This is what Canucks fans have been waiting for ever since they drafted Bo Horvat with the 9th overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft.
It was just a few weeks ago, where Horvat, the young budding center could not score a goal no matter what; in fact he had a 27 game scoreless streak going on.
“Three weeks ago, I didn’t think I was going to score another goal this year,” said Horvat, who scored his second of the game 3:25 into overtime to give the Canucks a 3-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Friday.
In the Canucks past 6 games Bo Horvat has registered 6 goals, and 3 assists in what is shaping to be the best stretch of his career so far.
The Canucks on the road Friday opened up the scoring courtesy of Linden Vey’s first goal of the season. Vey forced a turnover in the neutral zone, skated the puck into the left circle and beat Ward to the short side at the 13:14 mark of the first.
The Hurricanes would respond before the period ended when Kris Versteeg scored his 8th of the year beating Jacob Markstrom with a hard slap shot from the point on the power play.
In the second Horvat gave the Canucks the lead once again at the 9:32 mark for his 7th goal on the year. Horvat scored on a wrist shot from the right wing after taking a pass through the neutral zone from defenseman Taylor Fedun, who was called up Thursday from Utica of the American Hockey League.
With the Canucks struggling to get out of their zone for much of the third period, the Canes were able to equalize with 2:10 remaining in the game. John-Michael Liles’ pass across the crease from the bottom of the left circle hit the skate of Vancouver defenseman Matt Bartkowski and caromed into the net.
Once again in net for the Canucks, Markstrom delivered another stellar performance that saw him make some key saves to keep that game close.
He would end the night with 38 saves.
“I like to win, that’s my favorite,” he said with a laugh when asked if he preferred to see a lot of shots or have a light night. “A lot of shots, or not a lot, it doesn’t really matter. There were a lot of shots from the blue line and from the boards, bad angles. That gives me a chance to see the puck and clean up rebounds in front of me.”
Looking back the Canucks were badly outshot 40-22, and were lucky to come out with the win.
Up next: The Canucks visit the New York Islanders Sunday afternoon with puck drop at 1:00pm.
Image via: Facebook