Improving Canucks blow out Blues

[December 21, 2018]  Bo Horvat and Jake Virtanen each collected a goal and an assist as the host Vancouver Canucks thumped the St. Louis Blues 5-1 Tuesday night.

Goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 29 shots for the Canucks, who are 6-1-1 in their past eight games immediately following a stretch in which they were 1-10-2.

Adam Gaudette, Josh Leivo and Loui Eriksson also collected goals for Vancouver. Vladimir Tarasenko produced the lone goal for the Blues.

After a scoreless first period, Horvat netted a power-play goal at 5:51 of the second period. Horvat, parked at the side of the net, redirected a perfect Elias Pettersson pass for his 17th goal of the season.

Vancouver rookie Gaudette doubled the lead 28 seconds later with his second goal of the season. Gaudette, a fifth-round draft choice in 2015, was on the spot to knock in the puck during a goalmouth scramble.

Leivo then made it a 3-0 lead at 2:08 of the third period with a rough goal for St. Louis to surrender. Leivo simply fired the puck to the front of the net from the corner of the rink, and it banked into the net off Jake Allen, who wasn't hugging the post.

Tarasenko gave the visitors a jolt of life at 6:33 of the final frame by scoring with a great power move to the net for his 11th goal of the season.

However, any comeback hopes were dashed when Virtanen made it a 4-1 game with just under eight minutes remaining, finding the mark with a long point shot through a screen.

Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) checks St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev (49) during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Eriksson capped the night with an empty-netter at 15:24.

Alexander Edler collected two assists for the Canucks, who handed the Blues a 6-1 beating in the first meeting of the season on Dec. 9 in St. Louis.

Allen made 24 saves for the Blues, who went into the night having won three of four.

--Field Level Media

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