Kuzmenko’s 1st NHL hat trick leads Canucks past Ducks

Luke Schenn has dubbed his Vancouver Canucks teammate Andrei Kuzmenko “the celebration king.”

The Russian winger earned the title Thursday, sliding alongside the ice on one knee, then popping up for a excessive kick and an enthusiastic fist pump after scoring his first-ever NHL hat trick.

He additionally contributed an help, serving to the Canucks (3-6-2) to an 8-5 victory over the visiting Anaheim Ducks.

The 26-year-old winger now has 10 factors (six objectives, 4 assists) in 11 video games for the Canucks.

After beginning his profession in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, Kuzmenko signed with Vancouver as a free agent this summer time.

“He’s adjusted, discovered fast on the fly and he places in a number of work, he shoots a number of pucks,” Schenn stated. “So he is performed a terrific job for us. He’s getting higher as we go right here.”

All three of Kuzmenko’s objectives got here in a raging third interval that noticed the offence erupt for either side.

WATCH | Kuzmenko nets hat trick:

“I used to be tremendous pleased,” stated his linemate Elias Pettersson, who had a five-point evening with a purpose and 4 assists. “I imply, he is been working actually laborious. It’s a brand new metropolis and language and all the pieces for him. So I’m simply tremendous pleased for him.”

Bo Horvat scored twice and had an help for Vancouver. J.T. Miller and Dakota Joshua additionally discovered the again of the web and Quinn Hughes contributed two helpers.

Troy Terry scored and notched two assists for the Ducks (3-7-1), whereas Trevor Zegras and Ryan Strome posted one among every. Max Comtois and Max Jones rounded out the scoring for the guests.

Spencer Martin stopped 26-of-31 photographs for Vancouver and Anaheim’s John Gibson made 39 saves.

Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau admitted the victory did not play out the best way he drew it up.

“We’re by no means going to show down a win. We do not have sufficient of them,” he stated. “The offence was going effectively however ultimately it is going to take defence to win and I assumed we gave up too many possibilities.”

Down by three, Anaheim clawed a purpose again 17:38 into the third when a rebound bounced off Jones within the crease and in past Martin to make it 7-5.

Kuzmenko had a pair of objectives two minutes aside, together with a blast from the excessive hash marks 16:48 into the interval.

Earlier within the third, the Ducks minimize into the house facet’s lead with a power-play purpose after Joshua was referred to as for tripping. Zegras fired an extended shot on web and the puck slid past Martin glove facet.

Both the Canucks and Ducks had been 2-for-3 with the person benefit Thursday.

Comtois stemmed a three-goal outburst by Vancouver 7:51 into the third, sending a backhand shot past Martin on a breakaway to make it 5-3.

The Canucks pulled forward 6:30 into the third when Joshua poked a puck into the Ducks’ web by means of site visitors, giving the house workforce a 4-2 lead.

Anaheim challenged for goaltender interference arguing Vancouver’s Jack Studnicka spun Gibson out of place. But after video evaluate, officers dominated Studnicka was making a play on the unfastened puck and the purpose was good.

The name was a expensive one for the Ducks, who had been handed a delay-of-game penalty.

Vancouver was fast to transform. Kuzmenko, standing beneath the purpose line, collected a move from Pettersson and tapped it in behind Gibson to place the house facet up 5-2 simply 24 seconds into the facility play.

The Ducks minimize their deficit to 3-2 with a purpose late within the center body.

Zegras slipped a move to Strome and he fired a wrist shot past Martin from the faceoff circle with 46 seconds to go within the interval.

The Canucks went up 3-1 after Horvat picked a puck out of a crowd in entrance of the crease and dished it to Miller. Stationed in conjunction with the web, the feisty ahead tapped it in for his sixth purpose of the season.

The house facet took a 2-1 lead halfway by means of the second because of a slick transfer by Pettersson.

Ilya Mikheyev despatched the star centre a move from alongside boards and Pettersson kicked the puck to his stick earlier than whipping a shot past Gibson on the 9:07 mark.

Vancouver levelled the scoring seconds earlier than the primary intermission, capitalizing on the person benefit after Comtois was referred to as for tripping.

Hughes unleashed an extended bomb from contained in the blue line and Horvat tipped it in from the low slot to make it 1-1 with 19.7 seconds to go within the opening body.

The Canucks captain now has objectives in three straight video games.

The Ducks put away a power-play tally of their very own 16:30 into the primary. Terry wove round Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers and popped a shot over Martin to open the scoring.

Bieksa honoured in pre-game retirement ceremony

Vancouver held a pre-game ceremony for former defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who signed a one-day contract to formally retire a Canuck on Thursday.

The 41-year-old performed 13 seasons within the NHL and put up 278 factors (63 objectives, 215 assists) over 808 video games for Vancouver and Anaheim.

WATCH | Bieksa formally retires in Vancouver:

Kevin Bieksa honoured by Canucks after official announcement of retirement

Kevin Bieksa receives a standing ovation and is introduced a present by Daniel Sedin. Bieksa, who performed 13 seasons with Vancouver and Anaheim, formally retired from the NHL on Thursday after signing a one-day contract with the Canucks.