Winnipeg Jets take it on the chin in Vancouver, falling 6-2 to desperate Canucks

Brock Boeser scored twice and notched an assist as the Vancouver Canucks, clinging to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, handed the league-leading Winnipeg Jets a 6-2 drubbing on Tuesday.

Usually stingy Jets defence allows 2 goals each to Brock Boeser, Pius Suter

Gemma Karstens-Smith · The Canadian Press · Posted: Mar 19, 2025 12:49 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 19

A player in a white helmet has a blue glove rubbed in his face. — Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele gets a face wash during a first-period scuffle with Vancouver's Kiefer Sherwood, left, and Pius Suter. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Brock Boeser scored twice and notched an assist as the Vancouver Canucks handed the league-leading Winnipeg Jets a 6-2 drubbing on Tuesday.

Pius Suter added two goals, including one into an empty net with four seconds left on the clock, while Nils Hoglander scored and had a helper for the Canucks (32-25-11).

Drew O'Connor also found the back of the net, Quinn Hughes contributed two assists, and Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced.

The Jets (47-18-4) got goals from Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo as their three-game win streak came to an end.

Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves for Winnipeg.

The result kept Vancouver clinging to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Utah Hockey Club all close behind.

Two Vancouver players in blue celebrate behind the net, where Winnipeg's goalie, in white, sits dejected. — Vancouver teammates, from left, Nils Hoglander, Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson celebrate behind Connor Hellebuyck's net after Hoglander scored in the dying seconds of the first period. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Takeaways

Canucks: Boeser's first goal of the night snapped a 12-game scoring drought. The right-winger admitted Tuesday morning that he hadn't been playing well lately, and said in order to get his offence back, he needed to shoot more and have a more positive attitude. Boeser now has 20 goals on the campaign.

Jets: The team's hallmark stingy defence faltered against the Canucks. Winnipeg came in as the stingiest in the league, allowing an average of 2.28 goals per game and just 156 in total. Tuesday's contest marked the 16th time the Jets have given up three or more goals this season.

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Key moment

The Canucks closed out the first period with a big goal. Boeser collected a pass from Elias Pettersson and quickly dished off to Hoglander at the top of the crease. The Swedish winger directed the puck up and in over Hellebuyck to make it 3-2 with three seconds left in the frame.

Key stat

Vancouver's special teams were key, with the Canucks scoring on their lone power play and killing off both penalties.

Up next

Canucks: Open a six-game road trip on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.

Jets: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

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