Husso stops 38 shots as surging St. Louis Blues down Vancouver Canucks 3-1

VANCOUVER - Michael DiPietro had one other shot at dwelling out his childhood dream on Sunday.

With three Vancouver Canucks goalies in COVID-19 protocol, the 22-year-old netminder made his second NHL begin, practically three years after the primary.

“I undoubtedly wasn’t as nervous as final time however the nerves have been nonetheless there,” DiPietro mentioned after the undermanned Canucks dropped a 3-1 determination to the St. Louis Blues.

“I simply tried to stretch, maintain my thoughts as calm as doable main as much as the sport, sort of shake away the butterflies as early as I might. It’s a childhood dream any time you get to play hockey for a dwelling, particularly within the NHL.”

In his first NHL recreation on Feb. 11, 2019, DiPietro was torched because the San Jose Sharks routed the Canucks 7-2.

The goalie fared higher Sunday, stopping 14 photographs as he turned the fourth man to take the crease for Vancouver this season.

All-star Thatcher Demko, backup Jaroslav Halak and taxi squad netminder Spencer Martin are all within the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol alongside forwards Bo Horvat, Conor Garland and J.T. Miller. Assistant coaches Scott Walker and Kyle Gustafson have been added to the record on Sunday.

Arturs Silovs of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks additionally examined constructive for the virus, forcing Vancouver to signal College of B.C. goalie Rylan Toth to an newbie tryout settlement so he might act as DiPietro’s backup.

“Issues occur rapidly. Simply if you suppose you understand what’s going to occur, issues change,“ DiPietro mentioned.

Vancouver outshot St. Louis 39-17 on Sunday however struggled to beat Blues goalie Ville Husso, who stopped 38 photographs and has a .963 save share in his final 5 video games.

“When someone performs effectively, it all the time give the teammates constructive feelings, however particularly when a goalie is making these performances, like virtually each night time and we’re very actually completely happy for him,“ mentioned St. Louis right-winger Vladimir Tarasenko. ”He’s a fantastic man and he works so onerous to get success and he’s getting it proper now and it’s enjoyable to see.“

Justin Faulk had a purpose and an help for the Blues, whereas Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou each scored within the second interval and Tarasenko registered a pair of assists.

“Our goalie was actually good tonight and we scored a pair well timed objectives and that was the distinction within the hockey recreation,” mentioned head coach Craig Berube. “Our penalty kill did an excellent job killing issues off, obtained a power-play purpose once more. The particular groups got here by and our goalie got here by.”

Tanner Pearson had the lone purpose for the Canucks (18-19-4).

Vancouver must shoot extra, mentioned head coach Bruce Boudreau.

“Proper now we’re having a tough time scoring,“ he mentioned. ”We've got a few breakaways right here and there, we now have a few nice appears. And the one time we do rating, two guys bounce on the ice.

“I’m actually proud of the way in which they labored and the way in which they cared. Simply I count on to win each time we go on the ice so I’m sad with that outcome.”

Down 3-1 with lower than 90 seconds on the sport clock, Vancouver pulled DiPietro in favour of an additional attacker.

Tarasenko practically potted an empty-net strike, however was swarmed by a trio of Canucks intent on not giving up one other purpose.

Kyrou cushioned St. Louis’ lead 16:43 into the second interval, sending a rocket of a shot by site visitors. The puck appeared to ping off the shaft of DiPietro’s stick and in.

Faulk and Tarasenko each assisted on the play. Tarasenko has factors in his final 9 video games, with six objectives and 9 assists throughout the stretch.

He additionally figured within the power-play purpose that put the Blues up 2-1 early within the second interval after the Canucks have been known as for too many males.

Tarasenko sliced a cross to Schenn, who was stationed on the again door. Schenn poked it in for his ninth purpose of the yr.

St. Louis was 1 for 3 on the ability play Sunday whereas Vancouver went scoreless on 4 alternatives with the person benefit.

Faulk drew St. Louis even forward of the primary intermission. Oskar Sundqvist blasted a cross to Faulk on the entrance of the web and the defenceman deflected it from between his legs, sending the puck careening into the crossbar and in on the 18:33 mark.

Two Blues had simply stepped out of the field when the Canucks put away the primary purpose of the sport 16:30 into the primary interval.

Vancouver’s Matthew Highmore obtained tousled with each Ivan Barbashev and Torey Krug in St. Louis territory. Barbashev was known as for roughing and Krug for eradicating Highmore’s helmet.

Vancouver managed 5 photographs on the following five-on-three energy play, however Husso turned all of them away. Because the penalties expired, Pearson picked up Alex Chiasson’s rebound in conjunction with the web and rifled it over the goalie.

Elias Pettersson registered an help on the play, marking the one hundredth of his NHL profession.

Sunday marked a significant milestone for Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached his 1,000th NHL recreation.

Employed by Vancouver on Dec. 5, the 67-year-old former NHL centre has labored behind the bench for the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Geese and Minnesota Wild. In 2008, he gained the Jack Adams Award because the league’s high coach after guiding the floundering Caps by a bounceback marketing campaign.

Boudreau’s spouse Crystal and two of their kids have been within the crowd Sunday because the milestone was marked with a video tribute earlier than puck drop. A number of of the coach’s former gamers — together with Marcus Foligno, Alex Ovechkin and Kevin Bieksa — and colleagues like Stan Bowman delivered congratulatory messages.

Boudreau admitted to getting a bit emotional on the bench.

“You by no means know the way you allow (gamers) if you get fired,“ the coach mentioned. ”You don’t know if it’s the gamers don’t need to play for you, what have you ever. However if you see these gamers saying these issues, it will get to you somewhat bit.”

The Blues are set to face the Flames in Calgary on Monday. The Canucks wrap a three-game homestand once they host the Oilers on Tuesday.

NOTES: Pavel Buchnevich didn’t make the journey to Vancouver together with his Blues teammates. The left-winger was returned from COVID protocol to play in St. Louis’ 5-0 win over the Kraken in Seattle on Friday, however couldn't cross the border into Canada as a result of he had examined constructive for the virus within the final 10 days. … Sunday marked the primary time the 2 groups have performed since Jan. 27, 2020 when the Canucks beat the Blues 3-1 in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 23, 2022.