The Vancouver Canucks are carrying a hot third-period touch into Sunday’s matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights, but the start has become the problem.
Through three games, Vancouver has piled up 17 goals, tying the Edmonton Oilers for the league lead. Eleven of those have come in the third period, including four in the final frame Saturday night in a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames.
That late surge has been a weapon. It has also left head coach Manny Malhotra wanting more from the opening minutes.
“It was great to see the response in the third,” said Malhotra after Thursday’s loss to the Oilers. “Knowing that push is there perhaps makes it even a little bit more frustrating, knowing that we have to start that way.”
Elias Pettersson echoed that concern, saying the Canucks need a cleaner first period against Vegas, especially with the Golden Knights offering a stiffer challenge than the Oilers or the Flames and with Vancouver playing the second half of a back-to-back.
“I don’t like the starts of these last two games - or the first game,” said Elias Pettersson. “We’ve got to start on time, play with the same hunger as we ended the last two games. That is on everyone, including myself; we’ve just got to start better.”
The Canucks are not expected to make major changes after a win, particularly with no practice or game-day skate between games. One lineup question is Jake DeBrusk, who Malhotra said was sick rather than a healthy scratch. Whether he’s ready to return is still unclear.
If Vancouver rolls with the projected group, the forwards would line up as Marco Rossi with Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson, Liam Öhgren with Paul Cotter and Brock Boeser, Arshdeep Bains with Max Sasson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Drew O’Connor with Aatu Räty and Brendan Gallagher.
On the blue line, the projected pairs are Zeev Buium with Filip Hronek, Jamie Oleksiak with Tom Willander, and Elias Pettersson with Luke Schenn.
Kevin Lankinen is expected to start in goal after Leevi Meriläinen handled the crease in Saturday’s win.
Vegas is coming in off a loss to the youthful Anaheim Ducks and may also have some lineup movement after head coach Ryan Craig shuffled things during that game. The projected forward groups based on how they finished are Brett Howden, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone; Ivan Barbashev, William Karlsson and Mitch Marner; Braeden Bowman, Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson; and Trevor Connelly, Nic Dowd and Marc Gatcomb.
The defense projection has Brayden McNabb with Shea Theodore, Parker Wotherspoon with Rasmus Andersson, and Jeremy Lauzon with Noah Hanifin.
In net, the expected starter is Carter Hart, though Adin Hill is also in the picture. Hart has not been strong early, and Vegas could choose to go with Hill against what it sees as a weaker Vancouver team.
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There was also a familiar Vancouver connection drawing attention in the aftermath, as Terriers coach Jay Pandolfo singled out Canucks prospect Aiden Celebrini after the game. For Vancouver, it is the kind of early-season college snapshot that matters, especially when both players are already starting to become part of the conversation in a program that tends to keep NHL scouts interested. [Read more 🡒]