NEW YORK (AP) — Kyle Palmieri scored twice, Matias Maccelli added his first goal for New York and the Islanders beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves for the Islanders, who have alternated losses and wins over their first six games, with all three wins coming at UBS Arena.
Brock Boeser and Max Sasson scored for Vancouver, which has lost five straight since opening the season 2-1. Leevi Merilainen stopped 35 shots.
Maccelli assisted on Palmieri’s goal at 5:38 of the third period, which broke a 2-2 tie.
Signed as a free agent after playing for Toronto last season, Maccelli freed up space with a stutter-step move and beat Merilainen late in the first period to make it 2-0. Palmieri had opened the scoring 53 seconds earlier.
Boeser’s power-play goal with 1:05 left in the second period tied the game at 2-all. It was the 80th of his career with the man advantage, fifth most in franchise history.
The Vancouver Canucks’ losing streak has officially hit five games after their 3–2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored Vancouver’s two goals tonight, while Leevi Meriläinen was strong in net, making 35 stops on 38 shots faced.
Vancouver actually didn’t look terrible during the first period, but a couple of quick goals on bad turnovers put them down 2–0 by the end of the frame. The Islanders’ first goal saw the puck go past a couple of Canucks before making its way towards the net, appearing to bounce off both Tom Willander and then Kyle Palmieri before beating Meriläinen. Zeev Buium, who played on Vancouver’s third-pairing tonight, coughed the puck up to Matthew Schaefer on New York’s second goal, with the Islanders defenceman threading it over to goal-scorer Matias Maccelli.
The Canucks debuted a somewhat new-look power play unit tonight as well. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who has been playing well throughout the start of the 2026–27 season, was bumped up to Vancouver’s top-unit and made an impact immediately. The forward was only a short distance away from scoring Vancouver’s first goal of the game as he ripped a shot past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, though the puck hit the crossbar and flew out of bounds.
An overlapping penalty-kill put Vancouver down a player to start the second period. Despite killing the penalty, the Canucks found themselves contained within their own zone for the first half of their period. This resulted in long shifts, such as two-minute sequences for Willander and Jamie Oleksiak, due to Vancouver not being able to break the puck out.
One break-out sequence started by the line of Lekkerimäki, Elias Pettersson, and Jake DeBrusk gave Vancouver some much-needed O-zone time. The break-in triggered a line change for both benches, which the oncoming Sasson and Arshdeep Bains capitalized on to give the Canucks their first goal.
Things seemed to switch up after Sasson’s goal — and Vancouver’s second penalty kill of the night shortly after — as it was the Canucks’ turn to put together more O-zone time. They were able to utilize their momentum to get extended looks in the Islanders’ zone, one of which resulted in Liam Öhgren drawing a penalty on Palmieri. On the ensuing man-advantage, Boeser scored his 80th-career power-play goal to take sole-possession of fifth-all time in franchise history.
Just like at the start of the second period, the Islanders made a strong push for offence to start the third, with this paying off in the form of a second goal for Palmieri. Once the final few minutes of the period emerged, Vancouver pressed to try and score the game-tying goal, but a hooking call on Buium put the Canucks down a player and ultimately neutralized their attempt at going 6-on-5.
To give credit where credit is due, however, Vancouver kept things interesting right until the end. Even with Buium in the box, the Canucks killed the majority of their penalty before drawing a penalty themselves and playing 5-on-4 with Meriläinen on the bench. All in all, Vancouver put up a fair comeback effort but were unable to fully secure the win.
Oct 13, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) skates with the puck past New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) in the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Canucks record first-ever loss at UBS Arena
Leevi Meriläinen’s personal shutout streak against the Islanders ends at 74:57 minutes
The Canucks go perfect on the penalty-kill for the first time in a single game this season
Filip Hronek has recorded a point in all games played (7) against the Islanders as a member of the Canucks
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
14:57 - NYI: Kyle Palmieri (1) from Matt Kessel and Bo Horvat
15:50 - NYI: Matias Maccelli (1) from Matthew Schaefer
2nd Period:
7:52 - VAN: Max Sasson (2) from Arshdeep Bains and Jamie Oleksiak
18:55 - VAN: Brock Boeser (2) from Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek (PPG)
3rd Period:
5:38 - NYI: Kyle Palmieri (2) from Matias Maccelli and Matthew Schaefer
Up Next:
Vancouver Canucks @ Florida Panthers, October 15, 4:00 pm PT
Make 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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Pius Suter, Jake Neighbours and Mason McTavish each had a pair of goals to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 7-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Adam Jiricek also scored for the Blues, Pavel Buchnevich had three assists and Joel Hofer stopped 15 shots.
Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund scored for the Senators, whose three game win streak came to an end. Samuel Ersson, making his second start for Ottawa, made 19 saves.
Ottawa was playing the second game of a back-to-back, coming off a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Monday.
The Blues took a 4-1 lead midway through the third when Suter beat Ersson short side from a sharp angle. Neighbours scored his second off a snap shot, McTavish scored on the power play, and Jiricek scored his first career goal to round out the scoring.
Zetterlund added a late power-play goal to make it 7-2.
St. Louis took a 2-0 lead midway through the second when Neighbours stepped in with a shot from the top of the slot and wristed a shot through traffic to beat Ersson glove side.
Giroux cut the lead in half with 2:08 remaining in the second on a feed from Tim Stutzle, but the Blues responded 33 seconds later. Some poor defensive zone coverage allowed McTavish to get a shot past Ersson from the top of the crease.
The Blues opened the scoring at 14:28 of the first period with a short-handed goal. Colton Parayko won a battle along the boards and found Suter with some open space and he beat Ersson blocker side.
With his second-period goal, Giroux recorded his 1,170th career point, tying Bobby Hull for 59th on the NHL’s career scoring list.
Up next
Blues: At Minnesota on Thursday.
Senators: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kyle Palmieri scored twice, Matias Maccelli added his first goal for New York and the Islanders beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves for the Islanders, who have alternated losses and wins over their first six games, with all three wins coming at UBS Arena.
Brock Boeser and Max Sasson scored for Vancouver, which has lost five straight since opening the season 2-1. Leevi Merilainen stopped 35 shots.
Signed as a free agent after playing for Toronto last season, Maccelli freed up space with a stutter-step move and beat Merilainen late in the first period to make it 2-0. Palmieri had opened the scoring 53 seconds earlier.
Boeser's power-play goal with 1:05 left in the second period tied the game at 2-all. It was the 80th of his career with the man advantage, fifth most in franchise history.
MONTREAL (AP) — Zachary Bolduc scored the decisive goal in a shootout for the second straight game, and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 after blowing a two-goal lead Tuesday night.
Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield each had a goal and an assist for Montreal. Josh Anderson also scored, and Juraj Slafkovsky added two assists.
Jacob Fowler made 14 saves in his third consecutive start after stopping 30 shots in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Detroit, which was decided by Bolduc's goal in the sixth shootout round.
Olen Zellweger had two goals and Josh Norris also scored for Buffalo as the teams met for the first time since the Canadiens eliminated the Sabres in the second round of last season's playoffs.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots, and Beck Malenstyn and Mattias Samuelsson had two assists apiece.
The Sabres scored twice in 61 seconds to erase a two-goal lead and tie the score at 3-3 at 5:25 of the third period. Norris bounced a point shot off defenseman Adam Engstrom before Zellweger converted his second with a wrist shot through a crowd.
In the shootout, Cole Caufield and Alexandre Texier scored for Montreal. Tage Thompson scored for Buffalo, but Jack Quinn missed to open the door for Bolduc.
Zellweger opened the scoring on the game’s first shot when his point attempt hit Engstrom and bounced into the net.
Hutson answered with a wrist shot past a screened Luukkonen on a 5-on-3 power play to tie the game at 14:28 of the first period. Caufield then one-timed a pass from Slafkovsky to give Montreal a 2-1 lead early in the second.
Hutson showcased his skill again late in the second, stickhandling in from the blue line before sliding a no-look backhand pass to Anderson, who fired into the open net with 50 seconds remaining in the period.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin did not travel to Montreal after appearing to hurt his lower back in Monday’s 5-3 win over Florida. Zellweger stepped into Buffalo’s top pairing and scored his first goals since being acquired by Buffalo last summer.
After entering the Vancouver Canucks’ top-10 in all-time power-play points, Brock Boeser has hit another milestone. With his 80th power-play goal, Boeser has entered the Canucks’ top-five in franchise power-play goals scored, passing Todd Bertuzzi for fifth all-time. He hit this milestone with a power-play goal against the New York Islanders.
