Canucks earn OT win over Leafs in return from COVID-19 outbreak | CBC Sports activities

Twenty-one gamers and 4 coaches examined optimistic for the virus, one different participant was deemed a detailed contact, and one other obtained a false optimistic consequence. Members of the family — together with one participant’s pregnant spouse — additionally fell ailing.

“This is not simply your common win through the common season. It is a particular win,” Inexperienced stated after the Canucks edged the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in time beyond regulation.

“We have gone by means of loads right here with our group over the previous few weeks. It was a tough sport. You are enjoying a very good hockey staff on the opposite aspect. I am happy with our group and the way we caught with it and gained tonight.”

Sunday marked the Canucks’ first sport since March 24. The matchup was initially scheduled for Saturday however the NHL pushed Vancouver’s return again two further days after ahead J.T. Miller spoke out final week, saying gamers felt unsafe as a result of they hadn’t had sufficient time to get well from the outbreak.

WATCH | Horvat leads Canucks to OT win over Leafs in staff’s return:

Canucks captain Bo Horvat sealed the victory 1:19 into time beyond regulation, snapping a shot previous Leafs goalie Jack Campbell. Horvat additionally had a aim and an help in regulation.

“He was phenomenal,” Inexperienced stated. “What are you going to say? Two objectives and an help. You need guys to step to the plate and when your captain’s proper on the entrance of the road main the best way, there is a motive why he is carrying a C on his jersey.”

The win was huge not only for the gamers on the ice, however for his or her households and for the whole Canucks group, Horvat stated.

“I could not be prouder of our guys in that room, the best way they manned up tonight and caught with the method and willed their solution to that win,” he stated.

No Canucks gamers remained on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol record Sunday. Nineteen had been on the record on the top of the outbreak.

However a few of Vancouver’s common starters remained out of the lineup, together with netminder Thatcher Demko, defenceman Nate Schmidt, and forwards Tyler Motte and Jake Virtanen.

The Canucks (17-18-3) appeared shaky at instances on Sunday and the Leafs took an early lead following a bobbled go within the impartial zone.

The puck ricocheted off the stick of Vancouver right-winger Brock Boeser and was rapidly devoured up by John Tavares for an odd-man rush the opposite means. Tavares dishes it to William Nylander, who ripped a shot previous Canucks goalie Braden Holtby to open the scoring 3:45 into the primary.

The aim was Nylander’s 14th of the season and the one centesimal of his NHL profession. The 24-year-old right-winger returned to the lineup Sunday after lacking 5 video games on account of COVID-19 protocols.

“I believe I had a bit stretch earlier than I went into quarantine the place I might have scored that one centesimal aim so it is good to get that one early,” Nylander stated.

A strong efficiency from Holtby saved Vancouver within the sport for a lot of the night time. One in all his largest stops got here halfway by means of the second after Canucks defenceman Alex Edler was handed a five-minute main and a sport misconduct for a knee-on-knee hit that despatched Toronto left-winger Zach Hyman to the dressing room.

Holtby glided from publish to publish to make the diving glove cease on Alex Galchenyuk.

The veteran goalie had 37 saves to safe his fifth win of the season.

“I used to be happy with him tonight, the best way he performed,” Inexperienced stated. “To beat a staff like Toronto with how lengthy we have been out, you are going to want a efficiency out of your goalie. And he gave us an All-Star Holtby efficiency tonight.”

The victory was on account of a “gutsy effort” from the whole group, Holtby stated.

“I believe it was one the place all of us simply determined to go on the market, you give it completely all you might have, stick collectively and we believed we had been going to have an opportunity to win,” he stated. “It was a enjoyable one to be part of.”

Leafs’ Auston Matthews scores thirty third aim

Toronto lastly beat the netminder with 19 seconds left within the five-minute man benefit. Auston Matthews collected a go from Nylander as he powered to the online and chipped it up over Holtby’s shoulder, hitting the crossbar on the best way in.

It was the star centre’s league-leading thirty third aim of the season. Nylander and Tavares every registered an help on the play.

The Canucks responded simply 86 seconds later.

Horvat streaked into the Leafs’ zone and unleashed a blast from the suitable faceoff dot, slashing Toronto’s result in 2-1 along with his fifteenth aim of the yr.

Rookie Nils Hoglander tied the sport at 2-2 12:03 into the third, taking a crisp go from defenceman Jalen Chatfield and popping it in previous Campbell.

Chatfield’s help on the play was his first NHL level.

Campbell stopped 21-of-24 pictures for Toronto on Sunday. The goalie stated he feels as if he is been in a “little bit of a droop” recently.

“I believed we performed a very robust sport,” he stated. “They battled laborious. They had been clearly in a tricky scenario and performed laborious and I believed our guys confirmed up and performed. I felt a bit bit higher tonight and I simply wish to have had a pair extra so we received the 2 factors.”

The win was an essential one for the Canucks within the standings. After greater than three weeks and not using a sport, Vancouver lingers on the backside of the North Division, 10 factors again of the Montreal Canadiens who maintain the fourth and closing playoff spot.

“You’d hope that it could give them some perception,” Inexperienced stated. “However I imagine additionally that the group has the assumption already. Our group is a aggressive group, they love successful they usually’re resilient. And you’d hope this win offers them some perception in what they will do.”

The win additionally evens the season collection at three video games apiece with three video games to go.

Toronto stays atop the division, 4 factors forward of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Leafs and Canucks will meet once more in Vancouver on Tuesday.

WATCH | CBC Sports activities’ Rob Pizzo recaps Week 13 in NHL North Division:

In our weekly section, Rob Pizzo catches you up on the week that was within the all-Canadian division within the NHL. 3:56