Boeser helps lift Canucks against Penguins

PITTSBURGH -- Brock Boeser scored twice to help the Vancouver Canucks defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

After scoring four goals in two days, however, the rookie forward doesn't want to get ahead of himself.
"I've learned that if your confidence gets too high, you won't produce and stuff like that," Boeser said. "So, I like to stay even-keeled, have the same approach every game. I think about some of the things I have to be better and fix those, and continue to improve my game."
WATCH: [All Canucks vs. Penguins highlights\]
One night after scoring two goals against the Philadelphia Flyers, he gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead at 3:52 of the first period. After receiving a pass from Sven Baertschi, Boeser slipped by a falling Brian Dumoulin before shooting over Matt Murray's glove to extend his point streak to five games.
Boeser, who had four points (three goals, one assist) against Pittsburgh in a 4-2 win on Nov. 4, scored again, this time on a power play, to put Vancouver ahead 4-1 at 9:47 of the second period. He has six goals in his past four games.

"There is a lot to be excited [about] with Brock," Canucks coach Travis Green said. "He's playing well. He's doing a lot of good things offensively. I'm happy with that part, but I'm really happy with the rest of the game. I can play a young guy at the end of games."
The Canucks (11-8-3) won twice in two days by a combined score of 10-4. They won 5-2 at the Flyers on Tuesday.
The Penguins (11-9-3) lost a second straight home game in regulation after beginning the season 6-0-1 in Pittsburgh; they lost 2-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks at home on Saturday.
"We're making soft plays at the [blue] line and they're knocking pucks down," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "As a result, we don't have the opportunity to establish the kind of game we want to play."

Jake Guentzel cut Vancouver's lead to 4-2 with his second power-play goal of the game at 1:24 of the third period.
Brandon Sutter scored into an empty net to make it 5-2 with 1:20 left.
After Boeser's first goal, Guentzel tied it 1-1 on a power play 6:28 into the first before the Canucks took the lead 2:05 later.
Phil Kessel backpedaled into a piece of Sidney Crosby's broken stick in the left circle, allowing Thomas Vanek to steal the puck and charge toward the crease. Murray stopped Vanek's wrist shot, but Loui Eriksson scored on the rebound to make it 2-1 at 8:33 of the first.

Derrick Pouliot made it 3-1 on a power play with his first goal of the season at 7:08 of the second period. He returned to Pittsburgh for the first time since the Penguins traded him to the Canucks on Oct. 3.
Pittsburgh selected Pouliot in the first round (No. 8) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
"It was a great game," he said. "I was very excited to come back here and play. Both teams played really well. They came at us hard and we answered. So, it was an awesome game to be a part of."
Anders Nilsson made 43 saves for Vancouver.
Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson left with an upper-body injury after playing 9:46. Green said he would have more information regarding Gudbranson's status Thursday.

Goal of the game

Boeser's second goal of the game at 9:47 of the second period.

Save of the game

Nilsson's save on Patric Hornqvist with 5:25 remaining in the third period.

Highlight of the game

Eriksson's goal at 8:33 of the first period.

They said it

"They obviously have a really good team over there. I think we battled hard, even though they got a goal early in the third period. They pushed us back early in the third, but we showed big character and were able to battle with them." -- Canucks goalie Anders Nilsson
"I think our start cold have been a whole lot better. But also, pretty much all the goals they got were kind of hilarious, if you think about it. Just that one with the broken stick and it went off of Phil. That's about as unlucky as you can get. For sure, we need to have a better start and maybe it doesn't get to that point." -- Penguins goalie Matt Murray

Need to know

The Canucks swept their two-game season series against the Penguins after losing their previous four games against Pittsburgh (0-4-0). … Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin did not play because of an upper-body injury sustained Saturday. He will be reevaluated on Thursday to determine his status for Friday against the Boston Bruins or Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. … The Canucks (8-3-0) are tied with the St. Louis Blues (8-3-1) for most road wins in the NHL.

What's next

Canucks:At the New Jersey Devils on Friday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, SNP, NHL.TV)
Penguins: At the Boston Bruins on Friday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, NHL.TV)