Canucks crush Sharks, remain perfect since coaching change

[December 17, 2021] Brock Boeser scored twice and the visiting Vancouver Canucks remained undefeated under new coach Bruce Boudreau, beating the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory.

Vancouver's J.T. Miller added a goal and two assists.

Bo Horvat and Jason Dickinson also scored, Tanner Pearson recorded two assists and Thatcher Demko made 34 saves for the Canucks, who have won eight of nine following a 1-8-1 stretch. Vancouver is perfect in six contests since Boudreau replaced the fired Travis Green on Dec. 5.

Boeser has recorded five of his nine goals over the past six games, while Demko has yielded just seven during his five-start winning streak.
 

San Jose's Timo Meier notched his 100th career goal and Andrew Cogliano scored with 11:31 left in regulation to make it a one-goal game, but the Sharks still lost for the fifth time in their past seven. Adin Hill stopped 25 shots for San Jose, which is mired in a 4-6-1 home rut.

San Jose outshot Vancouver 13-10 in the first period, but the visitors struck first. Cycling the puck in the Sharks' zone, Boeser drilled a shot that appeared to glance off the leg of San Jose's Brent Burns, then over the shoulder of Hill at 12:41 of the opening frame.

The Canucks made it 2-0 nearly four minutes later when Horvat converted, again over the shoulder of Hill, on the power play. San Jose cut the deficit in half when Meier blasted home the puck off a blocked shot at 17:22 of an active opening period.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Adin Hill (33) cannot stop the shot on goal by Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (not pictured) during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Boeser's second of the night came at 17:17 of in the second period. Off a San Jose turnover in its own end, Boeser was on the spot to ring the puck off the post and in for a 3-1 Vancouver advantage.

A Canucks turnover led to Cogliano's third of the season, making things interesting at 8:29 of the third period. Miller gave Vancouver back its two-goal edge with 2:28 left in the third.

Dickinson added an empty-netter for Vancouver, which has won its past three meetings with San Jose and five of the past six matchups.

--Field Level Media

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