Despite welcoming Brock Boeser back to the lineup, the Canucks fell 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild.
In the second game of their road trip, with eight players still absent from their lineup, the Vancouver Canucks fell 5–2 to the Minnesota Wild. Drew O’Connor was the lone goal-scorer tonight, while Thatcher Demko stopped 22 of 26 shots against.
The Canucks got a big boost to their lineup tonight, as Brock Boeser returned after leaving the team’s Thursday night game against the St. Louis Blues due to injury. He was spotted practicing on Friday and skated in tonight’s game, blocking a shot and registering two in 21:13 minutes played. Another player who was rumoured to be returning to the lineup was Quinn Hughes, who travelled to Minnesota to be with the team but ultimately did not end up playing.
Vancouver’s penalty kill was tested in succession early tonight, as Arshdeep Bains took two minor penalties within a five-minute span during the second-half of the first period. While the Canucks killed off their first shorthanded opportunity, Minnesota scored on the second despite not having the cleanest zone entry while doing so. After facing one more Minnesota man-advantage, the Canucks finished the game with two of three penalties killed.
After getting off to a much better start during the second period, generating five scoring chances within the first seven minutes, it was O’Connor and his line who pounced on the puck in the O-zone to tie the game 1–1 for Vancouver. This line in particular generated a few interesting looks off the rush for the Canucks even after their game-tying goal. Vancouver had exited the first period with three shots-for by the end of the first period, but quadrupled that total by the 10-minute mark of the second period.
Minnesota’s second goal of the game came down to the faceoff preceding it. After Elias Pettersson was kicked out of the draw, DeBrusk came in to take it, though Marco Rossi won it cleanly and quickly got himself open near Demko just in time to tuck it past the Canucks goaltender. While this faceoff didn’t quite go as planned, Vancouver and Minnesota were pretty evenly-matched in the dot tonight, with the Canucks winning 49.1%. Aatu Räty finished the game with the monst faceoff wins for the Canucks, winning 10 of the 15 he took.
Vancouver had a golden opportunity to tie the game at two apiece after being awarded a power play at the start of the third period after Rossi was called for slashing. Despite good possession in the O-zone, it was Minnesota who broke the scoring open for the third period with a rush goal from Vincent Hinostroza. The Wild weren’t done scoring yet, however, as Jonas Brodin sent a sharp-angle shot at Demko that just slipped past the Canucks goaltender.
With momentum on their side and a two-goal deficit to erase, the Canucks made a risky gamble and emptied their net with four minutes remaining in the third period. Despite putting Räty out to win the draw, Vancouver ultimately coughed up the puck and allowed Minnesota to increase their lead to five.
Stats and Facts:
- Canucks extend losing streak in Minnesota to eight games
- Thatcher Demko plays in his 250th NHL game
- MacKenzie MacEachern scores his first point as a member of the Canucks
- Drew O’Connor scores two goals in a game for the first time since December 31, 2024
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
15:53 - MIN: Vladimir Tarasenko (2) from Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy (PPG)
2nd Period:
5:34 - VAN: Drew O’Connor (1) from MacKenzie MacEachern and Aatu Räty
13:49 - MIN: Marco Rossi (3) from Vladimir Tarasenko and Jake Middleton
3rd Period:
4:07 - MIN: Vincent Hinostroza (1) from Jonas Brodin
5:46 - MIN: Jonas Brodin (2) from Joel Eriksson-Ek and Vladimir Tarasenko
7:00 - VAN: Drew O’Connor (2) from Aatu Räty
16:43 - MIN: Ryan Hartman (4) from Vincent Hinostroza
Up Next:
Vancouver wraps up their three-game road trip with a stop in Nashville to take on the Nashville Predators on Monday. The Canucks’ last match against Nashville was only a little over a week ago, during which they lost 2–1. Puck drop for Monday’s game is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT.
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