3 Standouts From Game #4: Golden Knights 3, Canucks 2

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks “3 Standouts From The Game.” In this recurring series, The Hockey News’ Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver’s last game. This article will focus on the Canucks' most recent 3–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Paul Cotter 

Almost no Canucks player has had a hotter start to the 2026–27 season than Paul Cotter, who scored yet again in Vancouver’s 3–2 loss to Vegas Golden Knights. The goal ties him with Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard and Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz for the most throughout the entire NHL, while also tying him with Elias Pettersson for the most overall points on Vancouver (6). 

On top of scoring his fourth goal in the past four games, Cotter also logged the second-highest minutes played by a Canucks forward in last night’s game with 18:46. He registered two shots, one block, one hit, and finished the night with 8-of-10 draws won. 

Marco Rossi

While he didn’t end up on the scoresheet in Vancouver’s Sunday-night effort, Marco Rossi had himself a statistically sound night against Vegas. The centre, who played on both Pettersson and Cotter’s wings at different points in the game, logged the third-most minutes of the Canucks’ forwards with 18:30 despite not seeing any shorthanded minutes through Vancouver’s five penalty kills. He also led the team in hits last night with four. 

While last night was an ugly one for the Canucks when it comes to advanced stats, Rossi was one of the few players that actually didn’t fare poorly. He was one of three players that produced more scoring chances-for (3) than the number of scoring chances they allowed (1). Also, when Vancouver emptied the net towards the end of the game, Rossi did his best goaltender impression when Vegas brought the puck back into the Canucks’ zone, sliding into the crease to prepare to block shots. 

Kevin Lankinen 

After a brutal start on Thursday night that saw him allow eight goals in a 9–7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Kevin Lankinen stood tall on Sunday night. The goaltender was peppered with shots early into the matchup, facing 12 shots from Vegas in the first period and turning all of them aside. He finished the game with a total of 25 saves on 28 shots. 

Lankinen’s solid effort also came about despite Vancouver being shorthanded for nearly eight minutes throughout the game. He stopped all but one of the eight shots Vegas sent his way with the Canucks on the penalty kill. 

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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Canucks Wrap Up Home-Stand With 3-2 Loss To The Golden Knights

Lineup Notes: Lankinen Expected To Return As Canucks Wrap Up Back-To-Back Against The Golden Knights

Vancouver Canucks Gameday Preview #4: The Toughest Test Of The Early Season In The Vegas Golden Knights

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.