Gawdin Scores Twice as Rangers Beat Canucks 5-1

Gawdin scored twice in the second period as New York turned a 1-1 game into a 5-1 win. The 29-year-old forward, who grew up in Richmond, British Columbia, was making his second NHL appearance of the season after being called up from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack earlier in the week. It was his 15th NHL appearance overall.

Elias Pettersson put Vancouver ahead with a first-period tip-in. Gabe Perreault tied the score late in the opening period, and Oliver Bjorkstrand gave New York the lead with a power-play goal in the second.

Gawdin made it 3-1 with a shot from the slot, then scored again later in the period to extend the lead. Alexis Lafrenière also scored in the second, which saw the Rangers find the net four times. Dylan Garand stopped 27 shots for New York.

The victory completed a four-game road trip during which the Rangers earned six of a possible eight points. They have won five of their past six games and improved to 12-8-1. Before Friday’s game, they had not won this season when conceding the opening goal, going 0-7-1 in those games.

Vancouver has lost seven straight and dropped to 3-17-1, the NHL’s worst record. Brock Boeser recorded his 500th career NHL point with an assist on Pettersson’s goal. New York is set to host Montreal on Monday, while Vancouver visits Vegas on Sunday.