Hischier nets 2 as Devils dump visiting Vancouver Canucks 4-1
Published 3:12 pm Saturday, October 10, 2026
Nico Hischier scored twice, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-1 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Saturday afternoon at the Prudential Centre in Newark, N.J.
Jesper Bratt and Jesper Boqvist also scored for the Devils (2-2-0), with Jack Hughes adding a pair of assists. Jake Allen made 20 stops to pick up the win in goal.
Linus Karlsson had the lone goal for Vancouver (2-4-0), with Leevi Merilainen taking the loss in goal, stopping 31 of 34 shots. Kevin Lankinen made two saves on three shots in a brief relief appearance.
The Canucks opened the scoring in the first period on the power play, when Karlsson converted a feed from Brock Boeser for his first goal of the season at 5:27.
Power play perfection. 🤌 https://t.co/6UM1WI9ZAM
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 10, 2026
Hischier pulled the Devils even, also on the power play, slotting home a pass from Arseny Gritsyuk at 8:03. It was Hischier’s first tally of the year.
Late in the period, Merilainen had to leave the game with a skate blade issue and was replaced by Lankinen. The Devils pounced immediately when after a giveaway from Filip Hronek, Boqvist knocked home a rebound off an Amadeus Lombardi shot at 16:24. It was Boqvist’s second goal of the season and the first point of Lombardi’s career.
Shots on goal after 20 minutes favoured the Devils 10-8.
Merilainen returned to the Vancouver goal to start the second period. Bratt put the Devils up by two 4:35 into the middle frame, picking up a loose puck at the side of Merilainen and depositing his first of the year. It was the fifth straight goal given up by the Canucks on the power play, having given up three on three chances in their last game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Late in the period, Merilainen again lost a skate blade, but didn’t miss any time after a new one was quickly popped in.
With 9.6 seconds left in the period and the Devils on another power play, Hischier converted a saucer pass from Hughes for his second of the night to give the Devils a 4-1 lead.
On the ensuing faceoff at centre ice, New Jersey’s Evan Rodrigues was given a double minor after high sticking Vancouver’s Marco Rossi near the throat. It was originally called a major penalty, but reduced after review.
The Devils outshot the Canucks 15-9 in the period and held a 25-17 advantage after 40 minutes.
The third period was scoreless, with the Devils finishing with 37 shots to Vancouver’s 21.
NOTES: The Canucks visit the New York Rangers Sunday (3 p.m.)… Vancouver played without injured Thatcher Demko (hip) and Filip Chytil (shoulder)… Vancouver went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Devils were 3-for-4, with the fourth opportunity lasting only nine seconds.