NHL Final: Vancouver Canucks 5, Winnipeg Jets 1

NHL Final: Vancouver Canucks 5, Winnipeg Jets 1

Notes Heading In:

Goalie Spencer Martin gets his second consecutive start and third in four games for the Vancouver Canucks with Jaroslav Halak, just back from Covid protocols, dressed as his back-up.

Forward Conor Garland returns as well.

Goal Scorers

1st Period 1-0 Vancouver – JT Miller (13) – Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson (13:23) Power Play

1st Period 1-1 Winnipeg – Andrew Copp (12) – Blake Wheeler, Pierre-Luc Dubois (15:32) Even Strength

2nd Period 2-1 Vancouver – JT Miller (14) – Brock Boeser, Luke Schenn (5:25) Even Strength

2nd Period 3-1 Vancouver – JT Miller (15) – Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Luke Schenn (12:55) Even Strength

3rd Period 4-1 Vancouver – Brock Boeser (11) – Quinn Hughes (1:08) Power Play

3rd Period 5-1 Vancouver – Elias Pettersson (11) – Tyler Myers, Brad Hunt (14:00) Even Strength

JT Lamplighter

You may have noticed the proficient level of goal scoring in this game from JT Miller, just his second game back after missing two home games because of Covid Protocols. Allegedly the subject of trade rumours lately, the Canucks most versatile forward turns 29-years-of-age March 14th. We’ll save the keep/trade arguments for later because right now the chatter is premature to very premature.

“I have a job to do here … I had a couple timely goals today,” Miller said postgame. “That’s all I’m worried about,”

Mr. Martin

The Covid mess has worked out well for 26-year-old netminder Martin who improved his record this season with the big Canucks to 1-0-and-2. He lost a shoot-out to the Florida Panthers, lost an overtime decision to the Edmonton Oilers, and now beat the Winnipeg Jets on the road in regulation. He’s stopped 113 of the 118 shots he has faced since being called up.

Thursday night’s 33-save performance earned him his first ever NHL win.

“It’s incredibly special, just even to get an opportunity to play,” Martin told the media postgame, “having it go well and to get a win is, I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet, but hopefully I just keep building off of it and it’s a really special day for me.”

He Also Said It:

“JT drove the bus early on, he got the first three, he could have had two more I thought, when he got his third I thought he could have got five goals,” Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Went in front of the net and got the assist on the fourth one. I was really happy to see Brock, he was really moving his feet and when you move your feet good things happen and the same with Petey.

“We’re going nowhere unless we get our best players playing the best they can and tonight was one of those nights that they did, so hopefully we can keep this up on Saturday.”

The Canucks are the nightcap in Calgary against the Flames for the five-game ‘Hockey Day in Canada’.

Simmer’s Vancouver Canucks 3 Stars:

3) Luke Schenn – Dropped the mitts in sticking up for Quinn Hughes, added two assists, three shots, three hits and a blocked shot in 17:54.

2) Brock Boeser – A goal and two assists, three shots in 15:40.

1) JT Miller – Hat trick and an assist. Five shots on goal and he won 76% of his draws.