VANCOUVER \u2014 When is a shutout not a shutout? When both of a team\u2019s goalies log time in net.<\/p>\n
That was the situation in Vancouver on Thursday, when Nikita Tolopilo<\/a> was denied his first-ever clean sheet in his 10th NHL appearance despite stopping all 33 pucks he faced in 57:49 of action against the Anaheim Ducks<\/a>.<\/p>\n After Tolopilo was pulled by the concussion spotter during the first intermission, Kevin Lankinen<\/a> stepped in for 2:11 to start the second, making one save on the way to a 2-0 Canucks win over the Ducks.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they do that test, it\u2019s usually about a 15-minute test,\u201d said Canucks coach Adam Foote<\/a> after the game. \u201cHe had to get take his gear off. We were trying to stall it, but we didn\u2019t have the time.\u201d<\/p>\n With the Canucks and Ducks locked in a scoreless draw after 20 minutes, Tolopilo was tagged for observation after Anaheim had a goal called back due to goalie interference with 2:01 left in the opening frame. Ducks centre Ryan Poehling<\/a> also ended up in the net, drawing a two-minute minor for his collision with the Vancouver stopper.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old Tolopilo, who was signed as a free agent by the Canucks in 2023, was hopeful he\u2019d get back in time for the beginning of the second period. Foote didn\u2019t hesitate to put him back in as soon as he was available.<\/p>\n \u201cIt takes a while, but I think I actually did it pretty quickly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n And while Tolopilo will have to wait to put his first shutout onto his personal record, he was undaunted. The Canucks\u2019 2-0 win over Anaheim was just their second in their last 16 games and only their sixth on home ice all season.<\/p>\n \u201cThe win is more important,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m happy that we got the win.\u201d<\/p>\n The Canucks are now 6-17-3 at home in 2025-26 but remain seven points back of the 31st-place St. Louis Blues<\/a> at the bottom of the NHL standings.<\/p>\n After watching their team get beaten so regularly this year, the fans at Rogers Arena managed to get a wave going across both the upper and lower bowls while the game was still scoreless at the midpoint of the third period.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was exciting because we haven\u2019t had a ton of close games recently,\u201d said forward Drew O\u2019Connor, who scored his second game-winning goal of the year after also taking down the Ducks in a 5-4 win in Anaheim back on Nov. 26. <\/p>\n \u201cYou want that feeling of being in a meaningful game, and we haven\u2019t had that for a little while in the third period, it\u2019s felt like. I think everyone was excited to play and just looking forward to getting a win.\u201d<\/p>\n With 9:42 left in the third, O\u2019Connor one-timed a pass from Jake DeBrusk<\/a> past Lukas Dostal<\/a> to break the deadlock with his 13th goal.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was going over no matter what the puck was doing,\u201d said DeBrusk, who chastised himself for whiffing on an earlier opportunity before tallying his 15th assist of the year in his 600th career NHL game. \u201cHe was in the right spot at the right time, and good finish. He\u2019s obviously had a great year for himself and he\u2019s shooting a lot, so I was happy to reward him.\u201d<\/p>\n For the injury-riddled Ducks, the loss was their second straight following a seven-game winning streak that had pushed them into the wild-card mix in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n \u201cI know they\u2019ve got some guys out but they still have a good rush team,\u201d said Foote, who was pleased with his team\u2019s structure and defensive effort. \u201cWe were a lot faster going back for pucks, and we were more layered. There were less slot plays, less east-west behind the net. Guys were layered a lot better and it seemed like we got a little bit of confidence as the game went on.\u201d<\/p>\n