Canucks Losers Of Five In Last Six (1-4-1)
By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
November 30, 2025
In a tightly contested defensive battle that featured multiple video reviews and disallowed goals, the Los Angeles Kings edged out the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in overtime. The Canucks secured a point on the road but extended their recent struggles, having now lost five of their last six games.
In the first period the Kings opened the scoring at 17:19 from Anze Kopitar with a wrist shot from the slot off the rush. Assists: Adrian Kempe, Brian Dumoulin.
In the middle frame, Evander Kane tied the game 1-1, at 2:52, when stepping out of the penalty box, Kane accepted a stretch pass for a breakaway and beat goaltender Anton Forsberg on the stick side. Assists: Drew O’Connor, Tyler Myers.
Kings player Adrian Kempe scored the game-winner in overtime at 3:58, when after a chaotic scramble in front of the net where Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen ended up prone on the ice, Kempe fired the puck into the open net. The goal stood after a Situation Room review for goaltender interference. Assists: Quinton Byfield, Kevin Fiala.
Referees Take Prominent Role In Game
The first period was chaotic, featuring three disallowed goals in the opening minutes:
- A Canucks goal was ruled “no goal” on the ice and upheld after video review confirmed the puck did not fully cross the line.
- Two subsequent goals (one by each team, including a tip by Vancouver’s Aatu Räty) were overturned due to successful offside challenges by the respective coaches.
- The game-winning sequence was controversial. Quinton Byfield drove the net on a 2-on-1, leading to a collision with Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen. The puck squirted loose to Kempe, who scored. The Situation Room ruled the contact was incidental and occurred outside the crease (in the “white ice”), allowing the goal to stand.
Top Performers
- Adrian Kempe of the Kings: The first star of the game with the overtime winner and an assist on the opening goal.
- Kevin Lankinen Canucks goalie: Kept the Canucks in the game with 21 saves on 23 shots, making several key stops before the chaotic ending in OT.
- Evander Kane of the Canucks: Scored the lone goal for Vancouver and was a physical presence throughout the game.
- Anton Forsberg Kings goalie: Solid in net for the Kings, stopping 19 of 20 shots to earn the win.
Game Quotes
From the Canucks:
Head Coach Adam Foote on the team’s resilience and young roster in pre-game interview: “They’ve done a good job. They’ve been put in some tough places, but they’re also pretty excited to get the opportunity and show their stuff and grow. When we get out of this, these injuries come back, we’re going to be deeper with guys with more experience, so we’ll take it.”
Coach Foote on defensive improvements needed: “[We need to] understand when we want to exaggerate our coverage, extend our coverage, and close out guys in the corners a little bit harder.”
From the Kings:
Head Coach Jim Hiller on the tight, low-scoring nature of the game: “It teaches you to play in tight games, but you don’t always want to be in those tight games. It’s hard on everybody… The players understand that they probably play a little more cautious than they would normally.”
Adrian Kempe on the overtime winner in the post-game interview: “I just tried to find some open ice. The puck popped out to me, and I had a pretty open net. Obviously, there was a little bit of a scramble, but I’ll take it.”
NHL Pacific Division Standings (November 30, 2025)
| Rank | Team | GP | Record | Pts | Goal Diff | Streak |
| 1 | Anaheim Ducks | 24 | 15-8-1 | 31 | +11 | W1 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Kings | 25 | 12-6-7 | 31 | -2 | W1 |
| 3 | Vegas Golden Knights | 25 | 11-6-8 | 30 | 0 | W1 |
| 4 | Seattle Kraken | 24 | 11-7-6 | 28 | -7 | L3 |
| 5 | San Jose Sharks | 26 | 12-11-3 | 27 | -10 | L1 |
| 6 | Edmonton Oilers | 26 | 11-10-5 | 27 | -14 | W1 |
| 7 | Vancouver Canucks | 26 | 10-13-3 | 23 | -16 | L2 |
| 8 | Calgary Flames | 26 | 9-14-3 | 21 | -16 | W1 |
Odds N’ Ends
Canucks forward Conor Garland did not play because of an upper-body injury, according to NHL.com. Coach Adam Foote said Garland is still with the team in Los Angeles and would not know the seriousness of the injury until results of an examination were reviewed by the team doctor in Vancouver.
Next Up for the Canucks: They travel to Denver to face the league-leading Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
Until next time, hockey fans
