On Monday night, two teams met in Vancouver, each looking to make a change in their trajectories.
Only one managed to squander the opportunity.
Brandon Sutter bagged his first NHL hat trick and the Canucks routed the Ottawa Senators, 7-1, to break a 1-5-0 streak.
“It only took me 13 years to get one,” Sutter said. “I was pretty pumped. You never know if you’re going to get one as you get older.”
Thatcher Demko made 35 saves in the win, his first of the season.
“Anytime someone scores a hat trick, it’s always a good feeling,” Vancouver head coach Travis Green said. “But obviously in this scenario, a guy that doesn’t get a lot of recognition for offense, you feel good for ‘Sutts.'”
Demko stopped two breakaways in the first period that certainly contributed to the Canucks outcome.
“That was something I really wanted to focus on as I kept getting in the games here is timely saves,” Demko said. “Making sure that when they do get chances in situations like that, I can come up big and kind of give the team a chance to pull away even farther.”
Austin Watson had the Senators only goal when he cut a 2-0 Vancouver lead in half.
“We got some guys that maybe are taking for granted positions in the National Hockey League,” Ottawa head coach D.J. Smith said. “We’ve got to find the right combination and we’ve got to give some other guys opportunity to see if they want to play a little harder than some of the guys that are playing now.”
Suter and Tyler Motte gave the Canucks that early 2-0 lead.
Tanner Pearson replied to the Watson goal just 30 seconds later to make it 3-1 and the rout was on.
Olli Juolevi, scored his first NHL goal for the Canucks.
“I just like that we stuck with our game,” Green said. “We didn’t waver. Sometimes if you get up 3-1, 4-1, sometimes you can take your foot off the gas.”
Quinn Hughesalso scored for Vancouver.
Matt Murray made 28 saves in the loss.
“Certainly he didn’t have a very good game, but he’s got to work through it and find a way to battle for us there,” Smith said. “He’s no different than any other player and he’s got to find his groove here.”
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