11/15/2023 – CanucksBanter

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

November 15, 2023

The Vancouver Canucks (12-3-0-1), 1rst in the Pacific Division, hosted the New York Islanders (5-6-0-4), 7th in the Metropolitan Division, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver B.C.

With the win, Vancouver is atop the Western Conference of the NHL.

Vancouver is 10-1-1 in the last 12 games.

Vancouver goals came from: Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Filip Hronek, Brock Boeser Helpers from: Hughes (2), Miller (2), Andrei Kuzmenko, Boeser (2), Pettersson.

Vancouver had 3-point games from Miller (1-2), Boeser (1-2), and Hughes (1-2).

Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko stopped 30 shots and picked up his 8th win of the young season. He has a 2.04 GAA and a .932 SV%.

He is 8-3-0 with 2 shutouts in 11 game starts.

GAME REVIEW

Canucks former Captain Bo Horvat was playing his first game back in Vancouver since being traded to the Islanders last season.

Vancouver was looking to continue its undefeated streak in regulation at home (5-0-0-1) since the season began.

The Islanders came into the game 0-4-0-1 in their last five games while the Canucks were 4-1-0-0.

New York was also trying to even their season road record at .500, which stood at 2-3-0-0 entering the game.

Elias Pettersson entered action today as the NHL points leader with a record of 7-18=25 points, with teammates J.Miller (9-14=23) and Quinn Hughes (5-18=23) tied for 3rd spot.

Brock Boeser entered the day tied for 2nd place in the NHL in goals scored with Sam Reinhart of Florida at 12, both a single goal behind Austin Matthews of Toronto and Kyle Connor of Winnipeg at 13.

Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (7-3-0) got the start. He entered the game with a .935 SV% and 1.96 GAA in his last 10 games, including 2 shutouts.

On defence the Canucks lost Carson Soucy for 6-8 weeks after blocking a shot last game in Montreal, and before the game started, Pius Suter was a sudden scratch from the lineup for Vancouver, shaking up line combinations.

Starting goalies Ilya Sorokin for the Islanders and Demko for the Canucks both came up with outstanding saves early on in the opening period as both teams did their best to stymie the others puck possession and play in the offensive zone.

New York was blessed with the first man advantage of the game at 7:01 thanks to Canucks Ian Cole and the Islanders took little time to strike with the opening goal as the puck was deflected by Dakota Joshua and went under Demko’s goalie pad in 29 seconds.

Pierre Engvall (l) on the power play assists Oliver Wahlstrom and Sebastian Aho (3) at 7:30 to lead 1-0.

Cole received his second penalty in a row for delay of game at 8:37, 15 seconds after the Islanders scored to open the scoring, and the Islanders once again scored, and it was quickly 2-0 New York.

Brock Nelson on power play (7) assists to Noah Dobson (9) and Matt Barzal (8) at 8:52.

The second period was unwritten and waiting for the Canucks to turn things around……but would they?

Mark Friedman would get boarded and send Islanders Cal Clutterbach to the penalty box, for the Canucks first power play.

With 12 seconds left on the power play, J.T. Miller (10) scored on the powerplay with assists to Elias Pettersson (19) and Andrei Kuzmenko (11) at 4:39, pulling Vancouver within a goal at 2-1.

The Islanders would respond, and it would be no other than Bo Horvat (5) assists to Barzal (9) at 8:33 at even strength, to regain a two goal lead at 3-1.

Vancouver would get another power play opportunity when Dakota Joshua was interfered with by Noah Dobson.

Brock Boeser, in front of Islanders, goalie Sorokin, scored his 6th power play goal of the season, with his 13th goal to get Vancouver behind by a single goal at 3-2. Assists Miller (15) and Quinn Hughes (19) at 11:03.

Islanders Anders Lee sent off for slashing Joseph’s stick and Canucks back on the power play after being 2 for 2 earlier but even with a couple of chances Vancouver was unable to make it three consecutive power play goals.

The Canucks won the middle frame 2-1 but ended the period behind 3-2 but the war had at least one period left, possibly an overtime and dare I say, a shootout. We would find out.

An early power play in the 3rd period gave the Canucks hope to put the game even at 3-3 at 1:36. Some good looks and shots for the Canucks but only one shot registered by Vancouver.

So after two straight power play goals, the Islanders found the secret to deny Vancouver’s man advantage.

The Islanders handed the Canucks a 5 on 3 power play when Andrei Kuzmenko was tripped twice in the Islanders end at 6:45 by Noah Dobson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

During the power play, Andrei Kuzmenko got hit in the face with a shot in front of the net and left the game.

The Canucks continued on without Kuzmenko and would not disappoint him.

Filip Hronek (1) scored his first Canucks goal on the power play to even the game at 3-3, with 15 seconds left in the 5-on-3 advantage. Assists Hughes (20) and Boeser (7) at 8:30.

The Islanders almost scored on Vancouver, especially when Demko got caught of his net, and later in the final period when Anders Lee almost had his shot cross the goal line on Demko.

The Canucks tying goal gave Islanders life and Demko, his teammates had to hold them and still find opportunities to score and win.

The game would end in regulation without a victor and go into overtime.

In overtime, Quinn Hughes scores the overtime winner on a breakaway pass by J.T. Miller at 2:36 assists Miller (16) and Boeser (8).