The Canucks came out flying, but the night still ended the same way it has far too often lately: with another loss.
Vancouver opened with real bite in Quinn Hughes’ return to Rogers Arena, throwing bodies, buzzing in the offensive zone and feeding off a crowd that made its feelings crystal clear. The building was loud from the jump, with chants of “Quinn you suck,” “Quitter,” and “He’s not signing” rolling through the first period as Drew O’Connor and Elias Pettersson finished their checks on the former captain.
For a while, the Canucks matched the energy in the rink. Liam Öhgren made a strong cut toward the middle before feeding Zeev Buium for an early look, and Elias Pettersson later set up Elias Junior Pettersson for a good chance. Quinn Hughes had a few unsteady moments with the puck, and the home crowd let him hear it every time.
But Minnesota settled in, and once the Wild got their first power play, they made it count. With 1:27 left in the opening period, Kirill Kaprizov threaded a cross-ice pass to Maxim Shabanov, who tapped it past Leevi Meriläinen for the only goal of the first. Vancouver’s own first power play never really got moving, as the Canucks struggled to establish themselves in the zone and failed to put enough pressure on Calvin Pickard.
The second period brought more of the same early energy from Vancouver, but not the finish to match it. Jonathan Lekkerimäki twice found Filip Chytil near the Canucks’ blue line, only for the puck to bobble away before Bobby Brink made Vancouver pay by dancing around Meriläinen for the 2-0 goal.
The Canucks had a chance to claw back after Arsh Bains got a partial breakaway off a feed from Brendan Gallagher, but he was hauled down before he could get much of a shot away and no penalty was called. Then Drew O’Connor was whistled for tripping, and Minnesota’s power play struck again. This time it was Quinn Hughes helping extend the lead, with the Wild cashing in on the man advantage to make it 3-0.
The third period didn’t take long to tilt further Minnesota’s way. After the Canucks got pinned in their own end and changed lines, Hughes helped spring Kaprizov, who shifted to his backhand and scored his league-leading 13th of the season to make it 4-0.
Vancouver finally got a response when Filip Hronek sent a long stretch pass to Max Sasson, who jumped in on a breakaway and beat Pickard five-hole. Later, the Canucks survived a dangerous stretch when Brock Boeser was forced to clear the puck over the glass, handing the Wild nearly a full minute of 5-on-3 time. Vancouver killed that off, with Elias Pettersson standing out on the penalty kill.
The Canucks weren’t done yet. After a pair of strong saves from Meriläinen, Boeser and Elias Pettersson connected on a clean give-and-go, and Boeser finished to cut the deficit to 4-2. Vancouver pulled Meriläinen late and pressed for two more, but the clock ran out on the comeback.
Final: 4-2 Minnesota.
It’s 10 straight losses for the Canucks.
In Other News...
Canucks Fans Should Stay Patient With Zeev Buium For One Reason
A nine-game losing streak has only added to the frustration around the Canucks rebuilding year, and Zeev Buium has become one of the more visible reminders that development is rarely linear. The young defenseman arrived with real expectations attached, especially because of his past offensive track record, but the early returns have been uneven and his role has already been adjusted as the team leans on other blue-liners in bigger spots.
Still, there is a reason to resist writing off Buium too quickly. He is young, he has shown in the past why so many people believed he could be more than a depth defenseman, and the Canucks are in a position where patience should be part of the plan. For a team that is trying to build something lasting, the broader view matters as much as the week-to-week results. [Read more 🡒]
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Thompson has already shown he can handle himself at the AHL level, and he also has a brief NHL run on his rsum with San Jose, which is part of why this decision matters beyond the paperwork. If he clears, the next stretch will be about building back rhythm and proving he can turn a strong minor-league track record into a longer look at the top level. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Defensive Depth Plan Just Got More Interesting
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Thompson had been out with an injury, but he is expected to return and factor prominently on the Abbotsford defense once he is cleared. For the Canucks, it adds another layer to a blue-line plan that has been getting harder to read, with organizational depth and readiness now carrying as much weight as roster status. [Read more 🡒]