Virtanen leads Canucks past ’Hawks
VANCOUVER — Jake Virtanen scored twice on Wednesday, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was the first two-goal game of the 22-year-old right winger’s career.
Brendan Gaunce and Antoine Roussel also scored for the Canucks (8-6-0). Brandon Saad and Jonathan Toews responded for Chicago (6-4-3).
Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 24 of 26 shots and Corey Crawford turned away 24 of 28 for the Blackhawks.
Chicago was first on the scoreboard, with Saad scoring his third goal of the season midway through the first period.
The left winger beat Canucks defenceman Erik Gudbranson in Vancouver’s end and put a hard shot on net. Markstrom seemed to get a piece of it but the puck trickled in underneath him.
Virtanen responded for the Canucks in the 15th minute after the Blackhawks turned over the puck in the neutral zone.
He picked up speed on the breakaway and put a high shot in past Crawford.
The Blackhawks got back on top with a power-play goal early in the second frame after Canucks defenceman Michael Del Zotto took a cross-checking penalty late in the first.
Toews fired a wrister from the top of the faceoff circle, sailing the puck in past Markstrom.
Virtanen followed with his second of the night just over 12 minutes into the second period. He scooped up a pass just inside the blue line and fired a quick shot past Crawford to tie the game once again.
Gaunce notched the go-ahead goal halfway through the third period and registered an assist on Roussel’s late-game goal.