The Latest Breaking News from Canucks

NEW YORK — A game against the out-of-it Vancouver Canucks, with former Islander Anthony Beauvillier in the lineup, looked like a great opportunity for the Rangers to pick up two easy points Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

PHILADELPHIA — The Bo Horvat era began promisingly for the Islanders.

The process was unusually and unnecessarily messy. Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford — remember him? — was typically candid during a news conference on Jan. 16 when he all but said he was going to fire Bruce Boudreau as coach of his underachieving team.

Legend should someday have it that this rumored Northwest rivalry between the Kraken and Vancouver Canucks officially began somewhere between Jared McCann’s second-period goal and Jamie Oleksiak force-feeding an opponent his lunch.

The Hawks’ streak of six wins in seven games — now firmly in the past after consecutive lethargic losses — did move them out of last place in the NHL, but only barely. With 36 games left, there’s plenty of time to slide back down again.

The Hawks mustered just five shots at even strength and 14 total in a 5-2 defeat Tuesday in Vancouver, squandering a quality effort by Petr Mrazek.

The Hawks were just a sideshow Tuesday in Vancouver for Rick Tocchet’s first game as Canucks coach — the end result of a coaching change handled with embarrassing sloppiness.

The Rick Tocchet era in Vancouver begins on Tuesday night.

Bruce there it is.