National Hockey League
New Jersey 3, Vancouver 2
When: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, March 15, 2019
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
Referees: Marc Joannette, Frederic L'Ecuyer
Linesmen: Ryan Galloway, Bevan Mills
Attendance: 17552

Damon Severson's shootout goal gave the visiting New Jersey Devils a 3-2 comeback victory over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Friday night.

Severson, New Jersey's seventh shooter in the shootout, was falling down as he beat Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom with a wrist shot from the doorstep. He decided the contest after Vancouver's Elias Pettersson and Drew Stafford had exchanged shootout goals.

The Devils posted their second straight win following seven consecutive losses. The Canucks took their 14th loss in 19 games.

Kevin Rooney and Stefan Noesen scored in regulation time for the Devils, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit.

Pettersson and Tanner Pearson scored for the Canucks in regulation time.

New Jersey goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood earned a win in his first career shootout appearance. Markstrom blocked 31 of 33 shots, while Blackwood stopped 25 of 27.

Pettersson opened the scoring on a power play 3:18 into the second period as he fired in a pass from Brock Boeser during a rush. The goal was the first in 12 games for the 20-year-old rookie sensation, who leads the Canucks in scoring despite his drought.

"I've been passing way too much, and thank God I shot (the puck) this time," Pettersson told Sportsnet.

Pearson doubled Vancouver's lead at 1:42 of the third period on a shot that Blackwood misplayed. The shot was going well wide of the net, but Blackwood tried to steer the puck into the corner and it went in off the inside of his stick.

Less than three minutes later, Markstrom stopped Blake Coleman on a short-handed breakaway. But Rooney cut New Jersey's deficit at 5:41 as he put in Connor Carrick's rebound. Noesen created a 2-2 deadlock at 13:34, converting Eric Tangradi's rebound to force overtime.

The Canucks lost defenseman Chris Tanev in the first period after he took a Kyle Palmieri shot off the ankle. Tanev went to the dressing room, returned to take a spin on the ice and left again. He was playing only his second game after missing a month with a leg injury. Fellow rearguard Ashton Sautner also left the game briefly but returned.

Loui Eriksson, Vancouver's highest paid player with a $6 million annual salary cap hit, returned to the lineup after sitting out Wednesday's win over the New York Rangers as a healthy scratch.

Despite getting the win, the Devils were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs earlier Friday after Columbus beat Carolina 3-0.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
New Jersey   Vancouver
Stefan Noesen 1 Points Bo Horvat 2
Stefan Noesen 1 Goals Tanner Pearson 1
Kenny Agostino 1 Assists Bo Horvat 2
N/A Power Play Goals Elias Pettersson 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Mackenzie Blackwood .926 Save Percentage Jacob Markstrom .939
Mackenzie Blackwood 25 Saves Jacob Markstrom 31
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
New Jersey 33 3 0-1 4-5 10 36
Vancouver 27 2 1-5 1-1 2 32
Upcoming Games
  • Vancouver will play their next game on the road against Dallas. The Canucks have a W/L % of .310 after a win and .476 after a loss.
  • New Jersey will play their next game on the road against Colorado. The Devils have a W/L % of .370 after a win and .378 after a loss.