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Instant Reaction: Brock Boeser scores a hat trick as Canucks beat Avalanche 8-6
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Photo credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
David Quadrelli
Apr 1, 2026, 23:16 EDTUpdated: Apr 1, 2026, 23:18 EDT
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Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

Starting Lineup

First Period

The Canucks got things started on the right foot when Max Sasson scooped up a Filip Hronek pass that Josh Manson got a piece of, essentially leaving it on a platter for Sasson.
1-0 Canucks just 29 seconds into this one.
Now, this might come as a bit of a surprise to you, but it didn’t take the Avalanche long to answer.
Also a big surprise, it was Nathan MacKinnon who scored, and this one went down as his 50th goal of the season.
1-1. 
It sure looked like the Avs were about to be fully awoken after getting caught off guard on the first shift, and Jake DeBrusk took a slashing penalty to give the Avs the game’s first power play. But instead of getting scored on, it was the Canucks’ penalty killers who did the scoring. Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger moved in on a 2-on-1, and after drawing in the Avs defender, Öhgren made a beautiful pass across to Blueger, who buried his first of the night (that’s what we call foreshadowing) behind Mackenzie Blackwood.
2-1 Canucks.
Okay, the Canucks got two and were leading the Avs. Surely this would wake the home team up.
You thought.
The Canucks got their first power play of the game minutes later, and quickly made good on it. Once again, this is a great chance for us to highlight Marco Rossi’s work in JT Miller’s spot on the left side of the power play. Even though his cross-ice feed to Elias Pettersson was deflected by an Avs PKer, Rossi manages to open everything up by activating down along the boards (thanks in part to a nice backhand pass from Brock Boeser). Then Pettersson snaps the puck to Jake DeBrusk, who as we know, is money from in tight. Especially on the power play.
3-1 Canucks. 
The Canucks did an exceptional job of hanging with the Avs, and while there was no doubt that Colorado was sluggish to start this game, this was also undoubtedly the Canucks’ best defensive effort of the season (to this point, at least). I shouldn’t say undoubtedly, I suppose, since this season has felt a lot longer than normal…
Eventually, the Avalanche did what you’re supposed to do when you’re having trouble penetrating a team’s defence: get the puck to the point and hope for a deflection off a point shot. And that’s exactly what happened:
3-2.
The broadcast shared that the last time the Canucks scored a power play goal in Colorado was back in 2019, when Nikolay Goldobin scored a goal assisted by Josh Leivo. So, yeah, weird things were happening tonight.

Second Period

If you thought the Avalanche were going to come out flying to start the second period, you’re going to want to read on.
Not only did Colorado give up the game’s next goal, they gave up the game’s next three goals.
First, Teddy Blueger scored his second of the game when he once again broke in on a 2-on-1 after the Avs defence got caught up high in the offensive zone. This time, it was Max Sasson who feathered a beautiful saucer pass to Blueger, who made a move before sliding the puck five hole on Blackwood.
Then just four minutes later, Marco Rossi did some incredible work to win a puck battle before shielding the puck and spinning to find a streaking Tom Willander. Willander moved in on Blackwood before sliding a hard pass over to Brock Boeser, who ripped home a one-timer into a wide-open net.
5-2 Canucks. 
What?
They weren’t done there, either. After Kevin Lankinen made a nice pad save off of Nazem Kadri after some sustained zone pressure from the Avs, Brock Boeser wheeled the puck up the ice, cut across the Avs zone, and let go of a wrister from far out that beat Mackenzie Blackwood cleanly.
As Ray Ferraro said on the broadcast, you can’t let that beat you if you’re Blackwood. That goal would end his night as it was 6-2 Canucks. Also, that was Boeser’s 20th goal of the season, so that answers that question from a few weeks ago.
Right after the goalie change, the Avalanche scored their third goal of the night. Halfway to reaching the Canucks!
Through 40 minutes, the Canucks were taking advantage of an Avs team that clearly thought they’d be an easy out, and to their credit, the Canucks absolutely brought their best tonight.

Third Period

14 seconds into the third, Parker Kelly pulled the Avs within two after stripping Zeev Buium of the puck and ripping a short-side shot on Lankinen that the Canucks goaltender likely should have had.
6-4. 
The Canucks didn’t cave after the Avalanche’s fourth goal, and it wouldn’t have been much of a surprise if they did, especially when you consider how much their young defencemen were going up against Colorado’s best.
He picked up just one assist tonight, but it was a phenomenal game for Drew O’Connor. He was all over the puck and was making things happen for the Canucks every time he was on the ice.
The Avs pulled within one with just over six minutes to go as 41-year-old Brent Burns blasted a shot from the point through traffic and past Kevin Lankinen.
6-5. 
And 37 seconds later, the Avs finally pulled even. After Elias Junior Pettersson failed to clear the zone, Sam Malinski ripped home his second goal of the game.
6-6. 
Now, the normal Canucks — the ones we’ve seen for the better part of a decade now, would wither away after facing this kind of adversity. The big bad Avalanche did what everyone thought they would. The Canucks were supposed to lose this game, and while they made it interesting, their fate was sealed once the Avalanche tied this up with their third straight goal.
But not these Canucks (the Canucks of April 1st, 2026, to be clear).
No, Marcus Pettersson had other ideas.
With two mintues left, the Avalanche pulled their goaltender and sent out the extra attacker, and that opened the door for Brock Boeser to shoot the puck down the ice and into the empty net for his sixth career hat-trick.
8-6 Canucks. Just as we all expected.
What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!

PRESENTED BY STAKE

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