TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Elias Petterson and Brock Boeser scored 1:10 apart in the third period and Jake Virtanen and Markus Granlund added empty-net goals in the Vancouver Canucks’ 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Petterson scored his fourth goal in four games in his rookie season. Anders Nilsson made 33 saves in his season debut.
Brayden Point scored his first goal of the season for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves.
Vancouver withstood an early surge to keep the game close, trailing by a goal entering the third period. The persistence was rewarded first when defenseman Derrick Pouliot threw a wrist shot toward the net from the top of the left point that Petterson was able to deflect around Vasilevskiy and inside the post with 8:53 remaining. Boeser then fired a slap shot from the right circle past Vasilevskiy.
Notes: Lightning C Tyler Johnson returned to the lineup after missing the opener with an upper-body injury. … Vancouver C Antoine Roussel missed his fourth consecutive game with a concussion. Coach Travis Green said following Thrusday’s morning skate Roussel is getting close to return. … Tampa Bay scratched RW Cory Conacher, C Danick Martel and D Slater Koekkoek. The Canucks scratched D Michael Del Zotto, D Alex Biega and LW Brandon Leipsic. … The Lightning are 0 for 8 on the power play to start the season.
