Kings can’t get offense going in 4-0 loss to Canucks

Bruce Boudreau got his first win as coach of the Canucks on Monday as Vancouver blanked the Kings 4-0.

The victory came less than 24 hours after the Canucks cleaned house, firing general manager Jim Benning, assistant manager Jim Weisbrod, head coach Travis Green and assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner.

Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko had 30 saves to collect his first shutout of the season and the second of his career. Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller each had a power-play goal and an assist for Vancouver, while Conor Garland and Juho Lammikko also found the back of the net.

Cal Petersen had 27 saves for the Kings, who beat the Oilers 5-1 in Edmonton on Sunday.

Special teams have been a struggle for the Canucks this season, but Vancouver went two for four on the power play Monday and successfully weathered two penalties.

The Kings’ Lias Anderson was called for high-sticking on Oliver Ekman-Larsson midway through the third and Miller capitalized on the man advantage. His shot from inside the faceoff circle careened into the net off the crossbar with about 7 minutes left to put Vancouver up 4-0.

Lammikko gave the Canucks their third goal of the night 6:59 into the period, picking off an errant Kings pass and putting a shot past Petersen stick-side for his first goal in a Vancouver jersey. The 25-year-old left winger was a healthy scratch in the previous five games.

The Canucks went up a pair 5:43 into the middle frame. Rookie Vasily Podkolzin put a shot wide with the puck ricocheting off the end boards. Garland picked up the rebound behind the net and wrapped it into yawning net before Petersen could get back in position.

A power-play goal opened the scoring early in the second after Los Angeles’ Mikey Anderson was called for tripping Bo Horvat. Stationed at the goal line, Tanner Pearson sliced a pass to Boeser at the top of the faceoff circle. The right winger uncorked a snap shot and the puck deflected in off the skate of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty in front of the net.

The goal was Boeser’s fifth of the season and his first in 14 games.

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