Canucks 5, Ducks 4: Rookie Goalie Steals a Wild One

There was nothing tidy about this game. Still, the Vancouver Canucks won the kind of road game that can settle a rattled team. With both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen unavailable, Vancouver handed the net to Nikita Tolopilo, making his second career start. All he did was stop 37 shots and steady a team that has too often sagged when pushed. It wasn’t a perfect game, and Tolopilo said as much. However, he was composed and gave the team exactly the lift it needed to open its road trip.

The Canucks started well. Linus Karlsson cashed in on a friendly bounce to make it 1–0, and Evander Kane extended the lead on the power play. Anaheim pushed back, repeatedly hitting iron before Jackson LaCombe broke through early in the second. Even when Conor Garland restored a two-goal cushion with a hard-charging backhand, the Ducks kept throwing pucks and bodies at Vancouver’s end. Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish tied the game late in the second, leaving the Canucks wobbling but not collapsing.

The Canucks Came Through in the Third Period

The third period was a test of nerve. A two-man short-handed breakaway nearly put Vancouver ahead, but it took Max Sasson, parked in the right place at the right moment, to tip home the go-ahead goal with under five minutes left. Drew O’Connor added an empty-netter, and although Cutter Gauthier’s late strike tightened the finish, Vancouver held on.

What stood out was how many of the Canucks’ depth players answered the moment. Tom Willander produced the first multipoint game of his young career. Filip Hronek registered two assists. And despite long stretches in their own zone, the group didn’t fold—something that had crept into their game during the recent slide.

This wasn’t a win built on structure or rhythm. It was built on resolve, taking advantage of chances, and a rookie goaltender who looked entirely unfazed by the chaos around him. For a team trying to claw back some confidence, all that matters.

Three Takeaways from a Canucks’ Point of View

Takeaway One: Nikita Tolopilo looks NHL-ready. The youngster remained calm under fire, keeping Vancouver alive as the Ducks swarmed.

Takeaway Two: The Canucks’ depth scoring came through. Karlsson, Garland, Sasson, and O’Connor all came through in a game driven by secondary pieces.

Takeaway Three: The Canucks’ power play remains reliable. A goal with the man advantage in its eighth straight game gave Vancouver early breathing room.

Final Canucks’ Thought

A shaky road win isn’t something to apologize for—especially when it shows a team learning how to hold on together. It was a win the Canucks desperately needed, and they got it.