Of his 228 career NHL goals, Boeser has now scored 80 of them on the power play. This was his first power-play goal of the season. In every season of his career in which he’s played in more than 10 games, Boeser has scored five or more power play goals, with his highest total being 16 in 2023–24.
With Boeser now in the franchise’s top-five in power-play goals, only Trevor Linden (97), Tony Tanti (102), Markus Näslund (114), and Daniel Sedin (138) sit above him. Elias Pettersson is the only other active Canuck to be within the franchise’s top-10 range in power-play goals, as he currently sits at 11th place with 64.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) skates against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make 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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
DETROIT (AP) — Jack Hughes scored on a breakaway off a slick pass from Jesper Bratt early in overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
New Jersey’s Evan Rodrigues, Nico Hischier and Bratt scored tiebreaking goals and Anthony Mantha had a tying goal. Jake Allen stopped 22 shots for the Devils.
Alex DeBrincat had a pair of tying goals after Emmitt Finne and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.
Detroit’s John Gibson made 32 saves, including a kick save that denied Arseny Gritsyuk on an odd-man rush late in regulation to send the game to overtime.
The Red Wings got off to a rough start, getting outshot 16-0 midway through the first period. New Jersey, though, didn’t take full advantage as Rodrigues scored its only goal in the opening period.
Finne scored on Detroit’s third shot with 1:25 left in the first period and Brandsegg-Nygard scored on the team’s next shot early in the second period.
The Devils, hoping to get back to the playoffs after finishing seventh in the division last year, acquired Rodrigues in a trade and signed Mantha — a former Red Wing — in free agency to boost their third line.
Detroit, meanwhile, had a shaky offseason.
Dylan Larkin asked to be traded and the former captain is still on the team. Simon Edvinsson, a standout defenseman, remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
Devils forward Luke Evangelista was out with an illness after feeling worse throughout the game Monday night against Ottawa and was replaced by Stefan Noesen. New Jersey defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic made his season debut after missing all of training camp recovering from knee surgery this past spring.
Up next
Devils: Host the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
The Buffalo Sabres had one of their best games of the season Monday, beating the Florida Panthers 5-3. Buffalo had offensive contributions up and down the lineup – something that hasn’t happened with enough regularity - but we have to be honest when we say the Sabres have a problem area, and that’s in net.
Before you do a spit-take, let’s look at the two Sabres goalies coach Lindy Ruff has used this season, starting with veteran Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In four games this season, Luukkonen has posted a .812 save percentage and a 3.67 GAA. He helped Buffalo to a win Monday night, but his save percentage has been an accurate depiction of the Sabres’ season. He didn’t get much help from his Buffalo teammates many nights, but his job is to give his team a chance to win, and more often than not, Luukkonen hasn’t got the job done.
Then there’s Colten Ellis, who was yanked from Monday’s game after allowing two goals on nine shots. The 26-year-old posted some strong numbers in limited action last season, putting up a .903 SP and 2.90 GAA in 14 appearances. But in three games this season, Ellis has not impressed, posting a .900 SP once, and an .867 SP or worse in the other two games. And getting the hook Monday should send a shot across Ellis’ bow. Ellis has an .864 SP and 3.19 GAA, and those numbers will enrage fans if Buffalo continues to get sub-par results from him.
This is why there were rumors the Sabres were interested in acquiring star netminder Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets. Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen may have found the price-tag for Hellebuyck too rich for his liking, but if Luukkonen and Ellis continue to struggle, it may be a must-do move for the Sabres to outbid every other team and acquire a legitimate needle-mover.
As we know, without adequate goaltending, you have nothing. And seeing his goalies fail to deliver what they’ve been asked to do must give Kekalainen the inclination to shake the trees and see what’s out there. But there are very few teams with the goalie depth to give up a goalie-of-consequence to the Sabres.
That’s why a deal for a goalie of Hellebuyck’s stature is so important for Buffalo. If goaltending is what sinks the Sabres’ season, people will be calling for Kekalainen’s head. So he must be pro-active and he must be aggressive. Because if Hellebuyck is traded to a Buffalo rival, it will kill Sabres fans.
