Vancouver Canucks' Danton Heinen (20) and Chicago Blackhawks' Craig Smith (15) vie for the puck during third period NHL hockey action in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
VANCOUVER – Erik Brannstrom’s goal early in the third period was the winner as the Vancouver Canucks got back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
Elias Pettersson scored in the second period and J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes both put the puck into an empty net as Vancouver (9-4-3) improved to 2-2-0 in its current homestand.
Former Canuck Ilya Mikheyev scored against his old team in his first game back at Rogers Arena to give Chicago (6-11-1) an early lead and star forward Connor Bedard was held off the scoresheet in his first-ever NHL game in his hometown.
Arturs Silovs made 28 saves for Vancouver In his first start since Oct. 30, earning his first win of the season.
Arvid Soderblom stopped 29 shots for the Blackhawks in his fifth start of the season
After being traded from Vancouver to Chicago last summer, Mikheyev opened the scoring at 6:50 of the first period, flipping a rebound past a sprawling Silovs.
The Canucks evened the score on their first power play of the game in the second period, when Pettersson deflected a no-look feed from Miller past Soderblom off the skate of Blackhawks defender Connor Murphy.
In the third, Brannstrom one-timed a long deflection along the left boards toward the front of the net and through Soderblom’s legs. Miller and Hughes added empty-net goals.
The Canucks were 1 for 3 with the man advantage, while the Blackhawks were 0 for 1.
Takeaways
Canucks: After a disappointing 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday, the Canucks got better against Chicago as the game went on.
Blackhawks: Skating on Chicago’s top line with Ryan Donato and Philipp Kurashev, Bedard was held off the scoresheet for a third-straight game. The 2024 Calder Trophy winner leads his team with 13 points in 18 games this year.
Key moment
With 5:45 remaining in the second period and the score tied 1-1, Silovs squeezed his pads together to thwart an in-tight breakaway chance by Nick Foligno.
Key stat
Pettersson’s power-play goal was his fifth of the year, but the fourth in his last six games.
Up next
Canucks: Will play their first set of back-to-back games this season when the Nashville Predators visit Rogers Arena on Sunday.
Blackhawks: Return to Chicago, where they’ll open a two-game homestand against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2024.
