The Vancouver Canucks (17-18-3) handed the Washington Capitals (21-9-9) their 5th loss in their last 6 games, by a 4-2 score.
The win is the Canucks first on their 5-game road trip, after three consecutive losses to the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes.
Vancouver is 3-3-1 in their last seven games.
Vancouver received two goals from Elias Pettersson (2-0=2 pts); singles from Bo Horvat (1-1=2 pts) and J.T. Miller (1-1=2 pts), and were 2 for 4 on the power play after going 0 for 12 on the road trip. Assists also went to Quinn Hughes (0-2=2 pts), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (0-1=1 pts), Nils Hoglander (0-1=1 pts) and Brock Boeser (0-1=1 pts).
Goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped all 26 shots he faced at even strength of his 31 saves on the afternoon, finishing with a .939 save percentage (SV%).
Canucks established some good early offensive chances in the Capitals end, taking an early lead in shots 8-4, to start the game, before Tyler Motte got a delay of game penalty, giving the Capitals the man advantage at 8:53.
Canucks were close to killing off the Washington power play but with 22 second left, Alex Ovechkin scored his 26th goal to make it 1-0 Capitals at 10:31; the fourth straight game on the road trip Vancouver allowed the opening goal of a game. It was power play goal 276 of his career.
With the Canucks record being 6-14-3 when allowing the first goal of a game this season, Vancouver once again was chasing their opposition, trying to get back on even terms, something the Canucks have had difficulty doing during their road trip.
Vancouver had a flurry of scoring chances in the final minute of the period attempting to get even with their hosts but other than gaining a late power play opportunity, the period ended with Washington continuing to hold a 1-0 advantage.
Washington was outshot 16-11 by Vancouver. The Canucks J.T. Miller and Tyler Myers had 3 shots each, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brock Boeser and Tanner Pearson with a pair each. Both teams were 9 for 18 in the faceoff circle.
The second period started with Vancouver having 1:51 left on their power play opportunity from the initial period.
And finally, the Canucks scored with the man advantage on the road trip after previously going 0 for 12, as Elias Pettersson (7) exercised patience on getting his shot off, before finding the twine behind Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov, to even things up at 1-1 at 0:33; Bo Horvat (10) and Quinn Hughes (27) with assists.
The Canucks would take the lead at 2-1, on Pettersson’s second goal of the game, 8th of the season, just over four minutes later at 4:48, right in front of the Washington net, banking it off the Capitals goaltender. Oliver Ekman-Larsson (5) and Nils Hoglander (6) with assists.
Thatcher Demko continued his All-Star goaltending stopping Alex Ovechkin twice nearing the mid-point of the middle frame. The Capitals would continue to get a flurry of shots on the Canucks goalie due to defensive lapses, and odd man rushes by before a commercial time-out with 6:05 left, giving the Canucks a much needed breathier.
The Canucks would get chances of their own in the final five minutes of the 2nd period, including controlling the puck in the Washington end for 70 seconds, getting some good looks, trying to achieve a two goal lead.
With Vancouver a perfect 1 for 1 on the power play, the Canucks were back with the man advantage at 18:17, and again Vancouver would take advantage, as Bo Horvat with his team leading 13th goal, gave the Canucks a two goal advantage at 3-1, at 18:50. J.T. Miller (26) and Hughes (28) with assists.
After two periods, Canucks were 61 percent in faceoff wins; 2 for 2 on the power play and leading in shots 24-22; two of the shots on the two power plays. Elias Pettersson with 4 shots; Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Tyler Myers, with 3 shots each led Vancouver after 40 minutes. Without a shot after two periods included Hughes, Podkolzin, Motte, Highmore, Dickinson, Lammikko, and Hoglander.
In the final period Washington pulled within a goal on the power play, on a goal by Tom Wilson, who drew the Canucks penalty (Tanner Pearson for interference), scoring at 6:22, making the Capitals a perfect 2 for 2 on their power play. Same as Canucks.
The Canucks received their third power play 31 seconds after the Wilson goal, managing one shot but unsuccessful regaining a two goal lead.
The Capitals continued to get good chances in the Canucks end, with Demko having to make alert saves to keep Vancouver up by a goal as game time continued to run off. Canucks would use the television time-outs to recompose themselves in between the Washington attacks.
With a too many men on the ice penalty for Washington at 15:14, the Canucks had a fourth power play, to once again to try and regain a two goal lead. Once again, Vancouver was unable to finish with the man advantage a second straight time.
Less than two minutes remaining, the Capitals pulled their goalie Ilya Samsonov to give them a man advantage and attempt to get the tying goal.
But J.T. Miller off a pass from Brock Boeser. (9), would score his 12th goal of the season, with 57.2 seconds left, and put Vancouver up by two goals at 4-2.
The Canucks would hang on and receive their first win of the 5 game road trip.
UPCOMING GAMES
More Stanley Cup contenders are being visited, at Nashville Predators @ 4 pm PST on Tuesday.
Then it’s home games with Stanley Cup contenders Florida Panthers @ 7 pm PST on Friday, January 21 and St. Louis Blues @ 7 pm on Sunday, January 23.
Finishing off the home stand, visitors the Edmonton Oilers @ 7 pm on Tuesday, January 25.
MATCH-UP INFO
