Canucks win second straight with Boudreau, top Bruins in shootout

VANCOUVER-- The Vancouver Canucks won their second straight game with coach Bruce Boudreau, 2-1 in a shootout against the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.

Brock Boeser scored, and Thatcher Demko made 35 saves for the Canucks (10-15-2), who have won four of five, including 4-0 against the Los Angeles Kings in Boudreau's debut Monday. J.T. Miller and Bo Horvat scored in the shootout.
"Our group has really come together," Boeser said. "Tonight was another great step for us and we've got to continue to play hard and play together."

The Canucks were 1-8-1 in the prior 10 games and fired coach Travis Green on Sunday. This was the first time Vancouver has won consecutive games at home, and they've yet to win three in a row anywhere this season.
"Everyone feels confident we can go into the next one and get another one," defenseman Quinn Hughes said. "We're taking it one game at a time and one week at a time and that was the message when Coach came in. For the first two games, we're doing really good and the amazing thing is I think we can play better."
Patrice Bergeron scored, and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for Boston (12-8-2), which has a point in three straight games (1-0-2).
"It was what we expected," Boston assistant Joe Sacco said. "They seem to be more aggressive on the forecheck and they were more aggressive on their [penalty] kill, but our power play responded with a big goal of its own too. Would have been nice to get the extra point here tonight, but we have to regroup and get ready for a game tomorrow [at the Edmonton Oilers]."
Boeser made it 1-0 on the power play at 15:01, deflecting a pass from Miller. He scored for a second straight game after ending a 13-game goal drought Monday.
"I've talked about how I want to produce for this team and help us win hockey games and to get a couple in the last couple wins, I think it means a lot and it's big for my confidence," Boeser said.

Bergeron tied it 2-2 by deflecting a David Pastrnak pass in the slot on a 5-on-3 power play at 4:51 of the third period.
"Obviously 'Pasta' has that shot where they need to be in the shooting lane, so it usually opens up a bit of a passing lane for a shot tip and especially five on three," Bergeron said. "We talked about it before the face-off that it should be there."
It was the sixth goal in the past four games for the Bruins, who are 1-1-2 in that span.

Forward Erik Haula appeared to open the scoring on a breakaway at 11:43 of the second period, but Vancouver challenged successfully for offside.
"Definitely not satisfied. We need more," Bergeron said. "That being said, I think the net front presence was there. We just weren't shooting. The presence was there and at times we try to make the extra pass and we have to bring it on net."
NOTES: Vancouver played without defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who was scratched with an undisclosed injury, and lost defenseman Travis Hamonic to an apparent right leg injury after a hit from Bruins forward Brad Marchand at 14:27 of the second period. Boudreau didn't have an update on Hamonic but said Ekman-Larsson is day to day and hoped he might play Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. … Marchand had four shots and three blocked shots while playing 23:19 in his return from a three-game suspension for slew-footing Ekman-Larsson during a 3-2 win against the Canucks in Boston on Nov. 28. … Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy had three shots, five hits and one penalty for holding while playing 28:02 in his first game back after missing one game with non-COVID illness. … The Canucks also fired general manager Jim Benning on Sunday; he was replaced by Stan Smyl.