughes' wrist shot from the point that appeared to be going wide of the left post.

“I think I was kind of lucky,” Lindholm said. “I haven’t had too many tip goals this year. I think it was a lucky touch honestly. Hughes up top there moves pretty well and has a nice shot.”

Lindholm then made it 2-1 at 16:30 of the second period with his second power-play goal, redirecting in another wrist shot from Hughes, this time from the left boards.

“If I shoot down 50 pucks, he’d probably tip 49 of them,” Hughes said. “I know he’s a very skilled and talented player. He had 42 goals two years ago. That doesn’t just happen. He’s an excellent, excellent player, and he’s going to have a lot of success here.”

Aho answered with his own power-play goal to tie the game 2-2 at 18:32 of the second. He scored with a wrist shot under the crossbar from the top of the left face-off circle.

Miller put the Canucks back in front 3-2 at 4:00 of the third period, scoring with his backhand into an open net after the puck took an odd bounce off the stanchion on a dump-in by Tyler Myers.

“They tried to make our night as hard as possible, and it goes the other way, too,” Aho said. “There was not a lot out there. Just a tight-checking game.”

NOTES: Demko has won nine straight starts. … Hughes has seven assists in his past three games and 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) on a seven-game point streak. … Boeser has eight points (three goals, five assists) on a three-game point streak. … Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis had the secondary assist on Aho’s goal to extend his point streak to five games (six assists). … Martinook has six goals in his past nine games after scoring twice in his first 40 games this season.