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The Canucks were playing very, very well until they weren’t. And then they lost.
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Published Nov 05, 2025 • 5 minute read
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Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard (98) and Vancouver Canucks’ Filip Hronek (17) vie for the puck during the first period on Wednesday night at Rogers Arena. Photo by ETHAN CAIRNS /THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content
Tyler Bertuzzi scoring a hat trick on Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks can be told two ways: it’s just the second time a Bertuzzi has scored three times in the Canucks’ home arena — or if you prefer, it’s the first time a Bertuzzi has scored at Rogers Arena.
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More seriously though: the Canucks lost Wednesday 5-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks because they couldn’t cover the nephew of the hometown great, a guy who would be in the Ring of Honour but for a night of madness 21 years ago.
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Tyler Bertuzzi’s hat trick was the difference in a game the Canucks were dominating through two periods, then completely and utterly fell apart.
“If you ask the coaching staff, they’d probably be more focused on the lapses defensively than what we could have done offensively,” a disappointed Quinn Hughes said post-game. It was Hughes who lost Bertuzzi on the first Hawks goal.
The rest of the period became a game of mental fatigue, head coach Adam Foote ended up admitting. His team got frustrated, they were tired, and they compounded their errors.
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“You allow them to come in and you overpress,” he said. “We went down (low) and pressed, and then the next guy pressed, and the next guy pressed,” he went on. Next, he implied, the puck was in the Canucks’ net. “The moment was wrong, but the guys are trying to do the right thing, and that could happen with mental fatigue.”
Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes (43) and Chicago Blackhawks’ Tyler Bertuzzi (59) vie for the puck during the first period Photo by ETHAN CAIRNS /THE CANADIAN PRESSWatch that seam
The Hawks’ second goal, also by Bertuzzi, was another backdoor play, where the sniper found a seam in the Canucks’ coverage and was left unchecked.
He tapped in a beautiful cross-crease pass by Connor Bedard.
It’s become a regular feature of the Canucks’ penalty killing struggles, one they need to address.
Wiz kid
Connor Bedard was a true treat to watch. He’s found his game in the NHL, finally. Was a nuisance for the Canucks to cover all night.
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Connor Bedard (98) and Tyler Myers (57) vie for the puck during the second period Photo by ETHAN CAIRNS /THE CANADIAN PRESSFewest shot blocks
The Chicago Blackhawks have the fewest shot blocks per game on defence and it’s by design: they’re more interested in boxing out their opponents than getting into shooting lanes.
That means Spencer Knight gets to see everything.
When you’re accustomed to having gummed-up shooting lanes, you might think that would throw shooters off. Hughes said he didn’t think it did. But what it did do, Foote suggested, was muck up the timing of players in front.
“We wanted our first guy to stay at the net a little bit longer,” he admitted. Find a few more greasy rebounds.
Ironically, both Canucks goals came from distance.
Anyway, let’s get to the game’s grades:
Forwards
Elias PetterssonC+ Early on, he was moving his feet and getting chances. But he’s paid to score. Whiffed on a great chance in the second. Was ready to take a breakaway pass late in a shift but Evander Kane struggled to get the puck up to him and the moment was lost. Also passed on a half-break when he would have been better off driving the net and creating a little havoc. He’s playing fine, but as ever, he’s paid to be more than fine.
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Evander Kane B Great moves with the puck and some not-so-great moves with the puck — which is proving to be the EK91 experience. His goal was a great hammer of a shot. Too bad they were already down 4-1 when he scored.
Conor Garland C+ It’s when he returns you realize how much he helps the power play. Was buzzing on offence. But buzz only gets you so much.
Lukas Reichel C- A great breakaway chance in the first. But otherwise struggling to connect with his teammates. Was pushed down the lineup in the third. His defensive struggles against his old team were obvious.
Jake DeBrusk C Four early shot attempts but also lost an early puck battle. He’s really struggling to put his game all together right now and the frustration was evident post-game, as he was very hard on himself in a discussion with another reporter.
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Brock Boeser C Missed a great chance early. Is making puck touches everywhere. But unlike the great performance vs. Nashville, managed no impactful chances.
Aatu Raty B Nice pass over to O’Connor but like everyone struggling to contain Bedard in the first. Got better as game went along. Deserved his goal.
Drew O’Connor B- Goal got called back but he deserved it. Been trying to make things happen. Work rate continues to be there.
Kiefer Sherwood B- Missed a great chance at a goal in the second. He’s got a great side kick in O’Connor.
Max Sasson C+ Calder Cup line had some great first period shifts but didn’t get much ice time as game wore on.
Arshdeep Bains C+ Great rush in the first. His few shifts continue to be very good ones.
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Linus Karlsson C+ He’s playing really smart hockey when he gets the chance. Will surely get a goal just out of his industry at some point.
Defence
Quinn Hughes B- Huge shock: skating well early. But an actual huge shock in the third: didn’t pick up Bertuzzi at the back door.
Tyler Myers C- Getting cooked a little by the Bedard matchup. Had a really tough night defensively. Not a game he’ll want to revisit.
Marcus Pettersson C+ His steady presence just wasn’t enough. He’ll be more impactful in future games.
Filip Hronek B- A Chaotic game but somehow a plus on this night.
P-O Joseph C Got the tap over Elias Junior Pettersson. Junior Petey has been struggling, but hard to see how he still wouldn’t have been an improvement over Joseph, who did have a nice breakout pass at one point but whose defensive game mostly just underwhelms.
Tom Willander C+ A nice read on a zone entry in the first. Lots of nice things are happening with him on the ice but still lots of struggles too. A work in progress but he’s showing enough to keep staying in the lineup.
Goalie
Kevin Lankinen B Had no help on the first two Chicago goals. Third goal, by former Canuck Ilya Mikheyev, was a defensive disaster so again no help. And so was the fourth goal. You feel for the guy.
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