Casey DeSmith Wins First Game Since January, Canucks Defeated Anaheim 2-1 3/3/24

 

Reflexes dialed up 📈 pic.twitter.com/oBsqINqyEc

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 4, 2024

*Sorry for the lack of photos! Hoping to get permission eventually.*

   Casey DeSmith hasn't played since February 19th when he allowed eight goals on 25 shots in Vancouver's 10-7 loss against the Minnesota Wild. This had been his first win since January 9th against the New York Islanders. The Canucks broke their two-game skid, and the Anaheim Ducks broke their two-game win streak following a three-game skid. DeSmith made a total of 17 saves for Vancouver in their 2-1 victory at the Honda Center on Sunday, March 3rd.

Canucks lineup against the Ducks:

 Mikheyev - Miller - Boeser

Hoglander - Pettersson - Suter

Podkolzin - Lindholm - Garland

Di Giuseppe - Blueger - Lafferty

Hughes - Hronek

Zadorov - Juulsen

Cole - Friedman

DeSmith

Demko

Ducks lineup against the Canucks:

Jones - Henrique - Killorn

Vatrano - Strome - Terry

Lundestrom - Carrick - Silfverberg

Johnston - Groulx - Leason

Fowler - Zellweger

Mintyukov - Gudas

Vaakanainen - Lindstrom

Dostal

Stalock

   Beginning the scoring fast into the first period at 18:23, Nils Hoglander recorded his 19th goal of the season for that 1-0 lead for Vancouver. Hoglander received a backhanded centering pass from above the goal line from Quinn Hughes, who had carried the puck through the right face-off circle before the centering pass... Hoglander scored from the slot, glove side. Alex Killorn tied it 1-1 at 15:45 after the puck had slid back to him and he knocked it into the net at the bottom of the right circle. Originally, Killorn left a drop pass for Max Jones, who attempted a wrist shot but Pius Suter battered the puck off his stick. The Canucks outshot Anaheim 15-3 in the first frame.

   Conor Garland put Vancouver ahead 2-1 at 16:26 of the second period with his 12th of the season. He redirected off a feed from Nikita Zadorov just 11 seconds after a penalty had expired. Prior to the goal, the Ducks were killing back-to-back penalties that had ranged over the first and second. Garland's goal was the only one scored in the middle frame and the score remained through the third for a 2-1 final.

Casey DeSmith on his first win since January, overall, the victory for the team: "I don't know if I've ever been so happy to win a game. Obviously, personally, it feels really good to kind of get off the skid but also for the team, it's a huge win for the team to start off this road trip on the right foot. After a couple tough losses, it just feels really good in here right now. Every team in this league is good, so that's a good one for us."

Notes:

- The Canucks won six in a row against the Anaheim Ducks.

- J.T. Miller's assist on Conor Garland's goal extended his point streak to seven games (six goals, seven assists)

- Vasily Podkolzin was recalled from the AHL on Saturday... He played 12:39 in his season debut.

- Mark Friedman took the place of Tyler Myers, who has a lower-body injury, after being a healthy scratch the previous eight games. Friedman had one hit and one shot in 12:54.

- Lukas Dostal made a total of 29 saves for Anaheim... John Gibson had been unable to play due to illness so, Alex Stalock was recalled from the AHL as a backup for Dostal.

- Cam Fowler made his return after sustaining a facial laceration against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday... missing the 4-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils.

- Mason McTavish was unable to play due to the lower-body injury he sustained in the first period against the New Jersey Devils... Leo Carlsson had missed his second game straight after he had sustained a lower-body injury against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

“We kind of grinded it out all the way to the end. Good third period by us.”

Conor Garland with @CanucksReporter following the win over the Anaheim Ducks! pic.twitter.com/xSawVaE81v

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 4, 2024

Postgame: Conor Garland

Postgame: Rick Tocchet