The Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights faced off at Rogers Arena for the final time this season, with one team heading to the playoffs and the other to the golf course. The Canucks were playing for something, though, to get their captain at least one point to become the all-time leader among defencemen in franchise history. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, as the Canucks fell 4-1 with Quinn Hughes getting shut out on the scoresheet.
The Golden Knights used yet another strong third period to win their 50th game of the season on the back of Pavel Dorofeyev’s 35th, Jack Eichel’s 28th, and rookie Cole Schwindt’s first in the NHL into an empty net. The Canucks, meanwhile, opened the scoring on Pius Suter’s 25th, but allowed four unanswered, including three in the final period.
With the win, the Golden Knights hit 110 points and will now wait for the playoffs, which begin this weekend. The Canucks finish their season with 90 points, losing their 17th in Vancouver and falling to .500 at Rogers Arena. Here is your game recap.
Game Recap
Suter opened the scoring for the Canucks at 8:23 of the first period after he picked up a rebound off a Conor Garland shot and dragged it around a sprawling Akira Schmid. It was his 25th of the season, 10 more than he scored last season. There was no more scoring after that as the Canucks exited the period with a 1-0 lead.
The Golden Knights dominated the shot clock in the second period, outshooting the Canucks 12-5. They finally got one by Kevin Lankinen late in the period when Victor Olofsson one-timed a William Karlsson pass from behind the net for his 15th of the season, sending the Golden Knights to the second intermission tied 1-1.
Like it’s been so many times this season, the Golden Knights had a strong third period and finished with a win. Nikita Tolopilo took over for Lankinen in the final frame and allowed goals to Dorofeyev, who leads the Golden Knights in goals, and Eichel, who leads the team in points. Dorofeyev used a strong wrist shot to beat Tolopilo at 7:59 to break the tie, and Eichel got the eventual game-winner on a deflection at 10:45. Finally, Schwindt iced it into an empty net in the final minute for his first in the NHL.
Lankinen stopped 19 of 20 before being replaced by Tolopilo, while the rookie goaltender, who got his first win in the NHL against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, allowed two goals on eight shots, and unfortunately, was credited with his first loss. At the other end, Schmid made 16 saves in only his third start of the season.
What’s Next for the Canucks & Golden Knights
With the Canucks finishing their regular season schedule on this night, their next bit of business is locker room clean-out and answering questions from the media about why they are not in the playoffs. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, will get ready for their first-round series against the first wild card team, the Minnesota Wild.
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