Hughes scores OT winner as Canucks claw out win over Islanders
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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks overcame a two-goal deficit for a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday.
Quinn Hughes scored the winner after he was sprang free by J.T. Miller at 2:36 of overtime. Hughes fired a wrist shot past Ilya Sorokin.
Vancouver starter Thatcher Demko stopped 30 of 33 shots while his Islander counterpart Sorokin turned away 39 of 43.
Vancouver (12-3-1) tied the game on Filip Hronek's power-play goal midway through the third period. The Canuck converted a two-man advantage with New York's Noah Dobson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau both serving minor penalties.
Hronek's goal was his first of the season and as a Canuck, but he stretched his point streak to 14 in 11 games.
The Islanders (5-7-3) scored first with Pierre Engvall shooting five-hole on Demko on a cross-ice feed from Oliver Wahlstrom for a power-play goal.
New York led by two just a minute and a half later with another power-play goal. Demko made the initial save on Brock Nelson, who then scooped the puck over the sprawling netminder.
Former Canuck Bo Horvat's first touch of the puck back at Rogers Arena was greeted with a hearty round of boos, but he was later cheered during the team's video tribute to his time in Vancouver.
Horvat was traded to the Islanders on Jan. 30, 2023 to end his nine-year stint in Vancouver.
He made it 3-1 at 8:33 of the second period on a quick one-two with Matthew Barzal before finding a way past Demko.
Vancouver's Miller scored his 10th of the season and a power-play goal at 4:39 of the second period with a one-timer off a pass from Elias Pettersson
Miller then turned provider as he fed Brock Boeser in the slot to cut the Islanders lead back down to one.
UP NEXT: The Canucks are in Calgary to face the Flames on Thursday. The Islanders head to Seattle to face the Kraken on Thursday.
NOTES: The Canucks hosted a Diwali celebration night, with musicians and performers outside the arena … Defenceman Carson Soucy will miss six to eight weeks with a lower body injury after blocking a shot … Pius Suter was a surprise scratch for Vancouver having scored four goals in his last six games.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2023.