Canucks get back on track with convincing win over Canadiens

MONTREAL (AP) — Conor Garland, Dakota Joshua and Brock Boeser each had a goal and an assist and the Vancouver Canucks rebounded from a loss the night before to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Sunday.

Ilya Mikheyev and Phillip Di Giuseppe also scored and Casey DeSmith made 30 saves to help Vancouver — a 5-2 loser in Toronto on Saturday night — improve to 11-3-1. Montreal traded DeSmith to Vancouver in September.

Filip Hronek had an assist to become the fourth Vancouver defenseman with a double-digit points streak. NHL points leader Elias Pettersson was held off the scoresheet to end his eight-game streak.

Mike Matheson and Arber Xhekaj scored for Montreal, a night after the Canadiens beat Boston 3-2 in overtime at home. Jake Allen made 31 saves.

After a slow first period, the Canucks poured it on in the second.

Garland opened the scoring at 6:15 of the second, tipping in a centering pass from J.T. Miller with his backhand.

Montreal’s Christian Dvorak appeared to answer under two minutes later with a wrist shot from the high slot that beat DeSmith. However, the play was ruled offside after a coach’s challenge.

Mikheyev added to the lead at 9:17 after walking into the Montreal zone and firing a shot past Allen, who lost his stick moments earlier.

Joshua made it 3-0 with two minutes left in the period. He scored off a rebound after multiple shots from Garland.

UP NEXT

Canucks: Host New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Canadiens: Host Calgary on Tuesday night.