GAME DAY - V1 - CDC - DIGITAL

CANUCKS AT SABRES

TV: Sportsnet Pacific, MSG Network Buffalo

Radio: Sportsnet 650

MATCH-UP INFO

  • Tonight marks the second and final meeting between the Canucks and Sabres this season: 11 (home, 3-2 L) and Jan. 6 (road).
  • Vancouver is 59-51-19-4 all-time against Buffalo, including a 25-30-8-3 record on the road.
  • The Canucks are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games against the Sabres (3-2-0 in their last five).
  • Jake DeBrusk leads all active Canucks skaters in scoring against Buffalo with 20 points (7-13-20) in 30 career games.
  • In 27 career games against the Sabres, Evander Kane has 11 points (2-9-11).
  • Brock Boeser has 10 points (3-7-10) in 14 career games against Buffalo.
  • In 11 career games against the Sabres, Elias Pettersson has nine points (4-5-9).
  • Thatcher Demko holds a 3-4-1 record with a 3.13 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in eight career games against Buffalo.
  • Kevin Lankinen is 1-1-0 with a 4.40 goals-against average and an .873 save percentage in two career games against the Sabres.

QUICK NUMBERS

  • Zeev Buium ranks 3rd amongst rookie defencemen in points (18) and assists (14).
  • Drew O’Connor ranks t-5th in the NHL in shorthanded goals this season (2).
  • Filip Hronek has five points (1-4-5) in his last five games.

LAST MEETING – DEC. 11/25: VAN 2 vs BUF 3

Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring just past the seven and a half minute mark of the first period…Kiefer Sherwood tied the game with a power play goal at 19:49 of the first…Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes had the assists…Max Sasson gave Vancouver the lead at 6:15 of the second…Tage Thompson tied the game 2:57 later…Zach Benson gave Buffalo the lead with 5:14 left in the middle frame…Sasson had five shots…D Elias Pettersson had four hits…Tom Willander and Tyler Myers each blocked two shots…Thatcher Demko made 12 saves.

2025.26 TEAM RANKS

VAN
BUF
Goals For/Game
2.76 (t-24th)
3.05 (t-16th)
Goals Against/Game
3.46 (30th)
3:15 (t-19th)
Power Play %
20.3 (14th)
18.0 (22nd)
Penalty Kill %
73.9 (30th)
85.2 (2nd)
Penalty Min./Game
8:57 (21st)
8:52 (19th)

*Rankings are accurate as of 12:00am PT on January 6, 2026

LAST GAME PLAYED – JAN. 3/26: VAN 2 vs BOS 3 (OT)

Fraser Minten opened the scoring for Boston with 3:36 remaining in the first period…Elias Pettersson tied the game 48 seconds into the middle frame…Filip Hronek and Linus Karlsson had the assists…Elias Lindholm re-took the lead for the Bruins with 7:25 gone in the second…Hronek tied the game on the power play with 1:16 left in the second…Minten scored the overtime winner with 19 seconds left in the extra period…Jake DeBrusk had seven shots…Kiefer Sherwood had nine hits…Tom Willander and Liam Öhgren each blocked two shots…Kevin Lankinen made 19 saves.

LAST 5 – vs BUFFALO

  • Dec. 11/25: VAN 2 vs BUF 3
  • Jan. 21/25: VAN 2 vs BUF 3
  • Nov. 29/24: VAN 4 at BUF 3 (OT)
  • Mar. 19/24: VAN 3 vs BUF 2
  • Jan. 13/24: VAN 1 at BUF 0

ON THIS DATE

  • The Canucks have played 23 times on January 6 in the franchise’s history, holding a record of 11-9-1-2.
    • This includes a 6-9-1-2 record on the road.
    • Vancouver has points in seven straight games on January 6 (5-0-2), dating back to 2000.01.

CHIEF KIEF

  • Beginning play on Jan. 5/26, Kiefer Sherwood leads all undrafted players in goals during the 2025.26 season.
  • Recording 11 hits on Dec. 22/25 at PHI, Kiefer Sherwood now owns 12 of the top 28 individual hit games since the start of the 2024.25 season (now 13 of the top 29 individual hit games after Dec. 30/25 vs PHI).
    • Since the start of the 2024.25 season, Sherwood has 660 hits, the most in the NHL (second place: Yakov Trenin, 451 hits).
  • Scoring three goals on Dec. 19/25 at NYI, Kiefer Sherwood registered his third hat trick since joining the Canucks in the 2024.25 season, tied with seven other players for the most over that span (as of Dec. 19/25).
    • Sherwood became the second-fastest player to record three hat tricks with the Canucks (112 GP), only behind Alexander Mogilny (37 GP).

