The Canucks notched their second win of their past three games, taking tonight's matchup by 5-2 against the Panthers.
The Vancouver Canucks have their second win in their past three games, having taken a 5–2 win against the Florida Panthers tonight. Elias Pettersson led the way with two power play goals, Marco Rossi scored in his third-straight game, and Aatu Räty and Drew O’Connor also found the back of the net. In goal, Kevin Lankinen recorded his first win since January 21, stopping 21 shots on 23 faced.
One of a few positive outcomes from tonight’s game was the fact that the Canucks broke a four-game goalless streak on the power play by scoring two on the man-advantage thanks to Pettersson. Both of the forward’s goals came as a result of hard shots fired from the faceoff dot, with the first flying powerfully past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and the second trickling behind him on a similar shot.
“It was nice to get a bounce to go the right way, but I’m trying to play the right way. I know I still have a lot to do to be where I want to be, but definitely nice to see it go in tonight,” Pettersson said after the win.
Even Vancouver’s second-unit power play got some good looks. During the Canucks’ third man-advantage of the game, Linus Karlsson got some good tip-attempts off on Bobrovsky. While the goal didn’t technically take place on the power play, as it had just expired prior to it, O’Connor scored Vancouver’s fifth of the game to tie a career-high in goals with 16 on the season.
Vancouver’s third goal of the first period came off a lapse in defensive coverage for the Panthers. An ill-timed pinch left Rossi all alone in the slot in front of Bobrovsky, with the Canucks centre making a quick move before flicking the puck past the goaltender’s blocker. Rossi and his line of Brock Boeser and Liam Öhgren had yet another solid game, with the former two each registering three points and all three putting up at least one.
Despite having a solid response to Vancouver’s performance in the first period, Florida’s defensive lapses took place yet again on Vancouver’s fourth goal of the game. This time it was Räty who managed to work his way into Florida’s slot, not giving his shot a second thought as he put it past Bobrovsky to put the Canucks up 4–2.
When Vancouver needed him most in order to secure the win, Lankinen shut things down excellently. He made a flurry of saves with the Panthers fighting to invade the crease and made some big stops on Florida during their third-period power play. Even within the final minute, with the Panthers crowding him in an attempt to score their third, Lankinen stood tall.
“I was just happy to keep the puck out of the net,” Lankinen said after the game. “Obviously, I thought our team as a whole played a great game. Petey, Brock, Marco — they stepped up in a big way and led the way, and it was fun to watch.”
One other aspect of tonight’s game that should be noted is the team’s willingness to stand up for one-another. On multiple occasions, such as when Florida prodded at Lankinen after whistles or Zeev Buium was tripped up, the Canucks — particularly young players like Räty, Nils Höglander, and defenceman Elias Pettersson — weren’t afraid to go after the Panthers. Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote spoke on the change in energy around his team's room through the past few games.
“The last four or five games, we’ve been right there [...] I’d say we are consistent the last four or five, you feel the momentum change, you feel in the locker room, it’s different. The energy on the ice at practice is different."
Mar 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32), defenseman Filip Hronek (17) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) battle for the loose puck with Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesStats and Facts:
- Kevin Lankinen takes part in his 200th career NHL game
- Canucks’ record on March 17 increases to 10–4–0
- Elias Pettersson scores his 200th career NHL goal
- Marco Rossi increases his goal-streak to three-straight games
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
3:49 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (14) from Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser (PPG)
11:41 - FLA: Matthew Tkachuk (9) from Carter Verhaeghe
13:40 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (15) from Brock Boeser and Marco Rossi (PPG)
17:46 - VAN: Marco Rossi (9) from Brock Boeser and Liam Öhgren
2nd Period:
11:28 - FLA: Sam Bennett (25) from Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe
14:27 - VAN: Aatu Räty (4) from Evander Kane and Elias Pettersson (D)
3rd Period:
14:25 - VAN: Drew O’Connor (16) from Linus Karlsson and Tom Willander
Up Next:
With the Canucks now halfway through their eight-game home stand, their next match will take place on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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