Vancouver Canucks

GAME NOTES | CANUCKS VS WILD - MAR. 2/23

March 2, 2023



CANUCKS VS WILD

TV: Sportsnet Pacific, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Wisconsin

Radio: Sportsnet 650

MATCH-UP INFO

  • Tonight marks the last of three meetings between the Canucks and Wild this season: Oct. 20 (4-3 OTL @ MIN), Dec. 10 (3-0 L @ VAN), Mar. 2 (home).
  • Vancouver is 47-36-5-11 all-time against Minnesota, including a 25-13-3-7 record on home ice.
  • The Canucks are 1-6-3 in their last 10 games against the Wild.
  • Tyler Myers leads all active Canucks skaters in career games played (30) against the Wild.
  • J.T. Miller leads all active Canucks skaters in career points against Minnesota with 14 (7-7-14).
  • Elias Pettersson has eight points (5-3-8) in 10 career games against Minnesota.
  • Quinn Hughes has seven points (0-7-7) in eight career games against Minnesota.
  • Nils Åman has two points (1-1-2) in two career games against Minnesota.
  • Thatcher Demko is 0-2-2 with a 3.72 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage in four career games against the Wild.
  • Collin Delia is 2-0-0 with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage in three career games against Minnesota.

QUICK NUMBERS

  • Elias Pettersson has 24 points (10-14-24) in his last 16 games, including 18 points (7-11-18) in 11 games in the month of February.
  • J.T. Miller has 12 points (2-10-12) in his last 11 games.
  • Quinn Hughes has 12 points (1-11-12) in his last 10 games.
  • Brock Boeser has 10 points (2-8-10) in his last 12 games.
  • Conor Garland has nine points (3-6-9) in his last 11 games.
  • Anthony Beauvillier has 10 points (6-4-10) in his last nine games.
  • Andrei Kuzmenko has 10 points (6-4-10) in his last seven games.

LAST MEETING - DEC. 10/22: VAN 0 vs MIN 3

Quinn Hughes led all Canucks skaters in time on ice (25:02)...J.T. Miller recorded a team-high in shots on goal (5)...Luke Schenn led all skaters in hits (6) and blocked shots (7)...Spencer Martin made 30 saves.

LAST GAME PLAYED - FEB. 27/23: VAN 5 at DAL 4 (OT)

Anthony Beauvillier opened the scoring 3:27 into the first period...Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko recorded the assists...Sheldon Dries gave Vancouver their second lead of the game at the 9:00 mark...Conor Garland and Christian Wolanin picked up the assists...Vasily Podkolzin scored his second of the season to double the Canucks lead...Aatu Räty and Quinn Hughes were credited with the assists...Beauvillier re-established the two-goal lead just past the halfway point of the game...Hughes and Kuzmenko were awarded assists...Kuzmenko scored the game-winner 48 seconds into overtime...Beauvillier (2-1-3) and Hughes (0-3-3) each registered their third point of the game with the assists...Hughes led the team with six shots on goal...Dakota Joshua led the team with five hits...Thatcher Demko made 34 saves in his return to the Canucks lineup.

LAST 5 vs MINNESOTA

  • Dec. 10/22: VAN 0 vs MIN 3
  • Oct. 20/22: VAN 3 at MIN 4 (OT)
  • Apr. 21/22: VAN 3 at MIN 6
  • Mar. 24/:22 VAN 2 at MIN 3 (OT)
  • Oct. 26/21: VAN 2 vs MIN 3

NEW YEAR, SAME QUINN

Entering play on Wednesday night, Quinn Hughes has recorded 27 points (4-23-27) so far in in 2023. His 27 points tie him with New Jersey's Dougie Hamilton for first among all NHL defenceman since the turn of the calendar.

"MR. CLUTCH"

Scoring the game-tying goal at 19:31 of the third period on Feb. 23 at STL, (just two days after he tied the game at 19:44 of the third period on Feb. 21 at NSH), Andrei Kuzmenko became the first player in Canucks history and fourth player in NHL history to score the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation in consecutive games. In doing so, he joined Sawn McEachern (Dec. 28-30, 1998 w/ OTT), Mikko Makela (Feb. 28 - Mar. 3, 1987 w/ NYI) and Phil Esposito (Jan. 7-9, 1977 w/ NYR) to accomplish the feat.

NO QUIT CANUCKS

Despite beginning the third period on Feb. 23 at STL with a 2-0 deficit, the Canucks notched two third period goals and the overtime winner to earn their seventh multi-goal comeback win this season, trailing only Chicago (8) for the most such instances in the NHL this season. The number is also the second-most in a single season Canucks franchise history behind only 2009.10 (8).