OLYMPICS COME RINGING

  • On January 2, 2026, Elias Pettersson (Sweden) and Kevin Lankinen (Finland) were named to their respective country’s Olympic rosters, the first such nomination for each player. They join Teddy Blueger (Latvia) and Lukas Reichel (Germany) as members of the Canucks organization named to 2026 Olympic rosters.

JAKE THE SNAKE

  • Scoring the Canucks second power play goal of the game on Jan. 2/26 vs SEA, Jake DeBrusk has nine power play goals on the season, tied for the fifth-most in the NHL.
    • DeBrusk’s 23 power play goals since the start of the 2024.25 season rank t-3rd in the NHL over that span.

MOVIN’ ON UP

  • Scoring Vancouver’s second goal on Dec. 29/25 at SEA, Elias Pettersson passed Alex Burrows for the 11th most goals in franchise history (194).

THE FINNISHER

  • Stopping all seven shooters in the shootout on Dec. 20/25 at BOS, Kevin Lankinen improved his career record in the shootout to 9-4, stopping 45 of 51 shots (.882 save percentage), the highest shootout save percentage (minimum 40 shots against) in NHL history.
    • Lankinen has now stopped 48 of 54 shootout shots (.889 save percentage), improving his record to 10-4 in shootouts as a result of Vancouver’s 3-2 SOW on December 29, 2025.

SHOWING OUT IN THE SHOOTOUT

  • With their third win of the season in a game decided in a shootout on Dec. 20/25 at BOS, the Canucks joined Anaheim (4-0), New Jersey (3-0), Buffalo (3-0) and Ottawa (3-0) as the only teams undefeated in the shootout this season (minimum three shootouts).
    • After Vancouver’s 3-2 SOW on Dec. 29/25 at SEA, the team is now 4-0 in the shootout, only behind Philadelphia in shootout wins with season.

MARCO GOALO

  • Scoring his first goal as a Canuck on Dec. 27/25 vs SJS, Marco Rossi registered the 50th goal of his career. He joins former Canucks Thomas Vanek and Michael Grabner, as well as Michael Raffl, as the only Austrian players in NHL history to hit the mark.

DOC’S ON THE CASE

  • Scoring his second shorthanded goal of the season on Dec. 27/25 vs SJS, Drew O’Connor is now tied for the fifth-most shorthanded goals in the league this season.
    • Since the start of the 2024.25 season, amongst players with two minutes or less of shorthanded time on ice per game, O’Connor ranks t-8th in shorthanded goals (3).

EP500

  • Having played in his 500th career game on Dec. 27/25 vs SJS, Elias Pettersson became the 29th player to play 500 games with the Canucks franchise.
    • Pettersson’s 479 points (193-286-479) in those 500 games are the most by a Canucks player in their first 500 career games with the franchise.

WELCOME TO THE DEMSHOW

  • Stopping 23 of 24 shots on Dec. 19/25 at NYI, Thatcher Demko set a new career-long shutout streak (150:53), the 10th longest in Canucks franchise history.
  • Making 23 saves for his first shutout of the season on Dec. 16/25 at NYR, Thatcher Demko tied Ryan Miller for the fifth most shutouts in Canucks history.
    • Demko’s shutout was the first by a Canucks goaltender at Madison Square Garden since Kevin Weekes on Oct. 24/99.

FIL THE THRILL

  • With his first of two assists on Dec. 19/25 at NYI, Filip Hronek became the sixth-fastest Canucks defenceman to 100 points with the franchise (180 GP), trailing Paul Reinhart (113 GP), Quinn Hughes (133 GP), Dale Tallon (146 GP), Kevin McCarthy (164 GP), and Jocelyn Guevremont (165 GP).

EARLY BIRD GETS THE GOAL

  • Opening the scoring 1:46 into the first period on Dec. 16/25 at NYR, the Canucks scored inside the first two minutes of a game for the fifth time this season, tied with three other teams for the second-most in the league.

