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In their first game since being eliminated from playoff contention, the Vancouver Canucks won 4–1 against the Colorado Avalanche. Kiefer Sherwood led the way in offense with a goal and an assist, while Jake DeBrusk, Dakota Joshua, and Nils Höglander also hit the scoresheet. Kevin Lankinen started in goal, stopping 31 of 32 shots against and picking up his first career win against the Avalanche.
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Despite no longer being in the playoff race, the Canucks didn’t simply roll over in tonight’s game. They controlled play consistently to start the first and second periods. Maintaining their presence in Colorado’s zone resulted in Vancouver being rewarded two power plays, though they weren’t able to convert on either. The Avalanche combatted them with a push in the back-half of the first period, but Vancouver stuck to their checks and broke up Colorado’s plays to keep the game at 0–0 going into the first intermission.
"I think it was really good effort. Lot of good stuff for some individuals. I thought the team played really well. I liked our game," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said of Vancouver's effort tonight.
Sherwood has been an integral part in all of Vancouver’s games against the Avalanche this season. Most notably, he scored his first career hat trick against Colorado on December 16 in a 3–1 win for the Canucks. Aside from scoring the 2–0 goal tonight, he also made a slick move to lose Samuel Girard and toss the puck to DeBrusk, who put it home for the game’s opening tally. Throughout his career, including tonight, Sherwood has put up six goals and two assists in nine games played against the Avalanche. In tonight’s effort, he also had two shots and one block in 16:07 of playing time.
Another important part in this game was the display of confidence shown by some of Vancouver’s younger players. Playing with his usual linemates Sherwood and Joshua, Aatu Räty showed a few bursts of speed to get in on the forecheck, one of which could have converted into a goal had Sherwood not scored first. He also pulled off a nifty move close to Blackwood that demonstrated his comfort with NHL play. Tonight, he won 64.29% of his faceoffs.
Räty was not the only younger player to show some bold moves, as Elias Pettersson (D) dropped the gloves with Logan O’Connor (no relation to Vancouver’s Drew O’Connor). After serving his time in the penalty box, he was welcomed back to the Canucks’ bench with some stick taps and pats on the back. This is not the first time the rookie defenseman has thrown his body around against the Avalanche, as Pettersson had four hits in the two teams’ last meeting.
"It was a good one. I think he's showcasing really well this season, and he's a great dude in the locker room. It's fun that he's doing well," Lankinen said of Pettersson's scrap tonight.
"He handled himself very well," Tocchet added. "When a guy can do that every once in awhile, people keep their heads up, so it's good. He's a big man."
With playoffs now unattainable, the conversation shifts to Vancouver’s franchise record for points by a defenseman. Hughes, who is only three points away from breaking Alex Edler’s record of 409, had the opportunity to do so tonight against Blackwood and the Avalanche. While he didn’t make any progress in catching Edler, it certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort. He had four shots on goal in 24:08 minutes played.
Even without a chance at playoffs, the Canucks have shown fans that they still want to end their season on a high note.
"We can't get into 'what ifs' and 'what happened'," Tocchet said of his message to the team in keeping spirits up to round out the season. "I keep saying there's a lot of people watching us, the efforts there continue to get, the effort to try to play some guys in certain situations. There's certain that play well for them, and I think they deserve to keep playing too."
Stats and Facts:
- With a goal and an assist tonight, Kiefer Sherwood registers his first 40-point season
- Aatu Räty extends his point streak to three straight games
- Elias Pettersson (D) registers his first NHL fight
- For the first time since November 4, 2023, Kiefer Sherwood does not make a single hit
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No scoring
2nd Period:
4:50 - VAN: Jake DeBrusk (26) from Kiefer Sherwood
7:51 - VAN: Kiefer Sherwood (19) from Dakota Joshua and Derek Forbort
16:36 - COL: Devon Toews (10) from Cale Makar and Charlie Coyle
3rd Period:
6:14 - VAN: Dakota Joshua (7) from Aatu Räty and Marcus Pettersson
18:02 - VAN: Nils Höglander (8) from Conor Garland and Filip Hronek (ENG)
Up Next:
The Canucks will now head back to Vancouver for a three-game homestand to round out the regular season. On Saturday, April 12, they’ll take on the team that eliminated them from playoff contention — the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have gotten a boost just in time for the postseason, as Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek returned to their lineup just yesterday. Puck drop for Saturday’s game is scheduled at 7:00 pm PT.
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