By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

December 06, 2025

Canucks string two strong back-to-back games to start 4-game homestand, losing on Friday but pulling off a statement win against the Minnesota Wild tonight.

Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote felt the final score was misleading against the Utah Mammoth on Friday night, given the quality of chances the Canucks generated.

While he acknowledged the frustration of the result, he was adamant that the process was sound and the team deserved to win based on their play.

The Canucks currently last in the Western Conference (Pacific Division), and lingering around “tank mode” were coming off a demoralizing 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth, facing a quick turnaround against a rested and dangerous Minnesota Wild team sitting 3rd in the Central Division on Saturday evening.

As it turned out, the Canucks (11-15-3) played a similar strong game with adversity before the game face-off, but with a different result, a 4-2 win over visiting Minnesota Wild.

Aatu Raty had two goals and an assist for his first three-point game in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks.

Tom Willander scored his first NHL goal and had an assist and fellow rookie defenseman Elias Nils Pettersson also scored for the Canucks, who ended a 4-game winless streak, winning for the second time in their last 9 games (2-6-1). Rookie Nikita Tolopilo made 27 saves for his second win in his 3rd start of the season.

On this night, Coach Adam Foote coached another strong Canucks game, and this time the final score was not misleading against the Minnesota Wild, given the quality chances Vancouver generated, and the great effort his team put in the back-to-back games.

Center Elias Pettersson Out of Game After Warm-Up

The biggest storyline of the game happened before the game face-off when it was determined during the warmup skate the Canucks center Elias Pettersson was unavailable to play due to an upper body injury acquired prior to the warmup for the game, in what would have been his 500th NHL game.

The Canucks, key centers injured, went with David Kampf (8 GP, 0+0), Aatu Raty (25 GP, 1+7), Max Sasson (25 GP, 5+2=7), and Drew O’Connor (28 GP, 7+5=12) for the game in the position.

GAME REPORT

Tolopilo Gives Canucks Solid Goaltending In Opening Period

It didn’t take long for the game to see its’ first goal of the game when Matt Boldy scored his 18th goal of the season at 3:11 on Canucks game starter Nikita Tolopilo, assisted by Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead after one period.

Tolopilo made some outstanding saves in the opening period, and the Canucks got some good looks and shots on net, coming close to evening up the game but falling short of breaking Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt’s shutout.

The Wild outshot the Canucks 10-4, with Vancouver with the edge in the face-off circle, winning 9 of 15 face-offs, 60 percent.

Youngsters Lead Canucks Comeback, Three Unanswered Goals Period, Willander 1st NHL Goal

The Canucks came out in the middle frame determined to get back in the game and were making it a game of it, eventually scoring a goal as Aatu Raty off a feed from Kiefer Sherwood, but it was ruled kicked in upon review.

The Canucks continued their push for the 1-1 goal, and it came at 9:29 to rookie defenseman Tom Willander, his first NHL goal, assisted by Linus Karlsson and Jake DeBrusk.

Just over two minutes later, the Canucks defense would make it two goals on the offense, giving Vancouver a 2-1 lead over Minnesota as Elias Pettersson would score, his first of the season, assisted by Tom Willlander and Aatu Raty at 11:46.

Wallstedt came into the game being the fourth rookie goaltender in NHL history, and the first in 87 years, to record four shutouts over a span of six games. The others are Frank Brimsek (1938-39 Boston Bruins), Dolly Dolson (1928-29 Detroit Cougars) and Tiny Thompson (1928-29 Bruins), and had shutout against the Edmonton Oilers in his last game.

Aatu Raty would score the Canucks 3rd goal on their 9th shot of the game, giving Vancouver a two-goal edge over the Wild 3-1, at 15:12, assisted by Evander Kane.

Raty was also leading the Canucks in face-off wins in the game, winning 9 of 10 at a point in the 2nd period. Vancouver and Minnesota were 6 for 12 each in the face-off circle.

Third Period Up For Grabs

Aatu Raty continued his fine play in the game, scoring early in the final period, scoring his second of the game, and 3rd of the season, grabbing a loose puck behind the Wild net, on a mistake by the Wild netminder, and scooping the puck into the open net, for a Canucks 4-1 lead at 5:09, unassisted.

Late in the final period, on a 6-on-4 the Wild would score to make it 4-2 on the power play, with Brock Boeser in the penalty box. Mats Zuccarello scored, assisted by Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy at 17:22.

The Wild would continue to get closer by going 6-on-5 with their goalie out of the net but were unable to put any more pucks behind goalie Nikita Tolopilo.

To defeat the Minnesota Wild, specifically in the context of a back-to-back with a depleted roster, the Canucks had to execute a low-event game plan. They could not trade chances with a rested Wild team that possesses elite finishers like Kaprizov. And they did.

The Canucks had to stay out of the penalty box. The Canucks’ PK was operating at 71.6% (30th in the league) while the Wild’s PP is top-tier (22.5%). The Canucks PP on the other hand came into the game at 20.0% (13th in the NHL). They did, and took a few Wild players with them.

The Canucks also had to protect starting goalie Nikita Tolopilo by limiting high-danger chances against a potent Wild offence. Keeping the Wild’s shots high near the blue line, and keeping the slot area clear of scoring opportunities as much as possible. They did.

Canucks and Devils Discuss Quinn Hughes

The Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils have touched base on star defenceman Quinn Hughes, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the Saturday Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada, it was reported on sportsnet.ca on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

Friedman was quoted as saying, “I do not believe there is anything imminent. I don’t even know that they’re anywhere far along. But I do believe that a conversation was had about where things stand and where they might be going,”.

Hughes’ contract expires after next season. His brothers, Jack and Luke, have deals with the Devils that run through the 2029-30 and 2031-32 seasons, respectively. Quinn Hughes has played his entire career with the Canucks, suiting up in 456 games while tallying 61 goals and 370 assists.

Until next time, Canucks fans