  • The Canucks also earned their ninth third period comeback win of the 2022.23 campaign on Feb. 23 at STL, ranking second only to the Vegas Golden Knights (9) in that category.

PETEY KEEPS PUTTING UP THE POINTS

Elias Pettersson played in his 300th career NHL game on Feb. 21 at NSH, concluding the contest with 293 career points (124-169- 293). As a result, Pettersson ranks second in franchise history for the most points in a player's first 300 NHL games (trailing Pavel Bure with 348) and is ranked sixth among Swedish-born NHL players all-time (behind Mats Sundin [306], Nicklas Backstrom [308], Mats Naslund [313], Peter Forsberg [382], and Kent Nilsson [401]).

  • Registering three assists on Feb. 18 vs PHI, Elias Pettersson surpassed Petri Skriko for sole possession of sixth-most assists (169) by a Canuck in their first five career NHL seasons, trailing Trevor Linden (179), Quinn Hughes (195), Stan Smyl (203), Patrik Sundstrom (209), and Thomas Gradin (227).
  • Notching two goals and three assists on Feb. 18 vs PHI, Pettersson recorded his 23rd career three-plus point game, ranking him tied-fourth in franchise history for most three-plus point games among Canucks centreman (Cliff Ronning [23], Patrik Sundstrom [30], Thomas Gradin [38], and Henrik Sedin [62]).
  • His two goals on Feb. 18 marked his 21st career multi-goal performance to tie Tony Tanti for fourth most multi-goal games in a player's first five NHL seasons in Canucks history. Other Canucks to have registered at least 21 multi-goal games in their first five NHL seasons include Thomas Gradin (23), Petri Skriko (27), and Pavel Bure (40).

ONE IS NOT ENOUGH

Collecting two assists on Feb. 21 at NSH, Quinn Hughes registered his 12th multi-assist game this season, becoming only the third defenceman in franchise history to record as many games (including Paul Reinhart with 12 GP in 1988.89 and Dennis Kearns with 14 GP in 1976.77).

  • Quinn Hughes' two assists was his 40th career multi-assist game to rank him third in franchise history for such occurrences among defencemen, trailing only Alexander Edler (42) and Dennis Kearns (53).
  • Feb. 21 at NSH was also Hughes' 15th multi-point game in 2022.23, matching his career high for the most multi-point games in a single season set in 2021.22. He is only one multi-point game away from tying Doug Lidster (1986.87) and Paul Reinhart (1988-89) for the most multi-point games by a defenceman in Canucks history.

JOINING THE RANKS

Scoring two goals on Feb. 21 at NSH, Andrei Kuzmenko registered his 25th career NHL goal and became the fourth fastest player in Canucks history to hit this milestone (56 GP), only trailing Pavel Bure (55 GP), Elias Pettersson (44 GP), and Brock Boeser (44 GP).

  • Recording one goal and one assist on Feb. 15 vs NYR, Andrei Kuzmenko collected 47 points (23-24-47) in his first 54 career NHL games, ranking him tied for third for most points through as many games to start a career in franchise history. Kuzmenko is tied with Ivan Hlinka (47) and trails fellow teammates Brock Boeser (48) and Elias Pettersson (56).

FAST FIFTY

Registering two assists on Feb. 21 at NSH, Quinn Hughes became the fifth U.S.-born defenceman to record at least 50 multi-point games before the age of 24 and only the third active defenceman to hit this milestone, tying Rasmus Dahlin (50) and trailing Erik Karlsson (58). Hughes is also only one of six Canucks blueliners to reach at least 50 multi-point games in their career joining Doug Lidster (52), Mattias Ohlund (54), Dennis Kearns (59), Jyrki Lumme (67), and Alexander Edler (68).

  • Collecting a power play assist on Feb. 11 at DET, Quinn Hughes reached the 50-point plateau (5-45-50) in just his 49th game of the 2022.23 season, becoming the fastest defenceman in franchise history to reach 50 points. The previous record belonged to Paul Reinhart, who put up 50 points in his first 52 games played in 1988.89.
  • Hughes now also has the most 50+ point seasons by a defenceman in franchise history with three such campaigns, surpassing Dennis Kearns, Jyrki Lumme, and Paul Reinhart (two each).

FANTASTIC FIVE

Thanks to his fifth career five-point game (2-3-5) on Feb. 18 vs PHI, Elias Pettersson became the fifth-fastest player in franchise history to reach 70 points (27-44-71 in 54 GP) in a season, behind Pavel Bure (46 GP), Henrik Sedin (49), Alexander Mogilny (49), and Bure again (52).

