Hughes scores twice, Lankinen’s 32 saves, and more: 3 reasons why Vancouver Canucks beat Washington Capitals

The Vancouver Canucks edged the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Saturday night at Rogers Arena. With that, the Canucks snapped a two-game skid while ending the Capitals’ six-game winning streak.

Captain Quinn Hughes scored twice, providing all the offense for the Canucks. Meanwhile, Pierre-Luc Dubois got the Capitals on the board with his 10th of the season in the third period.

So, let’s take a look at the three main reasons why the Canucks beat the Capitals:

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Three reasons why the Vancouver Canucks beat the Washington Capitals

#3 The Canucks played a tough, physical game

The Vancouver Canucks played a tough, physical game keeping the Capitals on their heels. The Canucks outhit the Capitals 26-15 while blocking more shots, 19-15 and forcing 19 giveaways.

Overall, the Canucks handled the Capital’s late push to get the equalizer. Vancouver locked the game down, getting the two points following a solid defensive performance.

#2 Lankinen’s 32 saves

Kevin Lankinen continued to shine for the Vancouver Canucks. All season, he has kept the club afloat amid injuries and inconsistency.

On Saturday, Lankinen made 32 saves against the Capitals, looking sharp and composed. In particular, Lankinen was solid in the third period, making 10 saves. Overall, the Capitals outshot the Canucks 10-4 in the final frame.

Saturday night’s game was a bounce-back performance for Lankinen after giving up six goals in his last outing against the Winnipeg Jets. The Canucks netminder has 17 wins on the season to go with a 2.58 GAA and a .905 SV% in 31 games.

#1 Hughes scored twice

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes delivered all of the offense his team needed. He scored in the first and second periods to build a 2-0 lead. While the Caps made the game close in the third period, Hughes’ second of the night stood was the game-winner.

Here’s a look at the goal:

The play began with a great effort from Brock Boeser to get the puck around the net and back to the point where Hughes let go of a strong wrist shot through traffic. The chaos in front of the net allowed the shot to get through and give the Canucks a 2-0 lead.

Hughes’ deuce was crucial on a night when Elias Pettersson, while J.T. Miller didm't register on the scoresheet.

The Canucks will have a day off on Sunday before visiting the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center on Monday night.