Suter scores 2 as Canucks rally to beat Blue Jackets 5-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Pius Suter scored twice and the Vancouver Canucks rallied from two goals down to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Friday night.

Brock Boeser, Kiefer Sherwood and Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Cancuks, and Quinn Hughes had two assists. Kevin Lankinen had 30 saves as Vancouver improved to 3-0-1 in its last four games.

Mathieu Olivier and Damon Severson scored in the first period for Columbus, which has lost three straight. Elvis Merzilikins finished with 12 saves.

Olivier and Severson scored 5:08 apart to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead with 7:42 left in the opening period.

Boeser and Sherwood scored in the second period to tie it for the Canucks. Suter gave Vancouver the lead early in the third and DeBrusk made it 4-2 with a power-play goal midway through the period. Suter added an empty-netter with 65 seconds left to seal the win.

Canucks: DeBrusk scored at home for the first time with the Canucks. He has goals in four straight games and leads the team with 12. Boeser registered an assist on DeBrusk’s goal for his 400th NHL point.

Blue Jackets: Columbus was 0 for 5 on the power play after coming in 29th in the league at 17.2%.

Key moment

An ill-timed play by Merzlikins allowed the Canucks to tie the game at 2-2 with a minute left in the second period. The goalie came out to the top of the left circle to chase down a loose puck but sent it to Vancouver center Teddy Blueger along the boards. Blueger quickly passed it to Sherwood, who fired a shot in past Zach Werenski as he attempted to protect the open net.

Vancouver improved to 9-5-1 when giving up the first goal of the game.

Blue Jackets visit Winnipeg on Sunday, and Canucks host Tampa Bay.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL