Brock Boeser scored the winner in a shootout, lifting the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 win over the host Chicago Blackhawks in NHL action Friday night at the United Center in Chicago.
Jake DeBrusk and Max Sasson scored in regulation for the Canucks (3-2-0). Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves and was perfect in the shootout for the win in goal. Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks (2-2-2), with Spencer Knight taking the loss in goal despite stopping 30 of 32 shots.
Chicago came out quickly in the first period, holding an 8-1 shots-on-goal advantage just six minutes into the game.
Donato opened the scoring on the power play at 12:41, tapping home a pass from Andre Burakovsky. Chicago upped their lead to 2-0 with 46 seconds left in the period, after Bertuzzi collided with Lankinen, and the goalie lost his stick. The puck went back to the point and a shot hit Bertuzzi, who then knocked it past Lankinen.
Shots on goal after one period were 15-11 Chicago.
In the second period, DeBrusk (on his 29th birthday) scored his first of the year on the power play, jamming home a Conor Garland feed from the top of the crease at 6:49.
Sasson pulled the Canucks event at 2-2 at 13:42, tapping in a nice feed from Filip Hronek. Sasson now has goals in both games he has played this season.
In the third period, Bertuzzi jammed the puck behind Lankinen with 5:12 remaining but the on-ice officials ruled no goal, saying he pushed the goalie's pad. Chicago then challenged the ruling of goaltender interference and lost the challenge, giving Vancouver a power play but they failed to score.
Chicago took another late penalty when Connor Bedard was called for holding on Tyler Myers with 2:04 left in the period but the Canucks again couldn't beat Knight.
In overtime, Boeser rattled a shot off the post behind Knight with three minutes to play and had another close-in chance 90 seconds later as the Canucks carried much of the play. With 10 seconds left, Vancouver forward Elias Pettersson walked through the Chicago defence but was again denied in close by Knight, forcing the shootout and setting the stage for Boeser's heroics in round four.
NOTES: Derek Forbort (undisclosed), Nils Hoglander (lower body) and Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) sat out injured for Vancouver, while Jonathan Lekkerimaki was scratched along with Aatu Räty. Teddy Blueger made his season debut for the Canucks... Lankinen is now 7-4 in shootouts... The Canucks were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Hawks were 1-for-3... Vancouver continues their five-game road swing Sunday (9:30 a.m.) in Washington.
