Boeser’s Canucks teammates couldn't have been happier for him last night
The smile on Brock Boeser’s face after he tapped in his fourth goal of the Vancouver Canucks season opener last night was visible from Rogers Arena’s top row.
LET HIM COOK. pic.twitter.com/PQEvwFc904
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 12, 2023
The American-born winger could do no wrong on Wednesday night as he became the first Canuck to score four goals in a game since Daniel Sedin in 2004.
On a night when everything was going Boeser’s way, his Canucks teammates were perhaps even happier than the winger himself to see his good fortune.
“[I’m] really happy and proud for Brock… the work he put in the last five months in the summer… he really was ready to go,” said new Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.
The past few seasons have not been easy for Boeser, who has been very open about the struggle of losing his father, often had his name in the rumour mill, and has been forced to deal with injury issues.
The newly crowned captain Hughes wasn’t the only Canuck to praise Boeser following the team’s 8-1 victory. When asked what he feels for the 26-year-old after the big game, assistant captain JT Miller went straight to the point.
“Awesome,” Miller said when asked about his linemate. “He takes so much heat and he’s working on his game so much. He’s really matured and become such a well-rounded player, in my opinion.
“Me and him have been playing together pretty much my whole four years here on a line for a lot of those games. To see him get rewarded, and if you look at even all the other goals we scored, he’s right in the goalie’s face.”
POWER PLAY PETEY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/5HHDLQX9p9
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 12, 2023
Miller spoke about the difficulty Boeser has had on the power play in recent years as he moved from the half-wall to a net-front role.
“He’s going to the net and getting rewarded… I’m just really happy for him.”
When asked where the biggest strides were made in his preparation this summer, Boeser emphasized the off-ice component, and head coach Rick Tocchet agreed that Boeser looks faster this season.
“Mentally, just finding that motivation again and finding that peace with everything,” he said. “It was a really good summer and I was itching to get back for a few months. I was really looking forward to this game.”
While Boeser made some great plays, he was also on the receiving end of some fortunate bounces. One of these moments was when a cross-ice pass by Elias Pettersson redirected off Boeser’s skate and into the net.
“Definitely my luckiest assist and his luckiest goal,” Pettersson said in reference to the play. “We just laughed it out.”
With four goals already, Boeser is well on his way to chasing his career-high of 29, set during his rookie 2017-18 season.
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