This is the case for the Sabres to push for Hellebuyck. Maybe Kekalainen finds a reclamation project that gives Buffalo a fresh look between the pipes. Stranger things have happened. But the better route is picking up a proven, known quantity like Hellebuyck. He could be one of the final pieces of Buffalo’s puzzle. They just need to convince Hellebuyck that the Sabres have all the other puzzle pieces needed to win a Stanley Cup championship.
Hellebuyck ultimately has the final say about where he will play next. His no-trade clause allows for that. But the Sabres’ struggles could see them stepping up to shake things up and bring in a true difference-maker like Hellebuuyck. And if Kekalainen can do that, Buffalo fans and Sabres players are going to be thrilled
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 04: Dallas Stars center Justin Hryckowian (49) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) wait for the puck to drop during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche on April 4, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s Frozen Frenzy day, with all 32 NHL teams playing in 16 games starting at 4 p.m. MT, and the Avalanche will meet the Dallas Stars in Texas for the first of a home-and-home series at 6:30 p.m. MT!
The Stars are fresh off a 2-1 SO loss in Pittsburgh, and the Avalanche arrive in Dallas on the heels of their worst loss of the short season against Toronto on home ice. Which Central Division powerhouse will prevail in ‘Big D’?
Colorado Avalanche: 3-2-0
The Opponent: Dallas Stars (2-2-1)
Time: 6:30 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN, ESPN+
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche are likely pining to hit the ice again after their performance against the Maple Leafs this past Saturday. The days since have been filled with talk of potential goalie concerns, defensive lapses, and, of course, more on Avalanche power-play production.
I find myself dancing between seeing genuinely concerning things and knowing it’s far too early in the season to draw many conclusions about this Colorado club. Many of my fears about this team have surfaced in their two losses, but even more about why they should be a legitimate threat to win it all bubble up in their victories.
I’d love to see the Avalanche win a defensively structured, playoff-like game in this home-and-home against Dallas, as I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect at least a split series. That said, they are far more likely to secure the sweep if they tighten up their defense and stop playing like a team still in summer shinny mode. Colorado needs to raise their grown-up game against their fiercest rival.
Speaking of raising the level, Mackenzie Blackwood will get the net tonight, so he’ll have a chance to sway some detractors and show resolve after a tough 17-save, 23-shot evening in his last start. If that doesn’t happen, former Star Scott Wedgewood will get a crack at planting the seeds of a goalie controversy tomorrow night.
The Stars have gotten off to a slower start than I think most fans and pundits expected, but it’s not because of a lack of production from former Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen, who has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists). Scoring, however, has been the issue for the group as a whole. Dallas has scored 1 or fewer goals in each of its three defeats, including a shutout by the St. Louis Blues in their home opener.
Goaltender Jake Oettinger has looked excellent in his four starts, posting a 0.74 goals-against average and a .963 shot percentage, with two shutouts already on the books. Historically, Oettinger has been just okay against the Colorado Avalanche in the regular season, with a career regular-season 7-3-3 record, a .911 sv%, and a 3.05 GAA. Colorado’s 40 regular-season goals against Oettinger are the most he’s allowed to any one team in his career.
Dallas Stars netminder Jake Oettinger has let in more regular-season goals (40) when facing the Avalanche than he has against any other team in the NHL.#GoAvsGo | @MileHighHockey
NOTE: Don’t forget to download the new SB Nation app for a more mobile-friendly way to follow tonight’s action and engage with Mile High Hockey’s match threads. The Game Chat feature makes it easier than ever to comment and interact with your communities. The app is currently available in the U.S. and Canada on iOS and Android devices.
These are the colors (but not tonight). | NHLI via Getty Images
The Islanders host the Vancouver Canucks in their best chance of the season to get back to .500, briefly.
Ilya Sorokin is set to get the start against a team that is struggling.
#Isles facing a #Canucks squad that has lost four straight, is 0-3-0 on a six-game road trip, having been outscored 17-5 in the three games, and is last in NHL on PK at 52.0 percent (13/25) Canucks have been outscored 12-4 in first period, 15-7 in second period.
It will be another Meeting of the Schenns, brothers who’ve combined to play over 2,200 NHL regular season games and each get their name on the Stanley Cup.
The Flyers showed some fight Tuesday night by erasing a 2-0 deficit in the third period.
But it wasn’t enough for their first win. The club lost to the Kraken, 3-2, in a shootout at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Flyers’ dreadful losing streak hit eight games two nights after the team set the franchise record for the longest skid to start a season.
Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras tied things up for the Flyers in the final stanza.
“Honestly throughout the whole game I thought we had better energy,” Travis Sanheim said. “It just seemed like we had some more jump playing more of the style that we need to play to win in this league. It was nice to get rewarded in the third. It would have been nice to finish it off in the shootout.”
Seattle won it thanks to Bobby McMann and Matty Beniers delivering in the five-round shootout. Matvei Michkov was the Flyers’ lone scorer in the skills competition.
In overtime, the Flyers had to kill off a penalty for too many men on the ice.
Rick Tocchet’s club is now 0-5-3 and has been outscored 30-10 (excluding the shootout goal). Last season, Tocchet’s first as the team’s head coach, the Flyers were 4-3-1 through eight games and had scored 22 goals.
“This is something to build on,” Tocchet said of his team’s effort in the shootout loss. “I know it’s the moral victory thing, but it is, it’s something to build on.”
The Flyers see the Kraken (5-2-0) again Dec. 29 in Seattle.
• Dan Vladar was fantastic, turning away 29 of 31 shots. He deserved a win.
He stopped three of the Kraken’s five shootout attempts.
The 29-year-old made a huge save just nine seconds after Zegras tied the game. He also tallied an assist on Dvorak’s goal.
Vladar denied Jordan Eberle on a penalty shot 6:23 minutes into the second period. It was an excellent stop with his right leg pad to keep the Flyers’ deficit at 1-0.
“He has been solid every time he starts,” Tocchet said. “There were a couple of bouncy goals this year that he’s really upset about, but we’re not blaming the goalies. They’ve been terrific for us this year.”
Philipp Grubauer stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 26 shots.
Zegras had a couple of heated confrontations with the Seattle netminder.
With six minutes left in the second period, Zegras was whistled for slashing as the Flyers’ forward tried to dislodge a puck from under Grubauer. The goaltender then went after Zegras, who was being held by some of the Kraken’s skaters.
After Zegras exited the penalty box, he put a shot on Grubauer, who snagged it with his glove. Once the play was whistled dead, Grubauer rolled the puck to Zegras, who then flipped it back at the goalie. As they came together, Grubauer gave Zegras a two-arm shove.
“When stuff happens like that on the ice, maybe the fans get into it a little bit more and the guys respond from that,” Zegras said. “I think maybe we just need a little bit more of that in our DNA going forward.”
Both players were hit with penalties — Zegras for unsportsmanlike conduct and Grubauer for roughing.
But Zegras got some payback in the third period. With the action at 4-on-4, he scored off a great play by Sanheim.
Grubauer, though, finished with the win. Zegras, Tyson Foerster, Porter Martone and Denver Barkey couldn’t score on him in the shootout.
“I like the way we played tonight, we played hard,” Zegras said. “We got pucks to the net, bodies to the net. It’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t get it done in the shootout.”
• Jack Studnicka, a forward who was called up Monday, didn’t have a good start to his Flyers debut.
The 27-year-old committed a first-period tripping penalty that led to McMann’s game-opening power play goal 7:57 minutes into the action. The Flyers had a solid start, but the penalty ultimately put them in an early hole. And with that came the pressure because confidence has been hard to come by for the Flyers.
The Flyers had their own power play opportunity later in the period. They didn’t record a shot and the fans let them know.
In the second period, Ville Ottavainen cushioned Seattle’s lead to 2-0.
• Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York skated Tuesday morning under the watch of assistant coach Todd Reirden.
As Ristolainen performed his conditioning work at the end, the defenseman was without a stick. He has missed the last five games after taking a shot to his left hand.
York, recovering from an upper-body injury, missed his third straight game and has been considered day to day.
Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York going through skate with assistant coach Todd Reirden.
Ristolainen has missed last four games after taking shot to left hand. Didn’t see him have stick here.
Travis Konecny also missed his third straight game. The alternate captain has a lower-body injury after taking a check to his right leg last Thursday night.
Konecny is eligible to come off injured reserve Saturday, but we’ll see if he’s actually cleared to return then.
• The Flyers practice Wednesday before flying to Detroit for a matchup Thursday with the Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET/ESPN+, Hulu).
Kevin Lankinen's start to the 2026-27 season has given the
Vancouver Canucks some reasons for concern. Losing games was always going to be
part of the rebuild. Too often, Vancouver is buried early and spends the night
chasing.
