Demko's 51 saves help Canucks defeat Maple Leafs

VANCOUVER -- Thatcher Demko made an NHL career-high 51 saves for the Vancouver Canucks in a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Rogers Arena on Saturday.

"I say the same thing every day, he's one of the best goalies in the League," Vancouver forward J.T. Miller said. "He kept us in the game. It was a big two points for us. They brought their A-game in the second and third period."
Miller and Brock Boeser each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (22-21-6), who are 4-2-2 in their past eight games.
Auston Matthews scored to extend his point streak to seven games, and Petr Mrazek made 21 saves for the Maple Leafs (30-12-3), who have lost two straight games in regulation for the first time since losing three in a row Oct. 22-25. They lost 5-2 to the Calgary Flames on Thursday despite a 48-26 advantage in shots.
"It's unlike us," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We've been very consistent with our ability to bounce back and put together long stretches of winning, but I don't like the start, so to me it's a self-inflicted loss. I don't like that, but we did a lot of really good things here, so we're not going to get too down about this one."

Toronto outshot Vancouver 24-7 in the second period and 17-6 in the third period. Demko made two of his best saves midway through the third to preserve the lead, against William Nylander on a breakaway at 9:35 and against Ilya Mikheyev on a point-blank one-timer at 10:35.
"It doesn't matter what the circumstances are, I try to make as many saves as I can," Demko said. "The end result was good. That's all that matters."
Miller put the Canucks ahead 1-0 at 1:29 of the first period on a rebound from low in the left face-off circle with Mrazek out of position. Mrazek tried to poke check Bo Horvat, who was cutting across the low slot alone on the rush.
Boeser made it 2-0 at 6:00 on the power-play, scoring on a rebound at the side of the net after Oliver Ekman-Larsson's one-timer was deflected in front with Mrazek screened.
"We just lacked the intensity required to start the game," Keefe said. "Obviously we deserved a whole lot more goals than we got tonight, but that's what happens right? It's a team that relies on world class goaltending to win games, and you give them a two-goal lead and it's an uphill climb."
Matthews cut it to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 12:46 of the second period, one-timing a pass from John Tavares from the bottom of the right circle. Matthews has scored 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) during his streak.
"Unbelievable," Matthews said about the pass from Tavares, who was cutting across the top of the crease as he made it. "Just the poise, the patience to make that play. He put it right in my wheelhouse and I just got it off quick. That was all him, just an unbelievable pass, an unbelievable play."
Ondrej Kase tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 15:41, deflecting a slap pass from Jason Spezza over Demko's blocker from the slot.

Juho Lammikko put Vancouver ahead 3-2 at 18:30 with his first goal in 10 games. He scored on the rush when Mrazek kicked a rebound into the slot.
"I didn't like the third goal," Mrazek said. "I wish I would just put it in different spot and I just put it right on his stick."
After Miller's goal into an empty net with 45 seconds left was overturned when video review initiated by the Situation Room determined the play was offside, Demko made a save against Michael Bunting during a scramble with two seconds left.
"I don't care if we got outshot," Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We ended up winning the game, and that's the bottom line. It would take a fool to think that. We know the goalie was amazing. He's our goalie, and we get to have him every night."
NOTES:Demko became the second goalie with 50 or more saves in an NHL game this season. Elvis Merzlikins made 56 for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 6-0 loss to the Flames on Jan. 26. Demko is the fifth goalie in Canucks history with at least 50 saves in a game. Dunc Wilson holds the Vancouver record with 52 saves, set in an 8-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 25, 1971. … Canucks defenseman Travis Hamonic returned after missing 21 games with an ankle injury and had three shots in 18:34. He last played Dec. 8. … Ekman-Larsson had an assist and has scored six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. … Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds had one shot and four hits in 7:00 after missing the game Thursday because his wife gave birth.