The Canucks Performed Surprisingly Well In Back-To-Backs During The 2025–26 Season

The Vancouver Canucks have officially taken part in their final back-to-back of the 2025–26 season, winning both games for the first time since December 19 and 20. While this season has not gone nearly as well as they would have hoped, Vancouver’s performances in back-to-backs actually hasn’t been as terrible as some may imagine — granted, the numbers have mostly been inflated by strong records towards the start of the season. 

The Canucks played in eight back-to-backs in the 2025 portion of this season, putting up a surprising record of 9–5–2 and a points-percentage of 0.625%. During this span, they went 5–3–0 in the first games of their back-to-backs and averaged 3.375 goals-for per game. While they only won four of eight in the second-half of their back-to-backs, Vancouver still managed to collect 10 of a possible 16 points, putting them back in the 0.625% points-percentage range once again. 

Vancouver’s biggest strength was, surprisingly, in back-to-back games spent on the road in 2025, of which they only lost two of nine in regulation. They also scored an average of 3.44 goals per game. The only caveat for this was the fact that they also registered their lowest shots-for per game, averaging only 24.77 compared to the 29.14 they averaged on home-ice. 

Looking at Vancouver’s record in back-to-backs in 2026, the Canucks’ success in their first games continued. Their points-percentage in Game 1s shot up to 0.7, winning three and losing one in regulation and one in a shootout, but still managed to score at least three goals in each of these five games. In this span of time, they averaged 4.6 goals scored per game. While the average has been decently impacted by Vancouver’s 8–6 win against the Colorado Avalanche on April 1, even when removing this game from consideration, the Canucks still averaged 3.75 goals per game in their first games. 

Vancouver’s success in their first games of back-to-backs in 2026 helped their record climb up to  4–3–3, as they have only won one of five second-games during this span. Their goals-for per game raised slightly compared to 2025, now up to 3.4, though this is largely in part due to the Avalanche game. In looking at their second back-to-back games through 2026, the Canucks only average 2.2 goals per game.  

With Thatcher Demko and Nikita Tolopilo both injured at various points this season, Kevin Lankinen ended up starting in at least one game of each of Vancouver’s back-to-backs this season. While it only happened once, the goaltender did end up having to play in both games of a back-to-back, starting both on November 8 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and on November 9 against the Colorado Avalanche on home-ice. 

When it comes to his record in back-to-backs, Lankinen actually posted much better numbers during the first games as opposed to second. In seven starts in the first-half of a back-to-back, the goaltender put up five wins and two regulation losses, collecting 10 of 14 possible points. On the flip side, he won only two of seven in the second-halves of his back-to-backs, though four of his five losses came in overtime. 

Put together, Thatcher Demko, Nikita Tolopilo, and Jiří Patera started a collective total of 12 games in back-to-backs. Demko’s points-percentage was the best of all Canucks goaltenders in games played as part of back-to-backs (0.7%), though he played in nine less games than Lankinen. In the first games of his back-to-backs, Demko did not lose in regulation. The opposite was somewhat the case for Tolopilo, who did not record a single overtime loss during games in a back-to-back. 

Overall, the Canucks actually haven’t fared too poorly in their back-to-backs. After this weekend’s back-to-back, Vancouver currently sports a total record of 13–8–5, good for a points-percentage of 0.596%. Their overall goals-for average in back-to-backs (3.387) currently ranks higher than what they have averaged throughout the season (2.56). Where the numbers appear to even out is in their average shots-for per game, which has totaled to 26.9 in back-to-backs compared to their overall number of 26.2. 

Vancouver will take part in their final two games of the season this week with a home matchup against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and a road game against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.  

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