The early scoring outbursts were fun, but Vancouver doesn't have the offensive firepower to trade goals with opponents every night. They need tighter defence, cleaner exits and harder forechecking. That's where Lankinen needs to help. There are going to be
defensive breakdowns with this group, but a few timely saves can keep the
Canucks from spending the rest of the night chasing the game.
The numbers haven't been pretty. Six appearances, 29 goals
against. A 6.88 goals-against average and .786 save percentage tell the story.
Dan Brousseau of Ocelot Analytics measured him at minus-10.7 goals saved above
expected. That was the lowest mark through six appearances in Brousseau's
sample of 479 goalie seasons since 2020-21.
The Road-Warrior Record Feels Distant
It wasn't always like this for Lankinen. Back in 2024-25, he
broke a road record when he went 10-0 in his first 10 road games. He ended up
playing 51 games that season and finished with a .902 save percentage. That
figure dropped to .875 last year. This October, he allowed eight against the Edmonton Oilers and six each against the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers.
The Edmonton game showed why the discussion can't end with
his save percentage. Lankinen was pulled after eight goals on 20 shots, yet
Manny Malhotra pointed to the breakaways and dangerous chances the Canucks had
surrendered. The defence was poor. Lankinen still needed to stop more.
The Defence Has Its Own Problems
There are three defencemen under 23 in the picture: Zeev
Buium, Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson. Pettersson has had encouraging
moments, but the group is still learning. The veterans haven't provided much
relief. Luke Schenn was a healthy scratch against Carolina, Jamie Oleksiak sat
against the Rangers, and Filip Hronek has been below his usual standard.
The recent four-game losing streak was ugly: 20 goals
against and only seven for Vancouver. Scoring chances favoured the opposition
109-63, including a 45-27 margin on high-danger looks. The penalty kill hasn't
offered much help, either, sitting last in the NHL at roughly 52 percent after
conceding 12 goals. A goalie is supposed to be his team's best penalty killer,
but there are four skaters who have to win battles and take away passing lanes
first. Neither part has worked well enough.
Paul Cotter and Max Sasson have shown how a hard forecheck
can turn a loose puck into offence. Vancouver needs more of that pace across
its lineup. Without it, the Canucks get stuck defending, and the deficits pile
up. They were down 3-0 inside 10 minutes against Carolina. There aren't many
ways for this roster to recover from that kind of start.
A Bigger Job Than Planned
The Canucks committed five years and $22.5 million to
Lankinen with Thatcher Demko still expected to be their No. 1. With Demko
injured, Lankinen is once again carrying a bigger load. But 51 appearances
didn't stop him from playing well in 2024-25, so the workload only explains so
much.
Meriläinen's Strong Start
Leevi Meriläinen has given Vancouver another reference
point. His first four appearances produced a .929 save percentage. He's stopped 68 of 69 shots at 5-on-5, good for .986 in that
situation. Against Calgary, he turned aside 23 of 24 shots in a 4-1 win.
Malhotra has liked how composed Meriläinen looks, especially
when the Canucks need a stop. Four appearances aren't enough to declare him the
better option, and the two goalies haven't faced identical workloads or
opponents. Still, when another goaltender can keep Vancouver competitive behind
much of the same defence, it's difficult to blame all of Lankinen's struggles
on the players in front of him.
The Verdict
The Canucks can accept losses during a rebuild, but not this many goals
against. Repeated blowouts can hurt a young team's confidence. Lankinen can't
fix the breakouts or penalty kill alone, but he needs to start making more of
the saves that kept Vancouver competitive when Demko was out two seasons ago.
This can't continue much longer. If things don't improve, Meriläinen could soon
get the green light for a string of starts.
Oct 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make 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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Buffalo Sabres pulled back to a .500 record with a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in the finale of their five-game homestand on Monday, but lost team captain Rasmus Dahlin in the second period with an unspecified upper body injury. Dahlin scored a power-play goal in the first to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead, but on an offensive zone faceoff early in the middle frame, injured himself winding up for a slapshot on Panthers goalie Akira Schmid.
Head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game that Dahlin was considered day-to-day, and ruled him out of Tuesday’s first encounter with the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, saying that he would receive treatment from the club’s medical staff in Buffalo and avoid getting on an airplane. The Sabres play the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Thursday, which means he possibly could join the club for their first meeting with their closest geographic rival.
