VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — It wasn’t Tyler Myers’ greatest shot. However, it was good enough to get the job done and get the Vancouver Canucks another win.
The big defenseman scored on a floating shot from just inside the blue line with 1:29 left in the third period and the Canucks beat the New York Rangers 2-1 Saturday night for their seventh straight win.
“You just have to get it there,” Myers said. “Fortunately, it went in. It was a big two points for us. It keeps this momentum going.”
Canucks captain Bo Horvat earned his second assist of the night when he set up Myers’ winning shot. With several Vancouver players running interference, Ranger goalie Alexandar Georgiev didn’t see the puck until it was behind him.
"We had so much motion, it created a little bit of chaos,” Myers said. “You could tell the goalie had trouble seeing it.”
Myers has three goals and an assist in his last three games after getting just one goal and five assists in the previous 25.
Georgiev lay face down on the ice for several seconds after the goal.
“We have to work from the positives and build on that good game and not feel sorry that it didn’t go our way,” he said. “If we keep playing like that, we will have success.”
Antoine Roussel scored early in the first period for Vancouver, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 35 shots. The Canucks have their longest win streak since also winning seven straight Dec. 1-14, 2013.
Pavel Buchnevich had a goal for the Rangers and Georgiev finished with 25 saves. New York has lost three straight dropped to 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.
“We did almost everything right, expect score and it’s really disappointing,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. “It really was a kick in the gut to have that one shot go in, to play as well as we did in third and give up that (one) late. ... We’ve got to fight through some adversity here.”
A scoreless second period left the teams tied 1-1 after 40 minutes. The Rangers buzzed around the Vancouver net in the third period, forcing Markstrom to make big saves off shots from Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast. He earned a huge cheer from the Rogers Arena crowd for a diving glove save to rob Jacob Trouba with under four minutes remaining.
“These games, goalies that come out don’t really do it that often,” Markstrom said. “Games aren’t perfect. Sometimes you’ve just to be athletic. ... It’s about stopping the puck. It’s not textbook and how I really wanted it. I stopped the puck and that’s the main part.”
Myers praised Markstrom, who has been in net for six of the seven Canucks wins during their current streak.
“He’s playing great,” Myers said. “I feel like he’s been playing great the whole year. He made a couple big saves for us in the third to keep us tied.”
The teams exchanged goals during a first period in which the Rangers outshot the Canucks 15-7.
Roussel got Vancouver on the scoreboard 1:46 into the game. Loui Eriksson deflected a shot that Georgiev stopped, but the rebound went to Roussel, who scored his fifth.
An aggressive play by Chris Kreider set up New York’s tying goal at 7:59. Kreider stole the puck from Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev at the side of the goal, then passed across the crease to Buchnevich, who had an open net.
The Canucks had three power plays in the second and a 14-8 edge in shots.
Markstrom made one of the period’s best plays. The Rangers were playing short-handed, but Mika Zibanejad managed to gain control of the puck behind the Canucks net and attempted a pass to Fast who was open in the slot. Markstrom spotted Fast and used his stick to deflect the pass.
NOTES: To celebrate 90s night the Canucks wore their black and gold uniforms with the flying skate logo. ... Markstrom was selected Friday to play in his first NHL All-Star Game. … Micheal Ferland and Brandon Sutter, both out with upper-body injuries, skated on their own Saturday and could join the Canucks on their upcoming five-game road trip. ... Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist missed the morning skate with illness but dressed as the backup.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host Colorado on Tuesday night.
Canucks: At Tampa Bay on Tuesday night to open the five-game trip.
