Boeser scores twice, Canucks win sixth straight under Boudreau

SAN JOSE -- Brock Boeser scored twice and the Vancouver Canucks won their sixth straight game under coach Bruce Boudreau, 5-2 against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday.

J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists for the Canucks (14-15-2). Thatcher Demko made 34 saves.
"I don't think it surprises anyone anymore how great he is," Boeser said. "I think he's one of the best goalies in the League right now."
The Canucks were 3-9-1 in their previous 13 games before firing coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning on Dec. 5.
"It's been a blast. Everyone's so excited to get to the rink every day," Boeser said.

Timo Meier scored his 100th NHL goal, and Adin Hill made 28 saves for the Sharks (15-14-1) who have lost two straight and three of four.
"I felt good about the way we played but we just didn't execute," Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. "We didn't capitalize on our chances and they did. That's really the name of the game. I don't think we played bad by any means. I don't think that we got outplayed. I thought that we carried a lot of the possession and offense. That second goal they got, the power-play goal, was a big goal for them, a 2-0 lead."
Boeser opened the scoring when Tanner Pearson set him up with a cross-ice pass, and the forward's shot went in off the crossbar at 12:41 of the first period.
Bo Horvat made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 16:23 after taking a cross-ice pass from Miller.
Meier put the Sharks on the board at 17:22. Demko denied a shot by Erik Karlsson and the forward scored on a rebound to make it 2-1.
Boeser scored his second goal of the game at 17:17 of the second period when his shot hit off the post and passed Hill to make it 3-1.
"Two great shots. You can see why he scores goals," Boudreau said. "He's been pretty fantastic."

Andrew Cogliano made it 3-2 at 8:29 of the third period with a wrist shot.
"It's good to contribute," Cogliano said. "It's 3-2 with a lot of time left. We had some good pushes there and a couple of good opportunities to score. That's the difference. If we get a goal there, you maybe get into overtime and your game turns around and guys start feeling better. It's tough. We had a lot of time to score. It just seemed like we had some good opportunities. But it's just that desperation that we just have to increase it. That's what it is at this point."
Miller made it 4-2 at 17:32 before Dickinson scored into an empty net 18:57.
NOTES: Meier scored his 100th goal in 342 games. Five Sharks players have reached 100 in fewer games: Jeff Friesen (321), Joe Thornton (320), Owen Nolan (304), Logan Couture (271) and Jonathan Cheechoo (246). ... Meier scored his 29th point of the season (12 goals, 17 assist) in 25 games. Only two players have more through their first 25 games of a season with the Sharks: Thornton (35 in 2005-06, 32 in 2009-10, 31 in 2007-08 & 30 in 2008-09) and Nolan (31 in 1999-00). ... Quinn Hughes' assist on Horvat's goal was his 24th in 30 games played. Only one defenseman had more assists with the Canucks through the first 30 games of a season: Paul Reinhart, 28 in 1988-89. ... Boudreau is the sixth NHL coach to win his first six games with a team, following Geoff Ward (7-0-0, 2019-20 Calgary Flames; Jacques Lemaire (7-0-0, 1993-94 New Jersey Devils), Patrick Roy (6-0-0, 2013-14 Colorado Avalanche), Bryan Murray (6-0-0, 2005-06 Ottawa Senators) and Mario Tremblay (6-0-0, 1995-96 Montreal Canadiens). ... Miller had his 11th three-point game with Vancouver, the most among all Canucks players since he joined the team in 2019-20.