3 most impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-4 win over Anaheim Ducks ft. Nikita Tolopilo

NHL: Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Ducks - Source: Imagn
3 most impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-4 win over Anaheim Ducks ft. Nikita Tolopilo - Source: Imagn

The Vancouver Canucks got a huge 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night at the Honda Center. Vancouver played without regular netminders Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen. So, they turned to Nikita Tolopilo, who made just his third NHL appearance of his career. The 25-year-old made 37 saves on 41 shots to backstop the Canucks to the win.

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Drew O’Connor scored the game-winner, an empty-netter, late in the third period for the Vancouver Canucks. Max Sasson, Conor Garland, Evander Kane (PPG) and Linus Karlsson scored for the Canucks. Meanwhile, Jackson LaCombe (PPG), Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks.

So, here’s a look at the three most impressive Vancouver Canucks players from their Wednesday night over the Anaheim Ducks.

3 most impressive Vancouver Canucks players from win over Anaheim Ducks

#3 Max Sasson

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Max Sasson has been a fourth-liner all season for the Vancouver Canucks. That didn’t change on Wednesday night. What did change was Sasson’s two points on the night. He scored a goal and added an assist in nearly eight minutes, yes, eight minutes of ice time on the night across 14 shifts.

Here’s a look at Sasson’s tally, as shown on the Canucks official X account:

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Sasson’s goal gave the Canucks a 4-3 lead in the third. While it wouldn’t stand as the game-winner, it was a crucial one nonetheless.

#2 Filip Hronek

The Vancouver Canucks veteran defenseman played over 24 minutes on the night alongside Quinn Hughes. Hronek played his usual steady defensive play, notching two assists and going a plus-3 on the night over 29 shifts.

Hronek’s play was crucial for the Canucks as they managed to snap a three-game skid, including an eight-goal shellacking at the hands of the Florida Panthers.

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#1 Nikita Tolopilo

The story of the night was Nikita Tolopilo for the Canucks. Vancouver has starting netminder Thatcher Demko out with an injury, and backup Kevin Lankinen missed Wednesday night’s game on personal leave.

So, the team turned to two young goalies, Tolopilo and Jiri Patera. Tolopilo got the call, stopping 37 shots on the night in his first appearance of the season. While allowing four goals wouldn’t necessarily make a goalie the most impressive player of the night, the Canucks’ porous defense made Tolopilo’s performance that much more impressive.

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Had Tolopilo caved, the Canucks would have gotten blown out again. Instead, Tolopilo backstopped the Canucks to the win. The team could get Lankinen back on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

So, it seems Tolopilo could get the call again on Friday afternoon when the San Jose Sharks host the Canucks at the SAP Center.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan
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