The Stats Behind Game #45: Canadiens 6, Canucks 3
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 6–3 loss to the Montréal Canadiens.
Despite a visible effort from the Canucks, Montréal completely outplayed them on both sides of the ice. The Canadiens piled 36 scoring chances on Vancouver, while the Canucks managed 28. Both teams were evenly-matched in high-danger scoring chances with 10, though two of Vancouver’s came while on the power play.
The heatmap from last night’s game shows both positives and negatives for Vancouver. Positively speaking, the Canucks put up a fair share of opportunities directly in front of Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobeš, with all three of their goals coming from this specific area. With that being said, not only did they also allow a good chunk of chances from the same area, they also were unable to effectively protect the middle of the ice.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Montréal Canadiens, January 12, 2026, Natural Stat Trick. Statistically, the Canucks’ performance was not great from a defensive perspective. Only one of Vancouver’s four lines managed to out-chance their opposition when on the ice, with that being the unit of Nils Höglander, Aatu Räty, and Evander Kane. These three put up seven scoring chances-for and were on the ice for six scoring chances-against, while also putting up the highest CF% of all of Vancouver’s lines with 47.62%.
When it came to individual performance, it was Brock Boeser who led the way for the Canucks’ forwards. He generated the most scoring chances-for with 13, put up seven high-danger scoring chances, was on the ice for 11 scoring chances against, and played the second-most total minutes with 21:40 (most of all Canucks forwards). Boeser also had the second-highest CF% with 58.33%.
The Canucks will play in their fifth game of their current road trip, taking on the Ottawa Senators tonight at 4:00 pm PT. This is the first meeting of the season between these two teams, with the next taking place on March 9 in Vancouver. Since Nikita Tolopilo played on Monday night, expect Kevin Lankinen to man the crease tonight.
Jan 12, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) plays the puck against Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the first period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn ImagesMake 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.
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