Game 2 of the Vancouver Canucks’ 2025 Prospects Showcase against the Seattle Kraken ended in the former’s favour, as the Canucks took a 3–2 win to split the weekend series. Despite the close score, there were a few Canucks prospects who were given golden opportunities and made the most out of them. Here are some standouts from Game 2 of the Canucks’ Prospects Showcase.
Riley Patterson
While the circumstances of his promotion were unfortunate, as it came about due to a precautionary absence of 2025 first-round pick Braeden Cootes, Patterson took the top-line centre opportunity and ran with it. The forward skated alongside Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Vilmer Alriksson on Sunday night and showcased his skills by playing a big role in the game’s opening goal and tallying his own during the third period. Patterson was easily one of the top Canucks during this two-game showcase, as he finished the weekend with a goal and two assists.
“He did a really good job with those two,” Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra said of Patterson’s effort in Sunday night’s matchup. “Looking at some of the details in his game is really what we were evaluating over the last couple of days. He did a much better job this evening of [being] physical, making sure he was in the right spot at the right time, he was a little more tenacious on pucks and from there he was able to make some good plays between Lekky and Ricky, and then obviously capitalizing on his opportunity down the pipe.”
Aku Koskenvuo
Just like during the first game of the 2025 Prospects Showcase, the goaltender was a key talking point during the back half of the weekend. Koskenvuo was solid in net on Sunday, making 21 stops on 23 shots against. He was particularly effective towards the end of the game, as the Canucks faced a penalty kill and an empty net immediately after that. Despite this heightened pressure, Koskenvuo did not surrender a single goal.
“It was exciting getting my first Canucks game in a Canucks jersey,” Koskenvuo added after the game about skating in a game as a Canuck for the first time. “First period, I was a little bit working into it, but I felt pretty confident in the second and third period, so it was a lot of fun out there and great getting a win with the guys.”
“He did a great job, especially down the stretch. Came up with some huge stops. As the course of the game went on he looked far more comfortable in the net in terms of his rebound control and being big and square in the net, but he did a fantastic job on this back-to-back, getting his opportunity, he made the most of it,” Malhotra noted of Koskenvuo’s first game as a Canuck.
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The “Invitees” Line — Aaron Obobaifo, Jakob Oreskovic, and Nick Poisson
It was a good night for the Vancouver Giants on Sunday, as two WHLers made their impact in Vancouver’s 3–2 victory against the Kraken prospects. With Cootes’ injury, the Canucks’ centres slid up one line, with Giants forward Obobaifo coming into the lineup and playing with teammate Oreskovic and Vancouver local Poisson. This line factored into two of the Canucks’ three goals scored on Sunday night, with Oreskovic potting two assists and Obobaifo tallying the second goal of the game. Aside from the actual points themselves, this line made their mark on the game by bringing speed, forecheck, and hard work to the ice.
The Canucks will be back in action from September 18 to 21 as they partake in training camp up in Penticton. Their next game will be on September 21 at 5:00pm PT as they take on the Kraken in Seattle.
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