Devils 4, Canucks 1
New Jersey goalie Jake Allen won his 500th career start in the NHL in a game that didn’t see him tested a whole lot. Aside from Linus Karlsson’s first tally of the season, a power play goal to open the scoring at 5:27 of the 1st period, the Canucks’ best other chance came with Jake DeBrusk cutting to the net alone in the second period, only to get stoned on his backhand deke.
This, while the Devils were going 3-for-4 on their power play and opening up a 3-1 lead 24-and-a-half minutes into the game. When New Jersey captain Nico Hischier added his second PP goal of the afternoon at 19:50 of the 2nd period, the match was pretty much over and the final score was reached.
Leevi Meriläinen faced 34 New Jersey shots and stopped 31 of them. Kevin Lankinen played five-and-a-half minutes at the end of the 1st period and gave up a goal on three shots. He came in for that stretch after Meriläinen had a skate blade issue.
Lankinen is the likely starter Sunday when the Canucks visit Madison Square Garden to take on the 4-and-2 Rangers. The Blueshirts are a perfect 3-and-0 at home.
Vancouver fell to 2-and-4 on the early season and have been outscored 11-3 over the first two games of their six game road trip. After MSG, they’ll take on the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning before heading home.
Earlier Canucks:
— Canucks Amateurish PR Horseshit Continues
