By Andrew Phillip Chernoff & Zachary Oliver Burnham
November 17, 2025
Canucks vs. Panthers Game Preview
The Vancouver Canucks face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the first of two meetings this season.
Recent Games
Vancouver Canucks (9-9-2):
Vancouver put a 3-game winless skid behind them with the win and are hoping to continue their wining ways tonight and sweep the State of Florida.
The Canucks are coming off a dominant 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning yesterday, snapping a three-game losing streak. They scored five goals in the third period, showing significant offensive burst.
Florida Panthers (9-8-1):
The Panthers recently had a two-game win streak halted by a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Goals have been hard to come by for Florida, who are missing key offensive weapons due to injury.
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS ( as of Nov17/25)
Key Storylines
Quinn Hughes’ Resurgence: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes returned to the lineup with a bang in the last game, tying a career high with four assists. He now has 10 points (all assists) in his last six games and is a major catalyst for Vancouver’s offense.
Panthers’ Injury Woes: Florida is dealing with significant injuries, notably missing star forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. Their offense, currently ranked 27th in the league in Goals For/Game, has struggled without them.
Canucks’ Goaltending: Vancouver will be without starter Thatcher Demko (lower-body injury), who is on injured reserve. Kevin Lankinen will likely start after a solid 28-save performance yesterday. Lankinen has a good career record against the Panthers (7-3-2 with a .926 save percentage).
Head-to-Head Trend: The Canucks have had recent success against the Panthers, winning four of the last five meetings, including the last one 4-0 in December 2024.
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | Canucks | Panthers |
| Goals For/Game (GF/G) | 3.00 (T-17th) | 2.72 (T-27th) |
| Goals Against/Game (GA/G) | 3.45 (28th) | 2.94 (T-13th) |
| Power Play % | 22.6% (12th) | 20.0% (16th) |
| Penalty Kill % | 67.2% (32nd) | 79.4% (T-16th) |
The Canucks hold an edge on the power play and in goals per game, but the Panthers are significantly better at preventing goals and defending the penalty kill.
Vancouver’s league-worst penalty kill will be a major factor if Florida can draw penalties.
Projected Starting Goalies
Canucks: Kevin Lankinen (4-5-2, 3.44 GAA, .890 SV%)
Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky (8-5-0, 2.63 GAA, .893 SV%)
The Canucks will need their top players, like Hughes and Elias Pettersson, to continue their hot streaks to overcome the Panthers’ strong home record (6-2-1).
KEY FACTORS TO WIN – by Zachery Oliver Burnham
The key factors for each team to secure a win tonight revolve around neutralizing the other’s strengths and exploiting their current weaknesses.
Vancouver Canucks: Keys to Victory
The Canucks’ success hinges on maintaining the offensive flow they found in the third period yesterday, driven by their top players.
1. Activate and Control with Quinn Hughes
The Factor: Captain Quinn Hughes returned with a 4-assist night and is the catalyst for Vancouver’s transition game and power play.
The Goal: Hughes and Elias Pettersson must consistently execute clean defensive zone exits and turn them into controlled rushes. If Hughes can beat the Panthers’ initial forecheck and create speed through the neutral zone, it forces Florida’s structured defense to turn and defend in transition, which is not their strength.
2. Win the Goaltending Battle (Kevin Lankinen)
The Factor: Starter Thatcher Demko is out, making Kevin Lankinen the crucial factor. Lankinen has a good career record against the Panthers (7-3-2, .926 SV%).
The Goal: Lankinen needs to be sharp, especially by controlling his rebounds. Florida’s aggressive attack, even without key players, focuses on net-front traffic and rebound chances. Lankinen must neutralize these second-chance opportunities and hold firm early as the Canucks are playing a back-to-back game.
3. Discipline and Kill the Penalties
The Factor: Vancouver has the worst penalty kill in the NHL (67.2%). Florida’s power play is middle-of-the-pack (20.0%).
The Goal: The Canucks absolutely must stay out of the penalty box. Giving the defensively-minded Panthers multiple power plays gives Florida easy momentum, zone time, and a chance to open the scoring against Vancouver’s greatest weakness.
Florida Panthers: Keys to Victory
The Panthers are structurally sound but need to manufacture offense against an opportunistic team. Their game plan will focus on suffocating Vancouver’s speed.
1. Impose Structure and Suppress Transition
The Factor: The Panthers thrive on defensive structure, low-event hockey, and strong shot suppression.
The Goal: They must dictate the pace by forcing turnovers at the offensive blue line and preventing the Canucks from gaining speed. By being physical and methodical, they can slow down Hughes and the Canucks’ speedy forwards and prevent the game from becoming a high-scoring track meet.
2. Get to the Net and Win the Board Battles
The Factor: Without star power (Tkachuk/Barkov are out), Florida’s goals come from hard-working, sustained offensive pressure.
The Goal: The Panthers must commit to cycling the puck deep, establishing a net-front presence, and attacking the blue paint. They need to win battles along the boards to wear down the Canucks defense, especially as Vancouver played last night. If they can force Lankinen to give up rebounds, they must crash the net for the dirty goals.
3. The Bobrovsky Factor (Home-Ice Advantage)
The Factor: Sergei Bobrovsky is a Vezina winner and the Panthers are heavy favorites at home (6-2-1 home record).
The Goal: “Bob” must be great. He needs to make the key saves against the Canucks’ quick-strike chances, especially on the power play, to maintain Florida’s defensive control. A strong outing from Bobrovsky can compensate for the team’s struggles to score 5-on-5.
Until next time, hockey fans
