Instant Reaction: Nikita Tolopilo makes 39 saves in 3-2 shootout loss to the Leafs
Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
Starting Lineup
Warmup #Canucks lines vs. @MapleLeafs
Kane. EP40. Garland.
Chytil. Kämpf. Karlsson.
Öhgren. Blueger. Lekkerimäki.
O’Connor. Räty. DeBrusk.
EP25. Hronek.
Joseph. Myers.
MP29. Willander.
🥅Tolopilo🥅
4pm on @Sportsnet650
First Period
I had a bad feeling that Canucks fans were in for another “We weren’t ready to go at puck drop” kind of game when Elias Pettersson, Evander Kane, and Jake DeBrusk spent the game’s opening shift falling over inside the d-zone against Auston Matthews, Max Domi, and Bobby McCann.
My concerns were eased (mildly) when the Canucks began attacking the Leafs in waves throughout the opening ten minutes. Yes, by “attack,” I mean “cycle the puck in the offensive zone before throwing thoughtless, low-percentage shots toward Joseph Woll from the perimeter.”
I’ve got to give credit to the team sitting dead last in the NHL standings. Their “home” crowd opened the game with a raucous (and disgusting) “Go Leafs, Go!” chant before the Leafs had even registered a shot on goal. It was as tough a crowd as it gets. Spite is a powerful weapon, and the Canucks rallied from a concerning opening shift to play a competitive, nearly hightlight-less first period.
The Canucks’ best look of the period came with two-and-a-half minutes left in the frame, when a step-in one-timer from Marcus Pettersson hit a skate, stopping under Woll’s right skate.
The Leafs’ best look of the period came shortly after, with Brandon Carlo stepping in for a one-timer off of Tolopilo’s right pad. Carlo’s look led to a prolonged shift stuck inside the d-zone for the Canucks.
Most noteworthy was Evander Kane leaving the game after blocking a shot. And this spotlight of Pierre-Oliver Joseph’s kicks.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph arrived to the Canucks’ game against the Ducks in shoes designed by the kids at BC Children’s Hospital 🫶
Second Period
Jonathan Lekkerimäki broke the stalest of stalemates with an absolutely deadly wrist shots from the slot over Woll’s right shoulder.
1-0 Canucks
🚨Canucks goal🚨
Jonathan Lekkerimäki rips one home to start the scoring in the 2nd!
🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks
Defenceman Marshall Rifai did not pick up a secondary assist on the goal sequence, despite his ill-advised rim around the boards to no one in a Leafs sweater.
Canuck-Karma nearly reared its head shortly after when Oliver Ekman-Larsson rifled a one-timer off the crossbar and wide.
Invigorated by the weight of a Calder Cup Championship ring and the sight of Lekkerimäki’s goal, Aatu Räty almost made it 2-zip with a tester off Woll’s shoulder at close range.
Rifai was the beneficiary of a (pretty obvious) goaltender-interference assessment that denied Elias Pettersson (the forward) a goal that would have doubled the Canucks’ lead. Otherwise, it would have been a minus-2 in less than six minutes of ice time for the rookie defenceman.
Pettersson’s goal has been overturned. It remains 1-0 Vancouver.
🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks
Liam Öhgren and Lekkerimäki sprang on a breakaway off an odd bounce in the neutral zone, but could not materialize a shot on goal.
All throughout the second, Tolopilo stood tall, steering aside difficult shots from elite shooters with ease. William Nylander had 3 shots, Auston Matthews had 2, and on his 3rd shot of the game, Nic Robertson found the equalizer, with fellow Nicholas (Roy) tipping his one-timer past Tolopilo’s right pad with less than seven minutes to spare.
1-1 Tie
Roy ties it up at one.
🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks
The tie game barely lasted a minute. Jumping up into the play, Tom Willander scored his 4th goal of the season off a genuinely slick East-West pass off the zone entry.
2-1 Canucks
🚨Canucks goal🚨
Willander answers back quickly and the Canucks are ahead again!
🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks
Pobody’s nerfect. Naturally, after regaining the lead, the Canucks spent the next two minutes stuck inside their d-zone, desperately trying to break up the Leafs’ cycle. The Canucks rallied and continued to batter the Leafs with dangerous looks.
Then, at the conclusion of the period, Elias Pettersson (the defenceman) took issue with a post-whistle crosscheck from Scott Laughton, engaging in his second (very cool), aggressive, post-whistle scrum in as many games.
The post-whistle shenanigans meant that the start of the 3rd period would see two minutes of 4-on-4 action.
Third Period
Trailing by a goal and not thoroughly convinced that they’re out of the playoffs, the Leafs woke up for the final frame. Shortly after the 4-on-4, Max Domi equalized for Toronto with a bizarre-o trickler stemming from a mad d-zone faceoff scramble.
2-2 Tie
Domi ties it off the faceoff. 2-2
🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks
You had to feel for Tolopilo, who has been solid as a rock in his last two starts for Vancouver. Robbed of a shutout because of a concussion spotter against Anaheim, and an ugly-as-hell goal that gave up the club’s lead.
The Canucks were on the backfoot throughout the first half of the final frame. Score effects definitely played into the lopsided shot totals. However, the Leafs edged Vancouver 8-1 in their pursuit of an equalizer.
Throughout the final half of the last period, the Canucks appeared content to sit back and hold out hope for overtime or the shootout. Whether that was “deliberate strategy” or “necessity due to exhaustion from having been outshot 16-2 over 15 minutes” is tough to say.
Linus Karlsson broke up the monotony of ‘Canucks d-zone struggles’ by leading a rush through the neutral zone before hammering a one-timer off Woll’s chest from a terrific cross-ice feed by Filip Chytil.
The Canucks’ passive turtle play paid off, securing themselves at least a single point for their efforts.
Overtime
Starting overtime for Vancouver were David Kampf, Filip Hronek, and Jake DeBrusk.
Despite winning the opening faceoff, John Tavares swooped the puck out to Jake McCabe, who immediately entered the Canucks’ zone for a scoring chance.
Elias Pettersson (the forward) danced around the offensive zone on a shift with DeBrusk and Hronek, but the three could not connect.
William Nylander responded in kind with a handful of dangerous looks alongside Auston Matthews.
The Hronek-Pettersson duo took a turn with Conor Garland, and had the Leafs absolutely scrambling in their end inside the crease, with EP40 flubbing a wraparound that would have squared it away for Vancouver.
The Pettersson almost game-winner gave way to a breakaway chance for Auston Matthews, who was hauled to the ice by Garland on the backcheck. The refs gave Matthews the rarely-seen overtime penalty shot opportunity in place of a power play, which Tolopilo promptly turned aside.
Because of Tolopilo’s heroic efforts, the Canucks were headed to the shootout.
Shootout
They couldn’t do it in regulation, but Nylander and Matthews scored in the shootout for Toronto, while an exhausted Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk could not for Vancouver.
The end.
Another quality tank game. Decent bite. Decent effort from an undergunned squad. One point out of a possible two.
It wasn’t the worst way to spend your Saturday night!
What’s your instant reaction to this game? Let us know in the comments section below!
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