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Fleury gets first shutout of Blackhawks career in win over Canucks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 40 shots in his first shutout of the season and the Blackhawks blanked the Vancouver Canucks 1-0 on Sunday night.

Brandon Hagel scored the game's lone goal with a third-period tip-in, while Fleury earned his 68th career shutout and improved his recent record against Vancouver to 13-0-2.

Thatcher Demko stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Canucks, who controlled play through much of the first two periods but stuttered in the third, giving up an early goal and struggling to generate offense.

The Canucks got a late chance after Chicago's Jake McCabe was called for interference on Tanner Pearson with just over two minutes left on the clock.

Vancouver peppered Fleury with shots and poured on the pressure with just 90 seconds to go, pulling Demko in favor of an extra attacker, but Fleury made 6 saves to kill off the penalty. The Canucks were 0 for 3 on the man advantage Sunday.

Hagel finally broke the scoreless deadlock 4:12 into the third, tipping in a long shot from Erik Gustafsson for his fifth goal of the season.

Vancouver dominated play through much of the first two periods, outshooting the visitors 30-13. It also killed off three penalties - rare, considering the Canucks came into the game with the NHL's worst penalty kill at 60.3%.

Sunday's game was the second time the two sides met this season after Vancouver took a 4-1 decision in Chicago on Oct. 21.

Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones saw his eight-game point streak come to an end. He had 2 goals and 6 assists across the stretch.

Vancouver Canucks' Tyler Motte, left, checks Chicago Blackhawks' Seth Jones into the Chicago bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. Associated Press
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