Brandon Sutter scored twice and added an assist, lifting the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in NHL action Tuesday at Rogers Arena.
Sam Gagner and Alex Biega also scored for Vancouver (27-40-9), while Andrew Cogliano had the lone goal for the Ducks (39-24-13).
Jacob Markstrom picked up his 21st win on the season, making 23 saves. John Gibson stopped 26 Canucks shots while taking the loss.
Vancouver got off to a great start midway through the first period. Daniel Sedin threw a soft wrist shot towards Gibson from the top of the circle, which left a juicy rebound for Gagner, who sniped the puck top shelf on an open net for his ninth goal of the season.
Sam Gagner from Daniel and Henrik. 1-0 #Canucks #LetsGoDucks pic.twitter.com/CuxDY60zvD
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 28, 2018
The rest of the period was held scoreless as Vancouver outshot Anaheim 15-9.
The Sedins were close to pushing the Canucks lead to two with a one-two from Henrik to Daniel but were denied by the post late in the second period.
With two minutes and 54 seconds remaining in the period, Ducks defenceman Francois Beauchemin fired the puck into the Canucks zone and it took an unorthodox bounce off of the end boards and landed directly on the stick of Cogliano, who had an open night to tie up the game at 1-1.
Andrew Cogliano with a weird one but the #LetsGoDucks are on the board and it's a 1-1 game. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/LjH8pI2z9u
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 28, 2018
Despite the unlucky goal, Markstrom stood on his head for the entirety of the second period stopping eight Anaheim shots.
Early in the third period, the Canucks broke the tie with Biega, who wired a knuckled slap shot through traffic for his first goal in 132 games. It was Biega’s second career NHL goal.
Alex Biega with his first goal in a very, very, very, very long time puts the #Canucks up 2-1 with 16 minutes left in the 3rd period. #LetsGoDucks pic.twitter.com/LkOvbpDm7y
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 28, 2018
At 8:30 of the final period, Sutter was sprung on a breakaway while being hooked by Ducks forward Ryan Kesler, and failed on the deke to against Gibson, but was able to gather the puck and score on the open net.
BRANDON SUTTER beats out RYAN KESLER and the #Canucks are up 3-1. #LetsGoDucks pic.twitter.com/OGS7vGdJTo
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 28, 2018
Sutter scored his second of the game into empty net with 16 seconds left in the game. He now has four goals in his last five outings.
Brandon Sutter seals the deal and the #Canucks win 4-1. #LetsGoDucks pic.twitter.com/V87jTEnIwn
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 28, 2018
GAME NOTES:
Vancouver: Defenceman Ashton Stautner played in his second NHL game, paired with Biega… Defenceman Chris Tanev was ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury prior to the game… Centre Adam Gaudette is expected to appear in his first NHL game Thursday against Edmonton.
Anaheim: Defenceman Kevin Bieksa played with Vancouver from 2005 to 2015… Centre Ryan Kesler scored 41 goals for Vancouver in 2010-11 en route to the Stanley Cup finals… Centre Derek Grant was born in Abbotsford and played for the Abbotsford Pilots in the PJHL and the Langley Chiefs in the BCHL… Centre Troy Terry made his NHL debut tonight. Terry represented USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
@kieranroconnor
kieran.oconnor@bpdigital.ca
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