First NHL goal ‘meant to be’ for local Vancouver Canucks winger Arshdeep Bains – Hockey

Photo: The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – Arshdeep Bains earned a solid vote of confidence before suiting up for his hometown Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

The left winger spoke with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and the Canucks legends told him they had a feeling Bains was ready to score his first NHL goal.

They were right.

“I’d heard that from a couple of guys,” Bains said after scoring the game-winning goal in Vancouver’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. “Everyone is very happy for me. And I almost felt like that’s how it should be.”

Bains, a native of the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, said his mom and dad were in the stands to watch his big night.

The 23-year-old forward picked up a loose puck in Penguins territory midway through the second period and threw it to linemate Daniel Sprong, who ran up the ice and fired a shot into Alex Nedeljkovic’s pads. Pittsburgh’s goalie couldn’t grab the rebound, which went to Bains and into the open net.

Sprong’s work felt like “a gift,” Bains said.

“I really can’t even put it into words,” he said. “It happened very quickly and all the boys were very happy. “It’s just a special moment.”

Pittsburgh called a 30-second timeout after Bains scored, giving him a few moments to celebrate the moment with his teammates. The Canucks gave out hugs and high-fives while the Penguins huddled on their bench. Sprong ran down the ice to collect the puck, a souvenir Bains said he would give to his father.

A teammate had some constructive criticism towards the scorer.

“I wish he had a bigger smile in his goal. But you see the reaction of the guys on the bench. I think we were happier than him,” winger Kiefer Sherwood said with a smile.

“But he’s been a guy that just hunkers down and keeps working… So it really feels good for everyone to support him and watch him do his thing.”

After going undrafted, Bains signed with the Canucks as a free agent in March 2022 following a standout campaign in which he scored 43 goals and 69 assists in 68 games for the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.

He spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League and then was called up to the NHL team for eight games last season.

However, it was in September training camp where Bains really impressed. The six-foot, 184-pound forward was initially sent to Abbotsford following the club’s latest round of cuts, but Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet was quick to say Bains would return to Vancouver soon.

“He’s got some speed, but he’s starting to find an identity that he can control as well,” Tocchet said of how Bains has caught his attention. “He’s finding the positions to be in defensively. He’s working on his game.”

Others in the Canucks locker room have also noticed Bains’ growth.

Vancouver star forward Elias Pettersson said he always knew his young teammate had what it took to be a good player.

“He makes plays. He has to touch to make a salsa pass and make the right decisions,” Pettersson said. “But he has a habit of working hard, playing the right way. And I think he’s going to continue to get better for us.”

MORE MILESTONES

Before Saturday’s game, the Canucks recognized defenseman Tyler Myers, who played his 1,000th NHL regular-season game while Vancouver was on the road last week.

Myers’ wife, Michela, and their three children joined him for an on-ice ceremony that included a video montage of his career highlights and a host of gifts, including silver mini sticks for his children.

The 34-year-old blue back has 93 goals and 280 assists in 1,002 games, including an assist on Elias Petterson’s goal on Saturday.

HARD SWING

The loss to Vancouver capped a difficult four-game trip through Western Canada for the Penguins.

Pittsburgh’s only point from the swing came in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said Saturday that the team has what it takes to break out of its rut.

“I think a lot of this starts with a mindset,” he said. “It’s a certain attitude, it’s a certain resilience that we must have. “We need some reaction and we have to do a better job.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.