Vancouver Canucks vs Seattle Kraken Match Player Stats On Jan 01, 2022

Tanner Pearson had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the host Seattle Kraken 5-2 Saturday night.

Vasily Podkolzin, Nils Hoglander, Tyler Motte and Conor Garland also scored for the Canucks, who improved to 8-0-1 since Bruce Boudreau took over as coach for the fired Travis Green. Goaltender Thatcher Demko made 30 saves.

Calle Jarnkrok and Will Borgen scored for expansion Seattle, which is winless in its past five games (0-4-1). Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 of 34 shots.

Turnovers by Borgen, who was inserted into the lineup because defenseman Jeremy Lauzon was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol earlier in the day, led to two Vancouver goals.

Podkolzin opened the scoring at 8:53 of the first period, intercepting a clearing attempt by Borgen near the top of the right faceoff circle and quickly putting a wrist shot past Grubauer.

Hoglander extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 14:49 of the first. Brad Hunt's shot from the top of the right faceoff circle was saved by Grubauer, but Hoglander dug the puck out from some skates at the top of the crease and lifted the rebound over the prone goalie.

Jarnkrok got the Kraken on the board at 9:10 of the second with a shot from along the boards near the top of the left faceoff circle that made it past a screened Demko.

Motte gave the Canucks a 3-1 lead at 4:46 of the third after Juho Lammikko forced Borgen into a turnover behind his own net. Matthew Highmore collected the puck and fed Motte at the top of the crease, and he slid the puck just inside the right post.

Borgen got one back with his first career goal at 10:43 with a slap shot from the right point. But 46 seconds later, Garland beat a screened Grubauer with a slap shot from just above the left faceoff circle to restore Vancouver's two-goal edge.

Pearson got an assist on Garland's goal and added an empty-netter at 17:43.

--Field Level Media