SAN JOSE, Calif. — In an exhilarating matchup on Saturday night, Pius Suter netted his second goal just 25.7 seconds before the final buzzer, leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Jake DeBrusk also contributed significantly to Vancouver’s success, scoring his first goal with the team after signing a seven-year contract in the offseason, which gave the Canucks a narrow 2-1 lead with 4:22 remaining in the game. Goaltender Kevin Lankinen played a solid game, making 21 saves.
On the opposing side, Mikael Granlund found the back of the net for the Sharks, leveling the score at 2-2 with just 1:17 left on the clock. Nico Sturm added another goal for San Jose, while goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood recorded 25 saves throughout the match.
This win helped the Canucks break a two-game losing streak, following a brief phase where they had previously secured four wins in a row. Additionally, the victory ended the Sharks’ three-game winning streak, which came as a surprising turnaround after their nine-game losing streak at the start of the season.
In terms of takeaways, the Canucks showed resilience after suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat at home against the New Jersey Devils earlier in the week, bouncing back strongly against a Sharks team that seemed to be gaining momentum.
For the Sharks, Timothy Liljegren, newly acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, made his debut and played nearly 17 minutes. As a first-round draft pick from 2017, he is anticipated to have a more significant role with the Sharks as the team undergoes a rebuilding phase.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Granlund scored to equalize, taking advantage of an empty net late in the match. However, the Canucks quickly regrouped, pushing hard into the Sharks’ zone, where Suter delivered the decisive blow with a shot past Blackwood, assisted by Conor Garland.
Notably, the Canucks struggled on the power play, going 0 for 2 and extending their streak without a power-play goal to four games.
Looking ahead, the Canucks are set to take on the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, while the Sharks will be hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets.
