Izzy CheungThu, November 27, 2025 at 5:55 AM UTC·5 min readIn a game that saw defence come second to scoring, the Vancouver Canucks pulled off a surprising 5–4 win against the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks. Linus Karlsson, Evander Kane, Conor Garland, Max Sasson, and Drew O’Connor scored for Vancouver. With both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen unavailable for the Canucks, Nikita Tolopilo received the start, playing in his third game since returning from injury and his first in the NHL this season. He was a big part in giving the Canucks a chance to win tonight’s game, as he stopped 37 of 41 shots faced in a game that saw limited defence.
“The thing about him is he’s just so calm off the ice, on the ice,” Sasson said of Tolopilo post-game. “That’s kind of what I expected out of him. I think he said it in the media, that it’s just another game, and that’s kind of the way he takes it every day. He’s so calm in there. I’m really happy for him.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth teams were flying throughout the game, though this also meant they were limiting themselves a fair bit defensively. Vancouver (12) and Anaheim (18) each surpassed 10 scoring chances by the end of the first period — something not necessarily reflected in their amount of shots taken.
“It felt like it was kind of a track meet,” Sasson joked about the speed and style of play carried out by the Ducks tonight.
Vancouver’s power play, which previously scored in each of the past seven games, extended their streak to eight after tonight’s game. They kicked off their first man-advantage with a decent amount of control, even generating a shot from Brock Boeser directly in front of Petr Mrázek, but did not find the back of the net during this opportunity. In their second chance, they very nearly gave up a shorthanded goal against — something the Ducks have tended to target while on the PK — but scored off a shot from Kane on the second unit. During their third opportunity, Elias Pettersson had an impressive end-to-end solo dash to create a good scoring chance, though he ended up falling into Mrázek and was called for goaltender interference.
One other change in the lineup was the reunion of the Calder line, bringing Arshdeep Bains back into the lineup after he’d sat the past five games out. The group of Bains, Karlsson, and Sasson had some jump early on, with Karlsson getting a good chance before tipping the puck past Mrázek off a great O-zone pressure effort from Bains. Karlsson also factored into Vancouver’s second goal by providing Kane with a great screen to stop Mrázek from making the save.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJust like Disneyland only a little ways away, Garland put Canucks fans on quite the ride tonight. For starters, the forward made a big block near the end of the first period during a solid defensive shift for Vancouver. However, he raced to the dressing room immediately after blocking the shot, leaving many questioning his status throughout the game. Not only did he return for the second period, he also scored a beautiful goal by looping past Ducks defender Drew Helleson and potting the Canucks’ third of the night.
While the Canucks allowed yet another power play goal against, they did face six different power plays from the Ducks and killed five of them. They did, however, allow a goal only seconds after their third penalty ended, with the play coming off the Ducks’ power play set-up. Vancouver also managed to produce a 2-on-0 shorthanded breakaway, though this chance rang off the post.
“I thought in the third we started getting pucks in and letting our guys do their thing up top,” Sasson said of the team’s effort tonight. “When we can get that offensive zone stuff going, we’re a hard team to beat.”
Nov 26, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) looks to shoot while under pressure from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn ImagesStats and Facts:
Vancouver starts their fourth goaltender, 33rd player of the 2025–26 season
Canucks score a power play goal in their eighth straight game
Tom Willander records his first career multi-point NHL game
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
9:49 - VAN: Linus Karlsson (4) from Max Sasson and Marcus Pettersson
11:47 - VAN: Evander Kane (4) from Tom Willander and Filip Hronek (PPG)
2nd Period:
0:09 - ANA: Jackson LaCombe (3) from Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry (PPG)
9:04 - VAN: Conor Garland (6) from Brock Boeser and Tom Willander
16:19 - ANA: Leo Carlsson (12) from Troy Terry and Olen Zellweger
18:34 - ANA: Mason McTavish (5) from Beckett Sennecke and Jackson LaCombe
3rd Period:
15:58 - VAN: Max Sasson (5) from Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes
18:08 - VAN: Drew O’Connor (7) from Elias Pettersson (ENG)
19:53 - ANA: Cutter Gauthier (14) from Jackson LaCombe and Chris Kreider
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUp Next:
Vancouver continues their four-game road trip by staying in California to take on the San Jose Sharks. This will be the Canucks’ first look at a young Sharks team that is surprisingly near the Western Conference playoff bar thanks to the efforts of young players like Vancouver local Macklin Celebrini. Those interested in watching should note the change in start time, as puck drop is scheduled for 1:00 pm PT.
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