The Vancouver Canucks capitalized on a weakened New Jersey Devils lineup to secure a 6-4 win on Saturday night. J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson each scored twice, while Quinn Hughes added three assists, guiding the Canucks to victory.
Canucks’ Strong Performance
Miller and Pettersson’s efforts, combined with Hughes’ playmaking, helped Vancouver to overcome a resilient Devils team. “It feels good to win a road game on a big road trip. I think we all felt pretty good about most of it,” Miller said. “We just sat back a little too much with the lead, and they have a lot of talent over there, so they’re gonna make plays.”
Absences and Challenges for the Devils
Initially anticipated as a showcase for the three Hughes brothers, the game missed that mark as Devils’ All-Star Jack Hughes was sidelined due to an upper-body injury from Friday night’s game. New Jersey was also without key players Timo Meier and Ondrej Palat. This left Luke Hughes to represent the Devils against his brother Quinn Hughes of the Canucks. The Devils were coming off a physically demanding game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Key Moments in the Game
Conor Garland’s goal in the second period proved pivotal, shortly after the Devils had reduced a three-goal deficit to one. Thatcher Demko made 21 saves, marking his 100th career NHL win. The Canucks previously lost to the Devils in a close 6-5 game in Vancouver on Dec. 5.
Devils’ Efforts and Struggles
Colin Miller and Erik Haula scored for the Devils, with Brendan Smith adding another goal. Despite their efforts, the Devils were outshot 42-25. Nico Daws made 36 saves but could not secure a win for New Jersey, which now has a 1-7-1 record in the second games of back-to-back matches.
Game Flow
The Canucks took a commanding lead early in the second period, with Pettersson and J.T. Miller scoring three goals within 4:37. Haula and Garland exchanged goals late in the period, with Pettersson extending the lead early in the third. Colin Miller and Smith brought the Devils closer, forcing Canucks coach Rick Tocchet to call a timeout. However, Dakota Joshua sealed the game with an empty-net goal.
Post-Game Comments
“They had us on our heels. Their energy was incredible to start the game,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “We didn’t win enough battles. Pretty resilient group when you can get down to the third and force them in a timeout.”
Injury Updates
Ruff mentioned that defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler broke his foot early in the second period, adding to the Devils’ injury woes as they were already missing Dougie Hamilton.
Upcoming Games
Canucks: At the N.Y. Rangers on Monday.
Devils: At Tampa Bay on Thursday.
