Instant Reaction: Canucks Show Grit, But Fall in Shootout to Leafs
The Vancouver Canucks didn’t come away with two points, but they earned something just as important for a young, undermanned roster: respect. In a game that featured everything from scrappy defensive stands to a rare overtime penalty shot, Vancouver battled the Toronto Maple Leafs to the wire before ultimately falling 3-2 in a shootout.
Let’s break it down.
First Period: Shaky Start, Steady Recovery
The opening shift didn’t inspire much confidence. Elias Pettersson, Evander Kane, and Jake DeBrusk were all off-balance early, and Auston Matthews’ line nearly took advantage. It looked like one of those “not ready at puck drop” nights for Vancouver.
But the Canucks settled in. While their offensive zone time didn’t always translate into high-danger chances-too many perimeter shots with little traffic in front of Joseph Woll-they at least tilted the ice in their favor for stretches of the first ten minutes.
The crowd, heavily tilted toward the Leafs despite the game being played in Vancouver, made itself heard early. “Go Leafs Go” chants rang out before Toronto even registered a shot. That kind of energy can rattle a young team, but credit to the Canucks-they didn’t fold.
Their best look came late in the period when Marcus Pettersson’s one-timer deflected off a skate and nearly snuck under Woll’s pad. On the other end, Brandon Carlo nearly opened the scoring for Toronto, forcing Arturs Silovs (playing under the Tolopilo nameplate) into a sharp save that led to a prolonged Leafs cycle.
The biggest concern from the first? Evander Kane leaving the game after blocking a shot. His absence was felt.
Second Period: Lekkerimäki Strikes, Leafs Answer
The deadlock finally broke thanks to Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who ripped a wrist shot from the slot over Woll’s shoulder. That’s the kind of release that gets scouts buzzing and fans dreaming. It was a pure goal-scorer’s finish-quick, accurate, and lethal.
1-0 Canucks.
Marshall Rifai didn’t get an assist on the play, but his risky rim around the boards helped set things in motion-though it could’ve gone the other way just as easily. Moments later, Oliver Ekman-Larsson nearly tied it for Toronto with a blast off the crossbar.
Aatu Räty, energized by the goal, nearly made it 2-0 with a close-range shot that Woll managed to shoulder aside.
The Canucks thought they had doubled their lead when Elias Pettersson (the forward) buried a loose puck, but the goal was waved off for goaltender interference. Rifai, again in the spotlight, was ruled to have interfered with Woll, wiping away the tally.
Lekkerimäki and Liam Öhgren had a breakaway opportunity off a lucky bounce, but couldn’t generate a shot.
Meanwhile, Silovs was dialed in. He turned away quality looks from William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Nic Robertson. But on Robertson’s third shot, Nicholas Roy got a piece of it in front to tie the game with just under seven minutes left in the frame.
1-1.
The Canucks responded almost immediately. Tom Willander, jumping into the play off the rush, buried his fourth of the season on a slick east-west feed. A strong read, a confident finish.
2-1 Canucks.
That momentum didn’t carry long. Vancouver found themselves pinned in their zone again for the next couple of minutes, scrambling to break up Toronto’s cycle. Still, they weathered the storm and even pushed back with some dangerous looks.
At the horn, Elias Pettersson (the defenseman) got into it with Scott Laughton after a crosscheck, marking his second straight game with some post-whistle fire. That edge is becoming part of his game, and it’s not going unnoticed.
Third Period: Leafs Push, Canucks Hang On
The third opened with two minutes of 4-on-4 thanks to the Pettersson-Laughton dust-up. And early in the frame, Max Domi tied it up with a strange one-an awkward trickler off a faceoff scramble that somehow found its way through.
2-2.
It was a tough break for Silovs, who had been sharp all night. After losing a shutout in his last start due to a concussion spotter pulling him mid-game, this one was another case of bad luck overshadowing a strong performance.
The Leafs poured it on from there. They outshot Vancouver 8-1 in the early stages of the period and dictated play. Whether it was a tactical decision or sheer exhaustion, the Canucks went into a shell, content to play for overtime.
Linus Karlsson gave the Canucks a brief jolt with a rush through the neutral zone and a one-timer off a gorgeous cross-ice feed from Filip Chytil, but Woll stood tall.
Despite being outshot 16-2 in the period, Vancouver held on to force overtime.
Overtime: Drama, Defense, and a Denied Penalty Shot
The Canucks opened OT with David Kampf, Filip Hronek, and Jake DeBrusk. After an early chance from Toronto, Elias Pettersson (the forward) dazzled with some offensive zone movement alongside DeBrusk and Hronek, but they couldn’t convert.
Nylander and Matthews responded with a series of dangerous chances for Toronto, forcing Silovs to stay sharp.
Then came the sequence of the night. Pettersson nearly won it on a wraparound, only to have the puck bounce away.
That led to Auston Matthews breaking in alone the other way. Conor Garland hauled him down, and the officials awarded Matthews a rare overtime penalty shot.
Silovs stared him down and made the stop. Cold-blooded.
To the shootout we went.
Shootout: Leafs Finish, Canucks Fall
William Nylander and Auston Matthews both converted for Toronto. Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk couldn’t answer for Vancouver.
Final: 3-2 Leafs (SO)
The Takeaway
This was one of those games that doesn’t look like much in the standings but says a lot about where this Canucks team is mentally. They were outgunned, outshot, and missing key players, but they didn’t fold.
Silovs was excellent in net. Lekkerimäki continues to flash top-tier scoring instincts.
Willander’s confidence is growing. And the group as a whole showed some bite.
They didn’t get the win, but they earned a point-and a little more belief in what this young core might become.