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Canucks beat Kings but lose Boeser after vicious headshot

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
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Nov 8 2024, 6:05 am
Canucks beat Kings but lose Boeser after vicious headshot
Sportsnet

Brock Boeser has torched the Los Angeles Kings throughout his NHL career.

However, he didn’t get the opportunity to continue his hot streak against the Kings in this one.

Entering this contest, the Vancouver Canucks winger had 17 goals in 20 games against Los Angeles. Unfortunately, in the first period of this contest, Boeser was smoked directly in the head by the shoulder of Kings forward Tanner Jeannot.

Jeannot was assessed a match penalty on the play. The call was undoubtedly right, as Jeannot had time to let up after Boeser had passed the puck.

“For the refs to call five minutes… it’s a dangerous hit, let’s leave it at that,” Quinn Hughes told reporters postgame.

The Canucks were able to avenge Boeser’s loss on the scoreboard by beating the Kings 4-2.

However, losing their star winger is clearly the biggest concern after tonight.

Boeser led the Canucks in both goals (6) and power-play points (4) entering this contest. And, as Canucks fans know, the star winger has battled a barrage of struggles over the past few seasons.

From the passing of his father to being in trade rumours to missing Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Edmonton Oilers, sometimes it seems like Boeser can’t catch a break. Hopefully, this time will be different by avoiding a serious injury despite being the victim of a scary-looking hit.

Hughes, DeBrusk stay hot for Canucks

There’s a case to be made that Hughes is the best player in the NHL right now.

His performance tonight did nothing to extinguish that notion.

Hughes led the way for the Canucks once again on the scoresheet and on the ice. He was the only Canucks player with multiple points tonight (one goal, one assist). His goal also stood as the game-winner.

Through two periods, the Canucks had outshot the Kings 17-0 with Hughes on the ice. Hughes even got into it physically, as he was involved in a tussle with Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke.

His sublime playmaking was also on display, and it helped keep DeBrusk’s goal streak alive.

After going goalless in his first nine games, DeBrusk now has goals in three straight contests.

So far this season, he’s living up to his reputation of being a streaky scorer.

“He’s getting more comfortable and the confidence is coming at a good time for him,” J.T. Miller told reporters. “He’s getting rewarded for going to the net.”

“He’s got really good patience too, as you could see today, that goal was outstanding.”

Conor Garland has also been one of the hottest Canucks since the start of the season. He scored the Canucksā€™ first goal of the game on one of the weirder goals you’ll ever see.

That goal was scored following the match penalty assessed to Jeannot. Karmic retribution, perhaps?

Lankinen ties Canucks record

With the victory in this one, Canucks netminder Kevin Lankinen (7-0-2) has now picked up points in each of his first nine games. That ties Kirk McLean’s franchise record (8-0-1), which he set back in 1991-92.

Lankinen will get a chance to set a new franchise record in his next start. One would think that opportunity will arise in Vancouverā€™s next game on Saturday night, unless Rick Tocchet gives Arturs Silovs the chance to rediscover some of his playoff magic against the Edmonton Oilers.

It would be hard to sit Lankinen against the defending Western Conference champions. He currently sits second in the league with a 2.09 goals-against average, and fifth overall with a .923 save percentage.

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