The Canucks and Golden Knights are set to meet for the first time this season tonight, and this one starts a four-game series that will run through March. Vancouver hosts Vegas on Oct. 4, then heads to Vegas on Nov. 15 before the teams meet again on Mar. 25 and Mar. 31.
History has leaned heavily toward the Golden Knights. Vancouver is 7-19-2 all-time against Vegas and 3-9-2 on home ice. The Canucks have also struggled in recent meetings with the Flames, going 2-8-0 in their last 10 and 0-5-0 in the last five.
A few Canucks have built up solid numbers against Vegas over the years. Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser share the team lead among active Vancouver skaters with 18 points apiece versus the Golden Knights.
Pettersson has done it with seven goals and 11 assists in 21 games, while Boeser has eight goals and 10 assists in 22 outings. Filip Hronek has six assists in 16 career games against Vegas, and Jake DeBrusk has six points in 19 games, including four goals.
Brendan Gallagher has also produced eight points in 13 career games against the Golden Knights.
In net, Kevin Lankinen has faced Vegas 11 times and owns a 3-5-2 record with a 3.16 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage. Leevi Meriläinen has not faced the Golden Knights in his career.
Pettersson has come out firing to open the season, piling up five points through three games. Liam Öhgren is riding a career-best-tying three-game point streak and has four points over that stretch.
The last time these teams met was Apr. 7/26, when Vegas edged Vancouver 2-1. Max Sasson opened the scoring 12:50 into the second period off assists from Teddy Blueger and Linus Karlsson, but Brayden McNabb tied it with 4:14 left in the second and Cole Smith put Vegas ahead for good with 7:47 remaining in the third.
Nikita Tolopilo stopped 26 shots for Vancouver. Filip Hronek and Marco Rossi each had two shots, Hronek finished with six hits, and Tom Willander, Marcus Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk each blocked three shots.
In Other News...
Flames Loss In Vancouver Exposed A Familiar Problem Again
Vancouvers win over Calgary had the kind of hard-edged, scrappy feel that tends to reveal a teams habits as much as it rewards them. The Canucks leaned into a physical, patchy game and got important work from Leevi Merilinen in goal, where his calm, effective presence helped steady things when the pace got choppy. Schenn and others brought the sort of straight-ahead physicality that can tilt a matchup like this, especially when both sides are grinding for every loose puck.
Still, the game also looked familiar in one area the Canucks would probably rather not revisit. Even with the result going their way, the power play struggled badly throughout the night, and it remained the one part of the performance that did not match the rest of the effort. For a team trying to build on wins like this, the frustration is that the margin for error gets thinner when a familiar weakness keeps showing up in the same moments. [Read more 🡒]
Elias Pettersson Looked Like A Difference-Maker Again In Canucks Win
The Canucks got what they needed in a 4-1 win over the Flames, and Elias Pettersson was in the middle of it again. The center not only picked up an assist, he also led Vancouver in hits, a reminder that his value stretches well beyond the scoring sheet when the game gets heavy.
Behind him, the night also brought a milestone in goal, with Leevi Merilinen earning his first win in Vancouver after stopping 23 shots. Luke Schenn added the kind of physical presence and leadership the Canucks often lean on in divisional games, helping set the tone in a matchup that had plenty of edge from the opening shift. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Blue-Line Trouble Just Made This Trade Rumor More Interesting
The early-season picture around the Vancouver Canucks has only made one of the leagues lingering trade ideas feel a little more complicated. Elias Pettersson has gotten off to a strong start and given the organization something to think about at a time when every conversation about the roster seems to come with a bigger strategic question attached, especially with the Canucks trying to sort out where they stand in the longer view.
Ottawas injury situation on the blue line adds another layer to the chatter. With Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson both out, the Senators have a real need on defense and could be pushed toward exploring the market, which is why a name like Simon Edvinsson is suddenly worth watching after reports that contract talks with Detroit have stalled and he would rather be moved than sign a new deal. For Vancouver, it is one more reminder that the trade board around the league is starting to shift in ways that could eventually spill over into their own decisions. [Read more 🡒]