  • Collecting two shorthanded empty-net goals enroute to five points, Elias Pettersson joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in NHL history to have a 5-point game with multiple empty-net goals. Pettersson also broke a tie with Alexander Mogilny for the most five-point games in a single season (3) in franchise history.
  • Pettersson's five-point outing also tied Nicklas Backstrom (WSH) for the third-most five-point games in NHL history by a Swedish-born player, trailing Peter Forsberg and Kent Nilsson (9 each).
  • Among primary centremen in NHL history, Pettersson now ranks tied for seventh-most five-point games before the age of 25, trailing Wayne Gretzky (62), Mario Lemieux (29), Dale Hawerchuk (9), Bryan Trottier (8), Steve Yzerman (7), and Connor McDavid (7).

KNACK FOR THE NET

Extending his goal streak to three games with a third period tally on Feb. 11 at DET, Elias Pettersson reached the 25-goal mark for the fourth time in his young career, becoming just the third player in Canucks history to record as many 25-goal campaigns in his first five career NHL seasons, joining Stan Smyl (4) and Petri Skriko (4).

PUT A BEAU ON IT

Scoring the game-winning goal in a 6-5 victory on Feb. 9 at NYI, former Islander Anthony Beauvillier became the 26th player in franchise history to register a goal in his first game against the team he was acquired from (via trade) and is one of only three players to net the game-winner in that scenario, joining Alexander Mogilny (Mar. 3/96 at BUF) and Jerry Butler (Oct. 26/80 vs TOR).

  • Beauvillier has now registered at least one goal against 31 of 32 NHL teams, only missing a goal against the Los Angeles Kings. The Canucks will face the Kings three more times this season (Mar. 18 at LAK, Apr. 2 at VAN, Apr. 10 at LAK).

MILLSY'S MILESTONE

Recording the lone assist on Vasily Podkolzin's first goal of the year on Feb. 8 at NYR, J.T. Miller registered his 500th career NHL point (187-313-500), becoming the eighth player and second American-born skater from the 2011 NHL Draft class to achieve the milestone. Miller, who was drafted by the Rangers, recorded 172 points (72-100-72) with New York, before collecting 65 (23-42-65) with Tampa Bay and 263 (92-171-263) with Vancouver to reach the 500-point mark.

2022.23 CANUCKS MILESTONES

  • Conor Garland appeared in his 300th career NHL game, Feb. 27 at DAL
  • Sheldon Dries appeared in his 100th career NHL game, Feb. 27 at DAL
  • Elias Pettersson appeared in his 300th career NHL game, Feb. 21 at NSH
  • Arturs Silovs recorded his 1st career NHL win, Feb. 18 vs PHI
  • Conor Garland recorded his 100th career NHL assist, Feb. 13 vs DET
  • Vasily Podkolzin appeared in his 100th career NHL game, Feb. 13 vs DET
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson appeared in his 900th career NHL game, Feb. 11 at DET
  • J.T. Miller registered his 500th career NHL point, Feb. 8 at NYR
  • Ilya Mikheyev recorded his 100th career NHL point, Jan. 27 vs CBJ
  • Quinn Hughes recorded his 200th career NHL point, Jan. 12 at TBL
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson recorded his 300th career NHL assist, Jan. 5 vs COL
  • Luke Schenn appeared in his 900th career NHL game, Jan. 3 vs NYI
  • J.T. Miller recorded his 300th career NHL assist, Dec. 5 vs MTL
  • Luke Schenn claimed the NHL record for most all-time hits by a defenceman (2,947), Dec. 3 vs ARI
  • Ethan Bear appeared in his 200th career NHL game, Nov. 21 vs VGK
  • Elias Pettersson recorded his 100th career NHL goal, Oct. 18 at CBJ

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

  • Filip Hronek and a 2023 fourth-round draft pick acquired from Detroit Red Wings in exchange for conditional 2023 first-round draft pick and 2023 second-round draft pick, Mar. 1
  • Josh Bloom acquired from Buffalo in exchange for Riley Stillman, Feb. 27
  • Thatcher Demko activated from injured reserve, Feb. 27
  • Arturs Silovs assigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 27
  • Noah Juulsen recalled from Abbotsford, Feb. 26
  • Ethan Bear placed on injured reserve, Feb. 26
  • Vitali Kravtsov acquired from New York Rangers for William Lockwood and 2026 seventh-round draft pick, Feb. 25
  • Curtis Lazar placed on injured reserve, Feb. 25
  • Aatu Räty and Guillaume Brisebois recalled from Abbotsford, Feb. 22
  • Phillip Di Giuseppe assigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 22
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson placed on injured reserve, Feb. 21
  • William Lockwood activated from injured reserve and assigned to Abbotsford, Feb. 20
  • Christian Wolanin recalled from Abbotsford, Feb. 18
  • Travis Dermott placed on injured reserve, Feb. 18
  • Tanner Pearson placed on LTIR, Feb. 17