Canucks lose pre-season match to NHL’s newest franchise

Vancouver opens pre-season with OT win, lopsided loss

VANCOUVER (CP) — Tyler Wong scored three times and added an assist in the Vegas Golden Knights’ first-ever pre-season game as the NHL’s newest franchise defeated the Vancouver Canucks 9-4 on Sunday.

Tomas Hyka added two goals, while Tomas Nosek, with a goal and two assists, Nick Suzuki, with a goal and an assist, Paul Thompson and Alex Tuch also scored for Vegas. Brad Hunt chipped in with three assists, while Cody Glass, the sixth overall pick in 2017, had two helpers.

Brock Boeser, with two goals and an assist, Philip Holm, with a goal and an assist, and Jordan Subban replied for Vancouver.

The Golden Knights dressed a roster of mostly prospects and fringe NHLers, leaving behind forwards James Neal, Jonathan Marchessault, David Perron, Cody Eakin, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson, defencemen Brayden McNabb, Deryk Engelland and Luca Sbisa, as well as goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

Almost all of the Canucks’ veterans were on a charter plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on their way to China for two historic pre-season games against the Los Angeles Kings in Beijing and Shanghai this week.

CANUCKS 4, KINGS 3 (OT)

At Los Angeles, Boeser scored at 4:38 of overtime to give the Canucks a 4-3 comeback victory over the Kings on Saturday in the first NHL exhibition game of the pre-season.

Sven Baertschi tied it for Vancouver with 2:54 left in regulation. Markus Granlund and Jake Virtanen also scored for the Canucks.

Anders Nilsson was credited with the win for Vancouver. He made 10 saves and had the primary assist on Boeser’s goal. Starter Jacob Markstrom stopped all 19 shots he faced.

The Canadian Press Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko reacts as the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their ninth goal during the third period of Sunday’s pre-season NHL game in Vancouver. The Canucks lost 9-4.

The Canadian Press Vancouver Canucks forward Kole Lind, of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, is stopped by Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Dylan Ferguson, of the Kamloops Blazers, during Sunday’s game in Vancouver.