Canucks score shootout win
Horvat the difference in preseason victory over visiting Kings, 4-3
VANCOUVER — Bo Horvat put up two goals in regulation and another in the shootout as his Vancouver Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Thursday night in preseason play.
Nikolay Goldobin scored the winner in the shootout, while Sven Baertschi netted Vancouver’s third goal in regular time.
Tanner Pearson, Emerson Etem and Adrian Kempe replied for the Kings in regulation.
Kings goalie Jack Campbell stopped 22 of Vancouver’s 23 shots through two periods, before he was relieved by Peter Budaj, who turned away 7-of-9.
Vancouver netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 29-of-32 shots.
The Canucks opened the scoring near the end of the first when Elias Pettersson got the puck along the boards on a power play.
The 19-year-old Swedish rookie made a slick between-the-legs pass to Baertschi, Los Angeles Kings’Tanner Pearson checks Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson in the head during Thursday’s first period. who connected with Horvat in front of the net.
The 23-year-old centre buried the pass and Pettersson chalked up his second assist of the preseason.
The Kings responded by tallying three goals in the second period.
Early in the frame, a battle in front of the Vancouver goal ended with L.A. winger Kempe poking the puck in past Markstrom, who was sprawled out between the pipes.
Pearson doubled the Kings lead midway through the period, collecting a crisp pass in the centre lane and firing it directly into Vancouver’s net.
Etem notched L.A.’s third goal of the night, redirecting a hard shot by Alec Martinez in past Markstrom.
The Canucks got back within one five minutes into the final period, when Tyler Motte got a pass off to Horvat, who went 2-on-1 with Goldobin. Horvat stayed patient and snapped a hard wrist shot in past Budaj to make it 3-2.
With just over four minutes remaining, Vancouver’s power play struck again.
The Canucks stayed patient, passing around the edges until Pettersson saw Horvat open down low and made his move. Horvat collected the pass and immediately fired it off to Baertschi in front of the net. The left winger sniped a quick shot past Budaj, tying the game.
The Canucks have four exhibition games left — all on the road. They’ll start with a visit to the Calgary Flames on Saturday.