Owen Power leads the Sabres in defensive scoring with seven points
The Sabres on Tuesday announced that defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to October 1, when he played in the season-opening 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The move allows the Sabres to recall defenseman Dennis Gilbert from AHL Rochester without having to make another move to open up a roster spot. Grzelcyk could be eligible to return to the lineup as soon as Thursday if Dahlin cannot play in Toronto.
Buffalo made another roster move involving a blueliner on Monday, trading Amerks defenseman Ryan Johnson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for minor leaguers Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch. Johnson was a 2019 first round pick of the Sabres who signed with them in 2023 after four years at the University of Minnesota. The 25-year-old played 47 games over four seasons with Buffalo and went unclaimed on waivers after training camp last month.
Jones, 29, is the brother of Florida Panthers blueliner Seth and has played 255 career NHL games with five clubs.
One of the most highly discussed draft picks in recent Detroit Red Wings history is Michael Rasmussen, selected ninth overall at the 2017 NHL Draft.
The six-foot-six forward was taken after producing very solid numbers in the Western Hockey League with the Tri-City Americans, where he returned for another season after being drafted.
Detroit fans became even more excited a year later. During the 2018-19 season, Rasmussen didn't just make the jump to pro hockey, he made it to the NHL. He played three games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring a pair of goals, before spending most of the season with the big club.
In his first season with the Red Wings, the Surrey, B.C. native finished with 18 points in 62 games, a respectable total for a youngster. Little has changed in his production since as Rasmussen has settled in as a 20- to 30-point depth forward and has never reached the upside Detroit hoped for.
Last season, he finished with 14 points in 64 games while dealing with injuries and being a healthy scratch at times. He entered this season already in a scoring drought that dated back to last January, and he heads into Tuesday's game against the New Jersey Devils riding a 30-game point drought.
Rasmussen has now played eight seasons in the NHL, all with the Red Wings, and has recorded 66 goals and 88 assists for 154 points in 459 games. That raises a question under the team's new management direction of should Detroit try to move Rasmussen and see if he can thrive elsewhere? With so many young players in the minors deserving a chance at an NHL role, is he worth keeping on the main roster?
Rasmussen will be a free agent at the end of next season, so he still has plenty of time to make a case to be brought back. But if the drought continues, the question will only get louder of when will the Red Wings come to a decision on the former top ten pick?
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Bruce Cassidy has won a Stanley Cup, been fired and watched another NHL hiring cycle pass without finding his way back behind a bench. For now, he's found a way to keep coaching while he waits for the next opportunity.
Cassidy is working with Canada's women's national team ahead of the World Championship in Denmark this November. It's a new experience for the veteran coach, but the day-to-day work is familiar: watching video, preparing practices and helping players improve.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, Cassidy discussed his work with Hockey Canada, the possibility of returning to the NHL and what he's taken away from his time outside the league.
Hockey Canada named Cassidy a special adviser to general manager Danièle Sauvageau last month. He's since been helping head coach Kori Cheverie as the team prepares for the tournament.
The opportunity has given Cassidy a reason to stay in his coaching routine, even if the setting is different from what he's used to.
“Just trying to stay in a routine, so to speak,” Cassidy told LeBrun. “Great people here. This opportunity came up, and it's really helped fill that void.”
There's also been more time for family. Cassidy has been able to watch his 16-year-old son play hockey on weekends, a change of pace after years spent managing the demands of an NHL season.
His long-term plans, though, haven't changed. Cassidy wants another NHL job, and he remains under contract with Vegas through June 30, 2027. Any team interested in speaking with him would need permission from the Golden Knights.
Until something opens up, Cassidy has time to think about what he'd bring to his next team — and what he might do differently.
“I've always thought I'm a pretty direct coach,” he said. “I hold people accountable, and my teams play a certain way. But I think it's always about how you message.”
That question of communication has taken on added importance since Cassidy led Vegas to the Stanley Cup in 2023. Keeping a team at championship level is one challenge; figuring out how to deliver that message after the group falls short is another.
Cassidy said he spent time reflecting on how he handled that balance during his final seasons with the Golden Knights.
His next NHL job could still be some time away. In the meantime, the Team Canada assignment gives him a chance to keep coaching, learn in a different environment and be ready when the next call comes.
