Goalie Thatcher Demko shone in front of the Vancouver Canucks cage to frustrate the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday.
Demko faced a barrage of 42 shots to record his 20th victory in 29 decisions this season.
Demko thus joined Ryan Miller in Canucks history for having reached 20 wins so quickly in one season. Miller also needed 29 games during the 2014-2015 season.
Elias Pettersson was the spark plug on offense in the win with a two-goal, two-assist performance. His second goal was scored into an empty net.
After missing the playoffs in three straight seasons, the Canucks lead the Pacific Division with a 26-11-3 record. The Rangers lead the Metropolitan division.
Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes who collected an assist, became the second and third Canucks players to reach the 50-point plateau in 40 games. With JT Miller, who has already reached 50 points, the Canucks became the 30th team in NHL history to have three players with at least 50 points in 40 games.
Hughes also became the ninth defenseman in league history to record 50 points in his first 40 games.
Nils Hoglander also scored twice for the Canucks.
Brock Boeser scored his 25th of the campaign while Miller scored the other goal in the victory.
Vincent Trocheck moved the strings twice. Artemi Panarin at the other for the Rangers, who lost a second straight game for only the second time this season.
Quebecer Alexis Lafrenière was an accomplice in two of his team’s three goals.
The Rangers won the previous meeting this season against the Canucks, a 4-3 overtime victory on October 28 in Vancouver.
The Penguins rule the roost in Philly
Rickard Rakell scored on a power play in the 45th second of play, and the Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the battle of Pennsylvania by winning 4-1 over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Evgeni Malkin scored his 15th goal of the season and added a 20th assist to his record, while Alex Nedjelkovic only gave up once on 37 shots.
Erik Karlsson and Chad Ruhwedel were the other scorers for the Penguins (20-15-4), who badly needed this victory, given their seventh place in the Metropolitan division standings.
It should be noted that within a Metropolitan as congested as it is competitive, only two points separate the holders of the third level, these same Flyers (20-14-6) and the Penguins.
Carter Hart was bombarded with 39 shots in the loss, as the Flyers finished the game to loud boos from the Wells Fargo Center crowd.
Only a goal from Owen Tippett on the massive attack at the end of the first period deprived Nedeljkovic of a shutout.
