Zeev Buium made an immediate impact in his first game with Vancouver, scoring a goal and adding an assist as the Canucks edged the New Jersey Devils 2–1 on Sunday. Goaltender Thatcher Demko backed the effort with 25 saves, turning aside all but one shot.
The matchup initially carried plenty of intrigue with the possibility of Quinn Hughes facing brothers Jack and Luke Hughes, but those storylines changed quickly. Quinn was dealt to Minnesota in a blockbuster trade late Friday, while Jack Hughes remains sidelined after finger surgery.
Buium was part of the return from the Wild, along with Marco Rossi, who suited up after missing a month with an injury. Liam Öhgren, another piece of the trade, also made his Vancouver debut.
The Canucks wasted little time opening the scoring, as Jake DeBrusk struck just over a minute into the game. It continued a rough early stretch for Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, who surrendered two goals on eight first-period shots. Markstrom settled in afterward, stopping everything the rest of the way and finishing with 13 saves, as Vancouver managed only one shot on goal in the third period.
Luke Hughes accounted for New Jersey’s lone goal, but the Devils couldn’t find an equalizer while playing their third game in four nights. Since Jack Hughes went down with his injury, New Jersey has dropped 10 of its last 16 games.
Up Next
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Canucks: Continue a five-game Eastern Conference road trip Tuesday night at the New York Rangers.
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Devils: Begin a two-game Western swing Wednesday night at the Vegas Golden Knights.
