Canucks get past slumping Wild
Brock Boeser scores in NHL debut as Vancouver wins 4-2
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Brock Boeser’s college career ended in crushing fashion on Friday night. Scoring in his NHL debut the next day in front of his family and friends wasn’t a bad consolation prize.
Boeser scored in his first NHL game a day after signing with Vancouver, Reid Boucher added two in a four-goal second period and the Canucks defeated the slumping Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Saturday.
Boeser was Vancouver’s firstround pick in the 2015 draft. His North Dakota team lost to Boston University in double overtime on Friday in the NCAA Tournament in Fargo. The Burnsville, Minn., native joined the Canucks in St. Paul in time for Saturday’s matinee.
“It’s been crazy — obviously a heartbreak loss there with my North Dakota team,” Boeser said. “But, you know, I had to regroup there and focus on this game. I definitely think adrenaline kicked in here.”
The Canucks surprised Boeser by bringing his parents into the locker-room before the game. Then he went out and scored Vancouver’s third goal of the second period, scoring off a rebound on a 2-on-2 rush.
“It’s good for him,” Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. “It’s a great story for him playing at home, and to get (a goal), it was good.”
The mood in the other locker room wasn’t as upbeat. The Wild have lost seven of their last eight and are 3-10-0 in March. And they were booed off the ice after the second period by their home crowd.
“That was embarrassing,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of his team’s performance.
“I’m embarrassed. To me, if I were the fans, I would be booing even more because they pay good money for this, and to see an effort like that . . .”
The Wild were shut out for almost 57 minutes by Richard Bachman, Vancouver’s thirdstring goalie, and they were no match for a Canucks team that was 1-5-2 in its previous eight games.
Darcy Kuemper made 17 saves in his first start since March 12. He gave up Boucher’s power-play goal 19 seconds into the second period, then allowed three goals in an eight-minute span as the Canucks put the game away.
“We had stretches where we were good, and then we just had some breakdowns and they were capitalizing on their chances,” Kuemper said. “Things snowballed in the whole building, and we couldn’t get to the intermission fast enough.”
Boucher put Vancouver up 2-0 with a wrist shot that appeared to hit the crossbar and ricochet off into the corner. Video replay confirmed that the puck hit the camera inside the net.
“I had no idea,” Boucher said. “It sounded like it hit the post. I saw it go out the other side, that’s about it.”
CANADIENS 3, SENATORS 1
MONTREAL (AP) — Andrei Markov scored two goals and set up another and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators to retain first place in the Atlantic Division.
Shea Weber also scored for Montreal, which leads Ottawa by three points, although the Senators have a game in hand.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for Ottawa.
Montreal swept three games in an eight-day span from the Senators and is 3-1-1 against its closest rival this season.
Carey Price stopped 31 shots for Montreal, and Craig Anderson had 21 saves for Ottawa.
SABRES 5, MAPLE LEAFS 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jack Eichel scored twice and set up another goal in the Buffalo Sabres’ win that slowed the youth-laden Toronto Maple Leafs’ late-season surge to clinch a playoff berth.
Ryan O’Reilly and Dmitry Kulikov each had a goal and assist, and Evander Kane also scored in a game the Sabres took control of by scoring three straight times in the second period.
Auston Matthews scored his 34th to tie Toronto’s single-season rookie record set by Wendel Clark in 1985-86. Connor Brown also scored for Toronto.
FLAMES 3, BLUES 2 (OT)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Sean Monahan scored with three seconds left in overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames past the St. Louis Blues.
Troy Brouwer and Matt Bartkowski also scored for the Flames, who improved to 13-4 in overtime this season. Brian Elliott made 29 saves.
Ivan Barbashev and Jaden Schwartz scored for the Blues, and Jake Allen made 28 saves.
Monahan’s winner deflected off Blues forward Kyle Brodziak for his third goal in four games.
OILERS 4, AVALANCHE 1
EDMONTON (CP) — Drake Caggiula and Ryan NugentHopkins each had a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Pacific Division with a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
Benoit Pouliot and Leon Draisaitl also scored for the Oilers (41-25-9), who have won six of their last seven games and are now tied with San Jose and Anaheim at 91 points.
Sven Andrighetto replied for the Avalanche (20-51-3), who have dropped five games in a row.