Thatcher Demko collected his fifth shutout of the season as the host Vancouver Canucks claimed a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night and moved to top spot in the league standings.
While Demko made 31 saves – a dozen of them in the third period – to earn his eighth career shutout, Pius Suter and Quinn Hughes scored. Andrei Kuzmenko collected two assists.
Vancouver has won eight of nine games and is riding a 16-2-3 run.
Goalie Petr Mrazek stopped 27 shots for the Blackhawks, who have been held to two or fewer goals in 10 of their last 12 outings.
Suter sent the Canucks off and running when he opened the scoring 1:47 seconds into the clash. Suter was parked at the side of the net when Kuzmenko spun and whipped a backhand pass across the front of the cage to him to convert for his ninth goal of the season and 100th career point.
Hughes doubled the lead at the 6:40 mark of the first period with his 12th goal of the campaign. Hughes took a pass near the half-wall and worked to the bottom of the left circle before he wired a short-side, top-corner shot.
The injury-ravaged Blackhawks, who are without a number of key players, including rookie standout Connor Bedard, have managed only three wins in 13 games (3-9-1) and have lost 17 consecutive road games.
Demko was called upon to make a number of quality saves. Among Demko’s most notable stops came during a golden opportunity for Reese Johnson in the middle of the second period, Colin Blackwell’s early third-period breakaway opportunity and against Nick Foligno’s two chances during a late Chicago power play.
The Blackhawks failed to convert any of their five power-play opportunities.
