National Hockey League
Vancouver 4, Chicago 1
When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, October 21, 2021
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Referees: Gord Dwyer, Brian Pochmara
Linesmen: Ryan Galloway, Brandon Gawryletz
Attendance: 20490

Brock Boeser scored his first goal of the season as the visiting Vancouver Canucks defeated the winless Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 Thursday night.

Jason Dickinson, Tanner Pearson and Conor Garland also scored for the Canucks, who improved to 2-2-1 on their season-opening six-game trip that concludes Saturday in Seattle. Goaltender Thatcher Demko made 29 saves.

Alex DeBrincat scored a power-play goal for the Blackhawks, who dropped to 0-4-1. Goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 of 24 shots.

Boeser, who only returned to the lineup this week after missing the first three games due to an undisclosed injury, scored on the power play at 18:21 of the second period to give the Canucks a 3-1 lead. Elias Pettersson took a pass from J.T. Miller and slipped a nifty cross-ice pass to Boeser at the left post. Lankinen was able to stop Boeser's initial shot, but not the rebound.

Boeser almost scored on a power play midway through the third period, but his redirection of a shot from the point rang off the right post.

Dickinson opened the scoring at 6:36 of the opening period. Teammate Matthew Highmore dug out the puck from behind the net and found Dickinson open in the left faceoff circle, and Dickinson put a one-timer past Lankinen. Nils Hoglander also got an assist.

DeBrincat tied it at 8:26 of the first period, taking a cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane and roofing a wrist shot from near the left faceoff dot. Seth Jones also assisted.

It remained 1-1 until midway through the second period. Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes got the puck at the point and skated to the center of the ice before taking a shot from just inside the blue line that Pearson, set up in front of the net, tipped in at 9:55. It gave Hughes the 100th point of his career, with Garland also getting a helper.

The Blackhawks got a power play late in the third period and pulled their goalie but were unable to score. Garland got a breakaway when coming out of the penalty box and scored into an empty net with 1:02 remaining.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Vancouver   Chicago
Conor Garland 2 Points Alex DeBrincat 1
Conor Garland 1 Goals Alex DeBrincat 1
Conor Garland 1 Assists Seth Jones 1
Brock Boeser 1 Power Play Goals Alex DeBrincat 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Thatcher Demko .967 Save Percentage Kevin Lankinen .875
Thatcher Demko 29 Saves Kevin Lankinen 21
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Vancouver 25 4 1-4 3-4 13 32
Chicago 30 1 1-4 3-4 13 26
Upcoming Games
  • Chicago will play their next game at home against Detroit. The Blackhawks have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Vancouver will play their next game on the road against Seattle. The Canucks have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .500 after a loss.