The Vancouver Canucks fell 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres
The Vancouver Canucks kicked off their Eastern road trip with a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. During the game, Vancouver received goals from Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Liam Öhgren. As for Thatcher Demko, he stopped 15 of the 19 shots he faced in the defeat.
The Canucks pushed hard but could not find a way to tie the game in the third period. All three of Vancouver's goals came in the final frame, with the Canucks outshooting the Sabres 14 to four in the third. In the end, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the story as he stopped 32 of the 35 shots Vancouver fired his way.
One issue for the Canucks in this game was the power play. Vancouver went one for four with the man advantage while also allowing a shorthanded goal. While it was a positive that the power play was able to generate 12 shots, the Canucks need to find ways to get more traffic to the crease and cause more chaos in front of the opposing goaltender.
Like has been the case many nights this season, it is hard to critique Vancouver's effort level. The Canucks controlled play for large portions of the night and ended up outshooting Buffalo by 15. In the end though, Vancouver was unable to finish off their scoring chances, which has been a common theme since the start of the campaign.
Speaking of effort, that should be the main focus at this point in the season, not wins and losses. While there will be some who still believe that the playoffs are in reach, Tuesday's game should serve as a reminder of how much further this roster needs to be rebuilt to become a contender. The fact that the Canucks kept pushing despite being down 4-0 halfway through the third is a positive, as it demonstrated that even if the game is out of reach, this group will continue to push to the final whistle.
As for those who want to embrace the tank, this was the perfect game. As mentioned above, Vancouver provided some excitement by almost coming back yet still maintained draft position by not picking up a point. While the team will be disappointed not to pick up points, this result is a positive for the future of the franchise.
Jan 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Max Sasson (63) controls the puck as Buffalo Sabres right wing Jack Quinn (22) defends during the first period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn ImagesStats and Facts:
- Kiefer Sherwood becomes the second player this season to record 200 hits
- Canucks allow their sixth shorthanded goal of the campaign
- Brock Boeser becomes the 16th player in franchise history to record 240 assists
- Jake DeBrusk's 24th power play goal ties Darcy Rota for 34th all-time in franchise history for goals on the power play
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
2:01- BUF: Tage Thompson (21) from Bowen Byram and Owen Power
11:24- BUF: Ryan McLeod (8) from Alex Tuch (SHG)
2nd Period:
9:37- BUF: Alex Tuch (13) from Bowen Byram and Josh Norris
3rd Period:
6:13- BUF: Zach Metsa (1st Career Goal) from Beck Malenstyn and Jordan Greenway
10:17- VAN: Jake DeBrusk (11) from Kiefer Sherwood and Brock Boeser
15:16- VAN: Elias Pettersson (11) from Brock Boeser and Evander Kane
15:44- VAN: Liam Öhgren from Marcus Pettersson Linus Karlsson
18:36- BUF: Josh Doan (13) (ENG)
Up Next:
The Canucks continue their road trip on Thursday when they take on the Detroit Red Wings. Vancouver and Detroit have already met this season, with the Red Wings skating away with a 4-0 victory at Rogers Arena. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.
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