Recap: Zellweger Scores First NHL Goal in 3-2 Loss to Canucks

Olen Zellweger scored his first career NHL goal but Dakota Joshua's second of the afternoon late in the third period proved the difference today in a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.

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The loss dropped Anaheim to 24-47-4 on the season 0-4-0 heading to the finale of a five-game northwest road trip.

Zellweger scored early in the third period, part of a sudden two-goal comeback by the Ducks that tied the score until the game's final minutes. 

Mason McTavish also scored, his career-best 18th goal of the season. Isac Lundestrom, Frank Vatrano, Gustav Lindstrom and Trevor Zegras tallied assists. Lukas Dostal made 27 saves.

Joshua scored twice for Vancouver, including the eventual game-winning goal with 2:13 to go in regulation. Brock Boeser netted a power-play goal in the first period. Latvian netminder Arturs Silovs earned the win between the pipes for the Canucks in his first start of the season.

With the win, Vancouver reached 100 points in a season for the first time since 2014-15.

Boeser opened the scoring on Vancouver's first power play of the afternoon, tucking a rebound chance just  inside the near post while fighting through Cam Fowler's check in tight.

The power-play goal was Boeser's 16th of the season. Only Hall of Famer Daniel Sedin has scored more in a single campaign (18 in 2010-11, 16 in 2006-07) for the Canucks over the last two decades. 

With the secondary assist, Canucks forward JT Miller now has 93 points in 74 games this season, seven points shy of his first 100-point campaign. The Ohio native finished with 99 points in 80 outings during the 2021-22 season.

The Canucks then doubled the lead midway through the second period on a remarkable play by Joshua, who took a pass at the side of the net and pulled the puck between his legs before lifting it over Dostal's glove. 

The 27-year-old Joshua has a career-best 14 goals and 27 points along with a +16 rating in 54 games this season.

Anaheim answered in a matter of 71 seconds early in the third though, fighting off any weary legs from the back-to-back to level the score at two.

Zellweger put the Ducks on the board with a beauty of a first NHL goal, a short side snipe off the crossbar and past Silovs.

The rookie blueliner is the sixth Duck to score their first NHL goal this season, joining Leo Carlsson, Tristan Luneau, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe and Urho Vaakanainen.

Zellweger has four points in his first 18 NHL games, and two in his last five games.

McTavish tied the game two shifts later, finding free space in the low slot and burying a centering pass from Gustav Lindstrom circling the net.

The goal set a new career high for McTavish (18) and also snapped a 15-game scoring drought. McTavish is third among team leaders in points and goals this season.

Lindstrom has five assists and a +7 rating in 25 games with Anaheim this season. 

Joshua broke the tie with just over two minutes to play, beating Dostal from in close after a setup pass from Conor Garland behind the goal.

The Ducks conclude a five-game road trip Tuesday in Calgary.