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Vancouver Canucks' Alex Biega (55) controls the puck in front of Boston Bruins' Sean Kuraly (52) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday February 17, 2018.DARRYL DYCK

Loui Eriksson scored his second goal of the night late in the third period and goaltender Anders Nilsson stopped 44 shots as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Boston Bruins 6-1 on Saturday night.

The Canucks were outshot 45-23 but got some timely saves from Nilsson, who registered his first win in 11 appearances dating back to Nov. 30.

Daniel Sedin, Sven Baertschi, Nic Dowd, and Bo Horvat also scored for Vancouver (23-30-6), which used four first-period goals to blow the game open early. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Canucks, who have just two victories in their last eight games.

Tim Schaller scored in the third period for the Bruins (35-13-8), who suffered just their third regulation loss in 27 games.

Nilsson, who started because Jacob Markstrom was sick, made a couple of big saves early, including getting a pad on a Danton Heinen shot off a rebound during a first-period Boston power play. In the third he robbed Schaller and Sean Kuraly on back-to-back plays.

Nilsson also got a little lucky as the Bruins hit three posts in the first 20 minutes.

Boston starter Tuukka Rask was replaced after allowing four goals on nine shots in the first period. Anton Khudobin stopped 12-of-14 shots.

The Canucks were outshot 18-9 in the first period but led 4-0 by scoring two goals just 56 seconds apart.

Eriksson opened the scoring two minutes into the game. Rask gave up a big rebound off an Alex Edler shot. Sedin took a swipe at the puck before it rolled to Eriksson, who whacked it into the net.

The Canucks went ahead 2-0 at 10:54 on a pretty play from Thomas Vanek. He skated down the middle the ice then feathered a pass through the legs of Bruins defenceman Brandon Carlo to Sedin, who was alone at the side of the net.

Horvat made it 3-0 at 11:50. He took a Troy Stecher pass, skated around defenceman Charlie McAvoy, and put a shot over Rask's glove. Nilsson earned an assist on the goal.

The Canucks made it 4-0 on a strange play. Rask stopped a shot from Baertschi. Boston's Noel Acciari tried to clear the rebound but the puck hit Kuraly's stick and went into the net.

Dowd scored the only goal of the second period. Jake Virtanen cut across the front of the net and took a shot that Khudobin stopped. Dowd put in the rebound for his second of the season.

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