By Canadian Press

Canucks crush Coyotes 4-0 in final pre-season test

Oct 7, 2022 | 9:46 PM

VANCOUVER — Newcomer Andrei Kuzmenko scored a goal and added an assist while goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped seven shots for the shutout as the Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their NHL pre-season with a 4-0 win over the Arizona Coyotes Friday night.

Bo Horvat, Dakota Joshua and Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks, who ended the pre-season with a 2-3-2 record. Vancouver’s first exhibition win came Wednesday night against Edmonton in Abbotsford, B.C.

The Coyotes (0-5-1) wrap up their exhibition season Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights in Boise, Idaho.

Goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 shots for the Coyotes.

Kuzmenko, a 26-year-old free-agent signing who played his entire career in Russia, scored with just six seconds remaining in the second period. After stepping out of the penalty box he took a pass from Tanner Pearson, used his speed to get behind the Arizona defence, and put the puck between Vejmelka’s legs.

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Vancouver had a quick start to the game, taking advantage of a penalty and a giveaway by the goaltender to score goals 2:45 apart for an early 2-0 lead.

Horvat opened the scoring on a power play, earning his first goal of the pre-season by deflecting an Oliver Ekman-Larsson shot past Vejmelka at 3:29.

Vancouver went ahead 2-0 at 6:14 after Vejmelka gave away the puck behind his own net. Curtis Lazar picked it up and fed it to Joshua in front of the net.

Arizona was outshot 10-1 in the first period.

Pettersson made it 3-0 at 8:58 of the second period when he took a pass from Kuzmenko and ripped a shot over Vejmelka’s shoulder.

Vancouver opens the regular season Wednesday in Edmonton.

During the game the Canucks announced they traded centre Jason Dickinson and a second-round draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenceman Riley Stillman.

Stillman, 24, played 52 games with Chicago last season, recording a career-high 12 points from two goals and 10 assists, plus 36 penalty minutes. The Peterborough, Ont., native also registered 67 blocked shots, ranking fifth on the team.

Dickinson, a native of Georgetown, Ont., played 62 games for the Canucks last year, collecting five goals and 11 points. The 27-year-old spent six seasons with the Dallas Stars after being selected in the first round, 29th overall, of the 2013 draft.

The move will save the Canucks some money. Dickinson was scheduled to earn US$2.65 million this year and next. Stillman’s contract is US$1.35 million this year and next.

NOTES: Canuck defenceman Tyler Myers will miss up to four weeks with a lower-body injury believed to have happened in Vancouver’s 5-4 pre-season win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. … Vancouver defenceman Quinn Hughes skated during the morning practice but didn’t dress for the game. … The Canucks open the season with five road games. They return home for an Oct. 22 match against Buffalo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2022.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press