The Vancouver Canucks have lost yet another important game for their playoff hopes. Despite coming close, they lost 3–2 to the Vegas Golden Knights, marking their eighth loss in the second-half of back-to-backs this season. Nils Höglander and Aatu Räty scored for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves on 35 shots against.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Nils Höglander Returns To The Canucks Lineup Against The Vegas Golden Knights
All Of Alex Ovechkin’s Goals Against The Vancouver Canucks
MUST SEE: Canucks Elias Pettersson Scores First Career Goal
Höglander made his return to the lineup tonight, starting on a line with Brock Boeser and Pius Suter. This was his first taste of in-game action since leaving the match on March 22 against the New York Rangers, though he joined the team for a regular practice on Friday. He tallied the opening goal off a solid offensive effort from Vancouver, grabbing a rebound after the Canucks sent a flurry of shots at Vegas goaltender Adin Hill. Prior to tonight’s game, he had five points in his previous five games. In his return to the lineup, he put up two shots and two hits in 16:20 minutes on the ice.
“It felt good to get the goal there in the first period,” Höglander said after the game. “Feels good to get it over and just keep going from this.”
“I think a lot of guys can learn from Höggy," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet added on Höglander's performance tonight. "You’ve got to move your feet and go to where the puck is going to be.”
The chances didn’t stop for Vancouver after Höglander’s goal, as each line contributed to generating the team’s seven shots produced within the first half of the first period. By the end of the first frame, despite the 2–1 score, the Canucks put up 12 shots and a corsi-for of 17. As well, the night after scoring his first career NHL goal, Elias Pettersson (D) put up three hits in the first period.
“I think the first period was pretty good. We got some good forecheck and good looks. So, yeah, that's the goal. We’ve gotta score,” Höglander added.
For Vegas, the first period was extremely lucky. Their first goal could have been challenged for being offside, as Barbashev seemed to enter the Canucks’ zone only inches before Mark Stone carried the puck in. However, Vancouver decided not to challenge it despite it looking pretty close. This is assumedly due to Vegas’ status as the top power play team in the NHL. The second Vegas goal bounced off of Victor Mancini’s skate and flew into the net before Lankinen could slide to the other side of his crease to stop it.
Lankinen made his first start since the team’s 7–6 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 28. The Finnish goaltender’s playing time has decreased significantly since Thatcher Demko returned to the lineup on March 24 against the New Jersey Devils, giving him ample rest after starting nearly 50 games this season. Despite letting two in during the first period, he settled into the game and made a great slew of saves in the second frame.
Räty, who has been fantastic since being called up on March 23, scored his sixth goal of the season to tie the game up at 2–2. He now has four goals in his last six games. He was the team’s best regular faceoff man by a mile today, winning seven of 10 draws (though Jake DeBrusk won all three that he took). Räty also had three shots and four hits in 11:35 minutes played.
Despite their impressive start to the game, by the third period, play fell dramatically into Vegas’ favour. In this frame, the Golden Knights piled 12 shots onto the Canucks in an attempt to break the tie and finally beat Lankinen near the 17-minute mark of the third period.
"Obviously we didn't have the puck enough the second half of the game. They controlled the play, so we're kind of hanging in there. So it's tough when you're you don't have the puck a lot, but there's some effort from a lot of guys out there," Tocchet noted.
“I think we’ve just got to keep building, keep believing here,” Lankinen said of what the team can take from the loss.
While their postseason hopes will depend on other teams in their conference, Vancouver can’t afford to lose any more games if they want a shot at playoff hockey.
Stats and Facts:
- With the win, Vegas’s record at Rogers Arena is now 9–1–2
- Canucks playoff odds now sit at 0.2%, as per MoneyPuck.com
- Boeser tallies his 11th point in the last 10 games
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
4:46 - VAN: Nils Höglander (7) from Pius Suter and Brock Boeser
8:36 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (21) from Mark Stone
13:15 - VGK: Nicolas Roy (13) from Tanner Pearson and Keegan Kolesar
2nd Period:
8:03 - VAN: Aatu Räty (6) from Filip Hronek and Kiefer Sherwood
3rd Period:
16:46 - VGK: Victor Olofsson (14) from William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo
Up Next:
With the conclusion of their final back-to-back of the season, Vancouver’s next game will come against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in the first of a two-game road trip. This will be the second game they play against four straight playoff-contending teams. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
