March 19, 2023 at 2:38 a.m.
In the second turn of the third period Saturday night, the Los Angeles Kings made seven shots into the Vancouver Canucks’ net in 34 seconds.
Four shots, including three point-blank rebounding opportunities, came in quick succession starting at 1:40 into the final frame, but the Kings went scoreless and extended their lead.
This unconscious pressure was significant for two reasons. It was a frantic snapshot of Canuck goalie Thatcher Temko’s best night when her 38 saves included a second-period penalty save against Adrian Kempe. It also set the flow of the game, as the Kings made more shots in those 34 ticks (seven) than the Canucks did in the first 48 minutes of the game (six).
But one player, Temko, was stronger than the Kings’ force of nature, and Andrei Kuzmenko and JD Miller stared at their goaltender Gabriel as the Kings won Saturday’s National Hockey League game 3-2 in a shooting. Vilardi and Trevor Moore.
For five decades, the hockey gods have not allowed the Canucks to win. Now, to assert their revenge, or show their sense of humor, they won’t let Vancouver lose.
Their sixth win in seven garbage-time games tied the St. Louis Blues at 24.he Overall standings and 9th best lottery draw odds. This is the highest point for Vancouver since Bruce Boudreau was replaced as coach on January 22 by Rick Tochette.
Elias Pettersson tied the game 2-2 at 11:33 of the third period when he fired a shot past Los Angeles goaltender Joonas Korpisalo seven seconds after Vancouver’s only power play.
Boeser, who received a key tripping penalty against Mikey Anderson, also scored on a first-period bagel that knocked down Kings defenseman Alex Edler’s stick and blocked Corbisalo from distance.
Despite being outshot 40-17, the Canucks managed just two shots at the halfway point of 35 minutes of regulation to win. They were defeated by Demudika.
tea time
Saturday was Demko’s eighth start in nine games since returning from a groin injury that sidelined him for nearly three months. He is 6-2 with a .927 save percentage. In the Canucks’ wildest dreams, when he was one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, they couldn’t have imagined that his franchise goaltender would return to the form that rivaled the two weeks it produced last season.
After starting the season 3-10-2 with an .883 save percentage, they wanted him to stay healthy and get back in shape. Instead, it was Temko in the instant bubble, coming in cold but producing the same impressive form he did in the pandemic playoffs three years ago.
His saves during that third quarter, when the Kings led 2-1, were even better after Peterson scored. But his biggest saves came just before the equalizing goal, when he stopped Philippe Danault on an open chance from the slot, then stacked his pads as Kirk McLean a minute later to deny Anse Kopiter in a two-on-one.
As the Canucks close out their three-game, four-night road trip against the Anaheim Ducks, drafters and tankers clamoring for Colin Delia’s endorsement of Demko will get their wish on Sunday.
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more time
It was a low bar, but the Canucks’ best five minutes were 3-on-3, as they rarely allowed the Kings to score during seven overtime changes and created scoring chances for Peterson, JD Miller and Grade-A. Anthony Beauvillier.
Tochette used 10 different skaters during overtime and, interestingly enough, started Bill DiGiuseppe along with Miller and Quinn Hughes. Miller and Hughes assisted on both Vancouver goals.
bear facts
After getting injured in a deadline trade from the Detroit Red Wings, the world no. 2 Defensive lineman Ethan Bear returned to the lineup for the first time in February after suffering a sprained mouth. 25 game against the Boston Bruins. After suffering significant tooth damage and a minor fracture to her upper lip, his bear was wearing a full face shield.
While blocking four shots (none to the face) and logging 23:46 of ice time, he didn’t have the luxury of coming back. The Kings were 14-3 on 5-on-5 shooting when Bear was on the ice, but he got more comfortable late in the game and got two extra picks from Tochette. Pierre replaced Tyler Myers in the lineup after the Canucks reported that Myers was ill.
Winger Jake Studnicka also returns after missing six straight games as a healthy scratch. Studnicka logged 8:41 of ice time when Vitaly Kravtsov was cut by Tochette for the first time since his Feb. 25 trade from the New York Rangers.
dochet speaks
Demko was amazing tonight. He kept us in the game. We had no response in the first two periods. We played better in the third. Ropey-dope and you win the game.”
“Let’s wait for next year. These are important games for us. We are trying to build things here. We have guys trying to make NHL rosters. We have a lot to play for.
