Two of the four worst teams in the NHL last season squared off in Vancouver with the 32nd place Canucks defeating the 29th place Flames 4-1.
As the night wore on, one might have mistaken it for two teams battling in a new season for the final playoff spot. It was feisty and entertaining, and much closer than the final score indicated.
Aside from the victory, it is clear the Canucks have the more clearly defined rebuild. The team committed itself physically and showed flashes of offensive brilliance throughout the line-up. Vancouver improved to 2-and-1 on the young season while Calgary fell to 0-and-2.
Two nights after scoring five goals in the third period in a 9-7 loss against the Edmonton Oilers, the Canucks scored four more in the third. In fact, all of their goals came in the third, after trailing 1-0 through the first 41-minutes.
Liam Ohgren tied the game 1:28 into the final stanza with a tally that was initially ruled no-goal. Upon video review it was determined the puck crossed the goal line while inside the catching glove of Flames goalie Devin Cooley.
Vancouver D-man Elias Pettersson made a slick move cutting to the net and scored on the backhand after taking a feed inside the O-zone from Ohgren for the game winner at 9:04.
Drew O’Connor put the game away at 16:33, keeping the puck and ripping home a wrister on a 2-on-1 with Linus Karlsson. Karlsson picked up an assist, but the real helper came from “Petey”, center Elias Pettersson, who jarred the puck loose from Flames D-man Zayne Parekh with a massive hit at center ice.
Aatu Räty added an empty netter.
Recently acquired Canucks goalie Leevi Meriläinen made 23 saves for the win in his first game with Vancouver.
Both teams play again on Sunday. The Flames in Seattle for the Kraken’s home opener while the Canucks host the Vegas Golden Knights.
Earlier Canucks:
— Simmer’s Turbo 9; Canucks, Kraken, PWHL, USA vs. Canada
