Carson Soucy scored the game winner as the Vancouver Canucks downed the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Thursday.
Jake DeBrusk put away his team-leading 22nd tally of the season for the Canucks (28-22-11) on a second-period power play. Teddy Blueger followed with a goal of his own and Filip Hronek contributed a pair of assists.
Kevin Lankinen stopped 14 shots for Vancouver, which improved to 2-4-0 since the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
The Ducks (27-27-7) lost starting netminder John Gibson midway through the second period after he suffered an apparent injury in a collision with Canucks winger Drew O’Connor.
Gibson stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced before leaving and Lukas Dostal made 14 saves in relief.
Anaheim’s Sam Colangelo opened the scoring at the 13:21 mark of the first and Brian Dumoulin brought the Ducks back within a goal 13:27 into the third.
TAKEAWAYS
Canucks: It was a much-needed result for a Vancouver side that’s battling three other teams for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks finished the night tied with the Flames in points but below the playoff bar because Calgary has the edge in wins (29).
Ducks: Coming off a 6-2 victory over the Oilers in Edmonton on Tuesday, the Ducks struggled to keep up with the Canucks across the first period. Vancouver outshot the visitors 17-5, but Anaheim was first on the board when Colangelo tipped a puck in past Lankinen midway through the opening frame.
KEY MOMENT
Soucy scored late in the second period, blasting a puck in from the top of the faceoff circle. The Ducks challenged for goalie interference because Canucks’ winger Kiefer Sherwood was in the crease when the puck sailed in, but officials determined after a lengthy review the goal would stand. Vancouver took a 3-1 lead and got its fourth power play of the night.
KEY STAT
Blueger’s goal at the 10:33 mark of the second period was his sixth of the season and his first since Dec. 21. The 30-year-old Latvian forward went 28 games without scoring.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Continue a four-game homestand Friday against the Minnesota Wild.
Ducks: Host the St. Louis Blues on Friday.
