Tyler Myers, Thatcher Demko help Canucks beat Flames 4-1 to clinch Pacific Division title
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Tyler Myers had a goal an an assist, Thatcher Demko stopped 39 shots in his return from a knee injury and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Tuesday night to clinch the Pacific Division title.
Nils Hoglander, Dakota Joshua and J.T. Miller also scored to help Vancouver win a division for the first time since 2013. The Canucks are two points behind Dallas for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, and both teams have one game remaining.
“It’s a testament to the work that we’ve been able to put in this year. I don’t think anyone’s satisfied though,” Demko said. “So one more game here on the road, and then the games get really fun come next week. So really excited to gear up for that.”
Demko missed 14 games since suffering an injury in Vancouver’s 5-0 win over Winnipeg on March 9.
“He’s one of the best in the league and it’s different having him,” Canucks captain Quinn Hughes said. “Like I’ve said, (Casey DeSmith’s) been great for us and same with (Arturs Silovs), but having Demmer back there, it’s a whole new thing.”
Brayden Pachal scored for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom had 27 saves.
Pachal spoiled Demko’s shutout bid at 8:35 of the third period on the Flames’ 33rd shot of the night, cutting the deficit to 3-1. He sent a puck sailing through traffic and into the top corner of the net. The goal for his second of the season and first with the Flames.
“Yeah, it definitely feels good,” Pachal said of the tally. “Obviously, you wish it sparked a little bit of a come back but we fell a bit short. It still feels nice, but would have felt a lot sweeter with the win.”
Miller fired a shot past Markstrom with just under 5 minutes remaining to seal the Canucks win with his 37th goal of the season. It extended Miller’s point streak to 11 games, with four goals and 10 assists during the stretch.
Cheers of “J-T Mill-er!” rang throughout Rogers Arena after the goal.
Flames coach Ryan Huska liked his team’s effort, despite the result.
“The effort was there for us for the full 60 minutes,” he said. “We made three mistakes on coming back in our own zone off the rush, we lost people, and then one turnover but other than those mistakes, I liked what we did tonight.”
Vancouver got on the board first with a short-handed tally with 8 minutes left in the first period. Teddy Blueger fed Myers with a cross-ice pass and the big defenseman skated into the Flames' zone unmarked, then fired a shot past Markstrom from the high hash marks for his fifth of the season.
Just 1:28 later, Hoglander made it 2-0 with his 24th off a feed from Elias Pettersson. The star center appeared poised to fire a shoton net, but made a quick pass to Hoglander across the top of the crease instead and Hoglander tapped it in past an out-of-position Markstrom.
Joshua beat Markstrom 1:58 into the second period with a snap shot from inside the faceoff circle to make it 3-0. It was his 18th,
Tempers flared midway through the middle period when Hoglander shoved Pachal in the chest and Pachal snapped his head back in response. A scrum erupted in front of the benches, including a skirmish between Vancouver’s Conor Garland — who stands 5-foot-8 — and Calgary’s Adam Klapka — listed as 6-8 — where Garland was nearly tossed into the Flames’ bench.
Garland and Klapka were both ejected from the game for roughing, and Hoglander was sent to the box for cross-checking.
Demko made one of his best saves of the night on the ensuing penalty kill, robbing Nazem Kadri in tight, then dropping and rolling on to his back to smother the rebound.
Hughes helped keep the Flames off the board about three minutes into the third period when Jonathan Huberdeau’s shot from the side of the net went through the goalie’s pads and Hughes swept it off the goal line.
Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington played in his 200th regular-season game.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Wrap up the regular season Thursday by visiting the Winnipeg Jets.
Flames: Host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
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