Boeser breaks tie in 3rd to lift Canucks past Maple Leafs

Brock Boeser scored the go-ahead power-play goal at 8:56 of the third period for the Vancouver Canucks in a 2-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Rogers Arena on Saturday.

Thatcher Demko left midway through the first period and did not return after the Vancouver goalie stopped all six shots he faced. He was replaced by Kevin Lankinen, who made 20 saves.

Filip Hronek had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (26-18-11), who improved to 6-1-1 in their past eight games despite missing top defenseman Quinn Hughes the past four because of an undisclosed injury.

Morgan Rielly scored, and Joseph Woll made 23 saves for the Maple Leafs (33-20-2), who had won three in a row and six of nine.

Hronek gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead at 7:00 of the first period, pinching down from the right point and one-touching a cross-ice backdoor pass from center Elias Pettersson along the left point boards up over Woll’s glove.

Rielly tied it 1-1 with six seconds left in the second period, beating a screened Lankinen far side along the ice from the right face-off dot four seconds after a Toronto power play expired.

Hronek put the Canucks back ahead 2-1 nearly midway through the third after hustling to keep the puck in at the left point and whipping it across to Filip Chytil. He then passed it back to Boeser cutting through the slot for a low shot past the left pad of a screened Woll.

Lankinen poked the puck away from William Nylander on a breakaway at 7:10 of the third period, and made a sprawling glove save against Auston Matthews on a Toronto power play with 1:57 left.

Morning Skate

Game Highlights

Post-Game