The Vancouver Canucks are back in action Tuesday at UBS Arena to face the New York Islanders in their fourth game of the road trip.
Note Tuesday’s unusual 4:45 p.m. PT start time.
After the Islanders’ game, the Canucks will head south to face the two Florida teams before returning home to Vancouver for a three-game homestand.
Jake DeBrusk scored on Sunday against the New York Rangers. That was his third goal of the road trip. Jonathan Lekkerimäki notched an assist on the goal, which gives him five points (2g-3a) through seven games this season. All five of Lekkerimäki’s points have come at five-on-five this season.
Drew O’Connor liked how the Canucks played in the first period of Sunday’s game but did not like how the team came out in the third.
“They got the early one, which we definitely have to be ready at the start of the game. But I think after that, we responded well and put together a pretty good first period for the most part, so I thought our energy was good. We just can’t let it fade over the course of the game,” he said.
Head Coach Manny Malhotra thought the team battled in the first two periods to swing the momentum back in their favour after allowing a goal 27 seconds into Sunday’s game. Though they had momentum in the second period, Malhotra believes they couldn’t sustain it long enough to make a lasting impact.
He said the group is working to maintain their daily work ethic and bring the right attitude to the rink, even as the losses add up.
“It’s not a great feeling. But that’s the test of our character at this point,” said Malhotra. “To make sure we’re coming to the rink with the right attitude, ready to work, and ready to discuss and address the issues that are plaguing us right now.”
Quick Hits on the Competition
- The Islanders enter Tuesday’s game with a 2-3-0 record and have not played since Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- They are 2-1-0 on home ice this season, including a 6-0 win over the New Jersey Devils and a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
- Mathew Barzal was placed on IR on September 28th and has not played a game this season.
- Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat leads the Islanders with four goals and six points in five games this season.
- Ilya Sorokin has made four starts through five games. He has a 2-2-0 record but has been excellent between the pipes. Sorokin has a .937% save percentage, a 1.77 goals-against average and has one shutout.
- 2026 unanimous Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer has picked up right where he left off in his rookie season; the 19-year-old defenceman has four assists this season and is leading his team with 25:26 of average ice time per game.
- The Islanders are controlling 57.3% of shot attempts when Schaefer is on the ice at five-on-five this season, and they have outscored the opposition 4-2 in that time.
The Story: D-Petey’s Growth
Defenceman Elias Pettersson had a strong game on Sunday as he moved up into the Canucks' top-four and partnered with Tom Willander.
The young pairing has played 22:04 at five-on-five this season and has outshot their opponents 14-3 in those minutes. As a pairing, they have not allowed a goal against this season.
Pettersson has had a strong start to the season, picking up two goals while holding a 58% Corsi and 56.1% control of expected goals.
