Kiefer Sherwood has 1st NHL hat trick as Canucks beat Avalanche 3-1

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood had his first NHL hat trick and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday night.

Thatcher Demko stopped 30 shots as Vancouver won for the second time in five games (2-2-1).

Valeri Nichushkin scored with 46 seconds left for Colorado, and Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 22 saves.

Sherwood had an even-strength goal, a short-handed goal and an empty-netter. He now has a career-high 11 goals on the season, surpassing his career high of 10 set last season for Nashville.

Mikko Rantanen had an assist for the Avalanche, stretching his point streak to six games (three goals, nine assists).

Canucks: Coach Rick Tocchet criticized his team after an ugly 5-1 loss to Boston on Saturday, saying there were four or five players who were “struggling to get emotionally invested.” His team responded with a physical game against the Avalanche, killing off four penalties, blocking 18 shots and registering 30 hits.

Avalanche: Getting held to one goal was a rare blip for a Colorado team that came in with four wins in its last five games. The Avalanche had outscored their opponents 18-9 across that stretch.

Sherwood padded Vancouver’s lead with a short-handed goal with 3:56 left in the second period. He picked a puck off Nathan MacKinnon near the benches and sprinted down the ice, then put a shot up and over Blackwood’s outstretched glove to make it 2-0. Chants of “Kie-fer Sher-wood!” rang out through the arena in response.

Colorado went scoreless on four power-play opportunities to fall to 1 for 19 over the last seven games.

Avalanche visit San Jose on Thursday, and Canucks visit Utah on Wednesday to open a two-game trip.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Colorado Avalanche's Artturi Lehkonen (62) loses his helmet after being checked by Vancouver Canucks' J.T. Miller (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanch in Vancouver, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood, left, and goalie Thatcher Demko celebrate after Vancouver defeated the Colorado Avalanche during an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Hats litter the ice as Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44) skates to the bench after scoring his third goal against the Colorado Avalanche, during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood, left, and Noah Juulsen (47) celebrate after Sherwood's goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood, right, celebrates after his goal against Colorado Avalanche goalie MacKenzie Blackwood, center back, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44), Vincent Desharnais (73), Jake DeBrusk (74) and Noah Juulsen (47) celebrate Sherwood's third goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44) celebrates his second goal against Colorado Avalanche goalie MacKenzie Blackwood (39) as Valeri Nichushkin (13) and Cale Makar (8) look on during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard missed Monday night's 4-1 loss to Edmonton because of an illness.

The Blackhawks have been hit hard by a stomach bug going around their locker room. While Bedard was scratched against the Oilers, goaltender Spencer Knight and defenseman Louis Crevier returned to the lineup. Backup goaltender Arvid Soderblom also was available.

Teuvo Teravainen departed in the first period because of an upper-body injury. The Blackhawks are off on Tuesday, and coach Jeff Blashill said he would have an update on the forward on Wednesday.

“He could be OK. I just don’t know yet for sure. He couldn’t finish the game,” Blashill said. “We’ll go under evaluation here tomorrow and it might be something where he’s OK, might not be."

Bedard has 19 goals and a team-high 27 assists in 33 games. The 20-year-old center missed 12 games with a right shoulder injury before returning on Friday night against Washington. He had two assists in Saturday night's 3-0 victory at Nashville.

The Blackhawks also played without center Frank Nazar, who has missed 11 straight games after he was hit in the face by a puck during a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20.

“We’d prefer any of our great players in the lineup. But the reality is, when you don’t have them, you just come together,” captain Nick Foligno said. “It’s a game where you tighten up and do it for them, or do it for each other, or you play the right way. Today, we just allowed them to get their game right away. We didn’t make it hard on them.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard warms up before an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)