On October 11, 2023, followers had been shocked because the Vancouver Canucks wiped the ground with the Edmonton Oilers. As a crew that wasn’t anticipated to do a complete lot, the Canucks’ season expectations weren’t as lofty because the crew they confronted off in opposition to. Nonetheless, in a surprising flip of occasions, Vancouver stole the primary sport from the Oilers by placing up eight targets in comparison with their opponents’ one. The Canucks went on to win the Pacific Division and make it to sport 7 of the second spherical of playoffs.
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Expectations for Vancouver had been now close to sky-high. Followers labelled the crew Stanley Cup contenders if not playoff locks. They stated goodbye to Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Ian Cole, and extra, bringing in Jake DeBrusk, Vincent Desharnais, Kiefer Sherwood, and others. Everybody appeared to method the 2024–25 season otherwise from the final. However on October 9, 2024, Canucks followers had been as soon as once more shocked by their crew as they gave up a 4–1 lead, finally shedding 6–5 in additional time to the Calgary Flames.
Within the first 5 video games of their 2024–25 common season, the Vancouver Canucks have gone 2–1–2, with their solely regulation loss coming in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lighting. It’s not a far cry from the crew’s 3–2 report final season, recorded throughout the similar timeframe. Let’s break down every season’s begin game-by-game, from the primary to the fifth.
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Recreation 1
2023–24: 8–1 W vs. Edmonton
Each seasons noticed Vancouver match up in opposition to Albertan divisional rivals of their dwelling openers, with the 2023–24 roster skating in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers. What was most prevalent on this sport was the clear distinction in high quality goaltending. Thatcher Demko stopped 22 of 23 photographs from the Oilers whereas battling sickness (to the purpose the place he had puked in his masks and needed to be taken out for the rest of the sport), whereas Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell every let in 4 targets on 16 photographs confronted.
2024–25: 6–5 OTL vs. Calgary
The 2024–25 Canucks crew took on the Calgary Flames for his or her first sport at Rogers Area. Whereas the Flames weren’t anticipated to provide Vancouver a tough time, Calgary is at present first within the division. The Canucks predominantly examined Flames goaltender Dan Vladar from the proper aspect, whereas Calgary examined Artūrs Šilovs from all angles. The Flames blocked 22 photographs, whereas Vancouver blocked 12. An evident shift in offence got here within the second interval when Calgary appeared to slam on the fuel, and the Canucks started braking. This momentum adopted the Flames into the third interval and finally additional time.
Recreation 2
2023–24: 4–3 OTW @ Edmonton
In a fast rematch in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers, the 2023–24 Vancouver Canucks took one other victory in a 4–3 nailbiter. It was a sport that, regardless of ending in Vancouver’s favour, simply might have gone to Edmonton. The Canucks put up 16 photographs in comparison with the Oilers’ 40, with all of their targets coming from near the online. Casey DeSmith began for Vancouver, making 37 saves and registering a .925 SV%. A part of this offensive suppression got here from the 25 photographs that the Canucks blocked, most of which got here in a second interval that noticed Vancouver go on the penalty kill 4 instances.
2024–25: 3–2 SOL vs. Philadelphia
Though the 2024–25 Canucks misplaced their second sport of the season, they stored fairly comparable numbers to their opponent, the Philadelphia Flyers, all through the sport. Kevin Lankinen put up a stable efficiency, making 29 saves on 31 photographs in opposition to. Notably, Vancouver received 37 saves on the night time, placing their faceoff win share at 57.8. Nonetheless, Philadelphia knew the place to capitalize, blocking seven of the Canucks’ 9 photographs within the second interval (their least offensively-productive interval within the sport). Whereas each of those second video games had been solely decided by one objective, there have been variations in shot-blocking patterns decided by the tide of the sport.
Recreation 3
2023–24: 2–0 L @ Philadelphia
In a low-scoring, high-penalty affair in Philadelphia, the 2023–24 Vancouver Canucks registered their first lack of the season. Vancouver was shut out 2–0, with the one two targets of the sport coming within the first interval. The Canucks obtained off to a tough begin by permitting their first objective just one:45 into the sport. Due to Demko, the rating wasn’t worse, because the Flyers completed the sport with 42 photographs on objective in comparison with Vancouver’s 26. Exterior of a five-penalty third interval, the Canucks additionally took one within the first interval and two within the second.
2024–25: 4–1 L @ Tampa Bay
The Vancouver and Tampa Bay rosters of 2024–25 managed to place up the identical quantity of photographs of their mid-October matchup, although the rating informed a distinct story. In an identical vein to their third sport of the earlier season, they let a objective in throughout the first 5 minutes of the sport, as Nikita Kucherov scored 3:55 into the primary interval. Vancouver additionally allowed one other early-period objective, with Anthony Cirelli tucking one in simply 39 seconds into the third. As properly, the crew took two double minors — each for high-sticking — within the third interval.
Recreation 4
2023–24: 4–3 L @ Tampa Bay
Second-period woes confirmed themselves within the 2023–24 Canucks’ sport in opposition to Tampa Bay as a result of, regardless of scoring two targets, they solely registered eight photographs in that timeframe. Whereas the Lighting put up 15 and 19 within the first and second intervals, respectively, Vancouver slowed their tempo after the primary. One other level to notice was the distinction in shot-blocking execution. Tampa Bay had a excessive focus of shot blocks in entrance of their web throughout the third interval, which is the place most of Vancouver’s scoring possibilities got here from. With that being stated, Vancouver put up a promising effort on this span of time — they merely had been unable to beat Tampa’s defence.
2024–25: 3–2 OTW @ Florida
The primary win of the 2024–25 Vancouver Canucks’ got here in additional time in opposition to the Florida Panthers. It was a tough, bodily sport, because the Canucks and Panthers respectively registered 41 and 35 hits. Kiefer Sherwood led Vancouver with 10 hits, whereas Florida’s Sam Bennett made 5. A constant quantity of photographs and hits contributed to an engaged crew effort, in addition to a high quality, 26-save begin by Lankinen. Contemplating that this installment of the crew appears to thrive most off of bodily video games — as seen of their dwelling opener in opposition to the Flames — it’s not stunning that their first win got here off of a 41-hit efficiency.
Recreation 5
2023–24: 5–3 W @ Florida
The 2023–24 Canucks roster ended a two-game shedding streak with a 5–3 win in opposition to the Florida Panthers. Their six-shot third interval consisted largely of defending in opposition to the Panthers’ offence, which was permeated by two net-front targets by Sam Reinhart. Most of each groups’ time on this interval was spent in Vancouver’s zone, displaying a noticeable distinction from the spread-out presence within the earlier intervals. DeSmith continued his spectacular begin to the season with a 34-save efficiency on 36 photographs, solidifying himself as the subsequent man up after Demko.
2024–25: 3–0 W @ Philadelphia
After a brief stretch of concern for Canucks followers, who noticed their crew begin the season off with three losses (although two had been in additional time), Vancouver picked it again up and shut the Flyers out in a 3–0 victory. Followers noticed the dynamic duo of Nils Höglander and Conor Garland pull off some fairly passing with Elias Pettersson to notch the primary — and game-winning — objective. The crew put up 37 hits in opposition to Philadelphia’s 28, notably led by Jake DeBrusk (7) and Kiefer Sherwood (9). One other high quality begin by Lankinen set the goaltender as much as be Vancouver’s starter for nonetheless lengthy it could take for Demko to return.
