Vancouver Canucks’ Nikolay Goldobin advances the puck in front of Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith at the United Center, in Chicago, on March 22, 2018.Jonathan Daniel
Alexander Edler scored twice, Jacob Markstrom made 39 saves and the Vancouver Canucks stopped a seven-game slide by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Thursday night.
Henrik Sedin and Bo Horvat each had a goal and an assist as Vancouver won for the first time since Brock Boeser was sidelined by a back injury, likely ending his impressive rookie season. The Canucks (26-39-9) had scored just eight goals since Boeser got hurt late in regulation of a 4-3 overtime victory against the New York Islanders on March 5.
Chicago (30-36-9) closed out a three-game homestand with its fifth consecutive loss. Jean-Francois Berube was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 18 shots, and Anton Forsberg finished with eight saves.
The Blackhawks played without captain Jonathan Toews, who is out with an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated next week. Toews got hurt during Tuesday night's 5-1 loss to Colorado, which officially eliminated Chicago from playoff contention.
Nick Schmaltz and Matthew Highmore scored for Chicago, which has lost seven of eight overall. The Blackhawks have allowed at least five goals in each of their last five games.
Schmaltz picked up his 21st of the season when he got a piece of Brent Seabrook's big slap shot from the right circle at 8:02 of the first, tying it at 1. The Canucks took over from there.
Sedin made it 2-1 when he jumped on a rebound and knocked it by Berube with 2:18 left in the first. It was Sedin's first goal since Nov. 14 and just his third of the season.
Horvat scored on a rush in the second, and Edler chased Berube when he sent a long slap shot under the goaltender's left arm 9:38 into the period. Edler, a 6-foot-3 defenceman, had just three goals this season coming into the game.
Brent Sutter added his eighth 3:24 into the third, making it 5-1 Vancouver. The Blackhawks got one back when Highmore scored with 3:33 left, but the Canucks were never seriously threatened.
NOTES: Highmore returned to the lineup after he missed the loss to Colorado with an upper-body injury.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.
Blackhawks: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday night.