Canucks Player Grades: Culture in question after 4-3 loss to Islanders

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“Our veterans are the ones that feel defeated first and it’s been going on here for a few years. We get off our game, we get frustrated, we over-complicated it and slamming the gate and things like that. It’s something we’ve got to get out of our culture.’ — Canucks head coach Adam Foote.

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Published Jan 19, 2026 • Last updated 13 hours ago • 5 minute read

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Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen, right, watches the puck as New York Islanders’ Maxim Tsyplakov puts a shot off the side of the net during the first period at Rogers Arena on Monday night. Photo by Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content

For the record, it was going to be a night to remember — or another one to forget.

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The struggling Vancouver Canucks were either going to end a numbing 10-game losing streak Monday — one short of the franchise record — and also stop a home-ice slide at seven-straight setbacks. Or, they were going to suffer even more sour-season misery.

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The NHL’s last-place club actually opened scoring and led 2-1, but would succumb 4-3 to the New York Islanders at Rogers Arena despite a late and desperate flurry to send the game into overtime.

They now match the 1977-78 Canucks who lost 11 straight games from Oct. 23-Nov. 11, and despite icing five 20-goal scorers, would finish 20-43-17-0 and miss the playoff, much like this sorry season.

And the strain of it all played out post-game when Canucks head coach Adam Foote was frank about the culture. In his mind, it has been missing and his veterans should be held accountable because a lack of professionalism played out in the loss.

Veterans are called out by Foote

“It seems to me as soon as we got scored on the PK, we kind of got a little bit off our game,” started Foote. “Our veterans are the ones that feel defeated first and it’s been going on here for a few years. We get off our game, we get frustrated, we over-complicated it and slamming the gate and things like that.

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“It’s something we’ve got to get out of our culture. Our culture is not going to be that any more. It just gets us off our game plan for a little bit too long and allows the other team to get a little bit of energy and get back into the game. It’s something we’ve got to stop. I’ve been watching this for too long. We’ve got to stop burning ourselves.

“We have got stay within the plan. The plan is working. It’s our vets. They’ve got to hang in there.”

Either way, the result wasn’t going to be marquee material because that came earlier in the day when rugged right-winger Kiefer Sherwood was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

And maybe the manner in which the fourth line of Max Sasson between Nils Hoglander and Linus Karlsson adhered to the game plan to have a strong offensive-zone presence was an ode to the departed Sherwood and how hard he played. All players want is hope and Sherwood provided the inspiration for those like Sasson, another late bloomer, looking to stick in The Show.

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“One hundred per cent,” said Sasson. “I had a long talk with him today and I will continue to stay in touch. He has given me a lot of advice ever since Day 1 up here, and even when we were in Abbotsford, that’s a guy we talked about all the time that we can learn from and strive to be one day.

“Just because you’re not in the NHL at 21, you can still find it. He’s playing his best hockey right now at 29. We’re going to miss him, A great leader and great friend to all of us.”

Now that’s a real culture carrier. Great find. Hard to replace.

Meanwhile, the Canucks had their chances but in the third period, a pair of needless and dumb penalties gave the Islanders a two-man advantage for 1:36. That’s where Kevin Lankinen was at his best with a series of sharp saves to keep his club within striking range.

Kevin Lankinen (32) makes the save as teammate Filip Hronek (17) ties up New York Islanders’ Anders Lee (27) during the first period Photo by Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESSD-Petey gets first-pairing look

It’s part of the process.

On Friday, Elias Pettersson the blueliner was in an AHL top pairing with Jett Woo. On Monday, he was aligned with Filip Hronek and what better way to see how the kid could handle pace, positioning and poise.

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He had a better gap to disrupt zone entries but had a moment where he used his stick, rather than his body, to get in the way of an Anthony Duclair wrister off a cross-ice feed that fooled Kevin Lankinen in the opening period to erase a rare 1-0 lead.

Zeev Buium was in a second pairing with Tyler Myers and Marcus Pettersson dropping to the third alignment with rookie Tom Willander shows how far the veterans game has slid.

Marcus Pettersson, right, checks New York Islanders’ Anthony Duclair during the second period Photo by Darryl Dyck /THE CANADIAN PRESSREPORT CARDS

Jake DeBrusk (C)

Three shots, six attempts, but his net presence went missing once again.

Elias Pettersson (C+)

Played well defensively, four shots, 10 attempts and added three hits.

Brock Boeser (C)

Best look on PP1 forced glove save, had three shots and five attempts.

Evander Kane (C+)

Provided 2-1 lead by tipping D-Petey point shot. Five shots, four hits.

David Kämpf (C+)

Two good looks off flank in first, five shots, won seven of nine draws.

Drew O’Connor (C-)

Pulled club to within 4-3 late, Took bad tripping penalty in third period.

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Liam Öhgren (C)

Had a great chance on cross-ice feed from Hronek. More net presence.

Aatu Räty (C)

Solid shift with shot off fly and then dropping defenceman with big hit.

Conor Garland (C-)

Not his best night in the O-zone. Two shot attempts, two giveaways.

Nils Höglander (C)

Another solid fourth-liner shift with great wrap chance from behind net.

Max Sasson (C)

Used speed to finishes off dominant fourth-line shift with opening goal.

Linus Karlsson (C+)

Started strong sequence on first goal by stripping puck, feeding Sasson.

D-Petey Pettersson (C+)

Gaps were better to deny entries and didn’t look out of place with Hronek.

Filip Hronek (C+)

His 500th career game, reliable as usual, sweet feed to Ohgren for chance.

Zeev Buium (C)

Got crossed up as Schaefer cut across crease on disallowed offside goal.

Tyler Myers (C-)

Dumb cross-check penalty in third period give Islanders 5-on-3 for 1:38.

Marcus Pettersson (C-)

Veteran dropped to third pairing. Positioning, puck battles were problem.

Tom Willander (C)

Picking his spots better when of when to pinch, working with Pettersson.

Kevin Lankinen (C+)

Would like third goal back from top of slot. Good saves on Isles 5-on-3.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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Canucks Player Grades: Culture in question after 4-3 loss to Islanders

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