HERE COMES THE BUIUM

  • With a goal and an assist on Dec. 14/25 at NJD, Zeev Buium became the first defenceman in franchise history to record multiple points in the first period of his Canucks debut, and the third to record multiple points in his Canucks debut overall.
    • With an assist on Jake DeBrusk’s goal 61 seconds into the game, Buium became the fastest player to record a point in his Canucks debut since Todd Bertuzzi on Feb. 7/98.
    • Recording the game-winning-goal on Dec. 14/25 at NJD, Buium became the fourth defenceman to score the game-winner in his Canucks debut, and the first overall since Brock Boeser on Mar. 25/17 at MIN.

NEW KIDS IN TOWN

  • Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, and Zeev Buium were acquired from the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12/25.
    • Rossi, 24, is a native of Feldkirch, Austria, and has appeared in 202 career games, posting 114 points (49-65-114) and 87 penalty minutes. He posted a career-high 60 points (24-36-60) in 82 games in 2024.25 and has 13 points (4-9-13) in 17 games in 2025.26.
    • Öhgren, 21, is from Stockholm, SWE, and has played in 46 career NHL games (including 18 in 2025.26), recording seven points (3-4-7) and two penalty minutes. In 2024.25 with the Iowa Wild (AHL), he posted 37 points (19-18-37) in 41 games.
    • Buium, 20, hails from San Diego, CA, and is in his rookie season, having posted 14 points (3-11-14) in 31 games. He made his NHL debut on Apr. 20/25 in Game 1 of Minnesota’s first round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

  • Linus Karlsson signed to a two-year contract extension, Jan. 2
  • Arshdeep Bains recalled from Abbotsford, Jan. 2
  • Marco Rossi placed on Injured Reserve, retroactive to Dec. 30, Jan. 2
  • Elias Pettersson activated from Injured Reserve, Dec. 27
  • Arshdeep Bains assigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 17
  • Arshdeep Bains placed on waivers, Dec. 16
  • Marco Rossi activated from Injured Reserve, Dec. 14
  • Elias Pettersson placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to Dec. 5, Dec. 14
  • Lukas Reichel placed on waivers and designated non-roster waiver status, Dec. 13
  • Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first round pick acquired form Minnesota in exchange for Quinn Hughes.
  • Thatcher Demko activated from Injured Reserve, Dec. 11
  • Nikita Tolopilo reassigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 11
  • Nils Höglander activated from Long-Term Injured Reserve, Dec. 8
  • Jett Woo placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Abbotsford, Dec. 8
  • Jonathan Lekkerimäki reassigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 7
  • Nikita Tolopilo recalled from Abbotsford under emergency conditions, Dec. 4
  • D Elias Pettersson recalled from Abbotsford, Dec. 4
  • Jiri Patera reassigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 4
  • D Elias Pettersson reassigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 3
  • Nikita Tolopilo reassigned to Abbotsford, Dec. 3
  • Jiri Patera recalled from Abbotsford under emergency conditions, Dec. 1
  • Nikita Tolopilo designated Non-Roster, Dec. 1

THE LAST TIME…

  • The Canucks won when leading after 1P: Dec. 19/25 at NYI
  • The Canucks lost when leading after 1P: Oct. 25/25 vs MTL
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when leading after 1P: Apr. 12/25 vs MIN
  • The Canucks won when leading after 2P: Dec. 19/25 at NYI
  • The Canucks lost when leading after 2P: Oct. 25/25 vs MTL
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when leading after 2P: Nov. 14/25 at CAR
  • The Canucks won when trailing after 1P: Dec. 29/25 at SEA
  • The Canucks lost when trailing after 1P: Dec. 27/25 vs SJS
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when trailing after 1P: Jan. 3/26 vs BOS
  • The Canucks won when trailing after 2P: Dec. 20/25 at BOS
  • The Canucks lost when trailing after 2P: Dec. 30/25 vs PHI
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when trailing after 2P: Jan. 2/26 vs SEA
  • The Canucks won when tied after 1P: Dec. 20/25 at BOS
  • The Canucks lost when tied after 1P: Dec. 30/25 vs PHI
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when tied after 1P: Nov. 14/25 at CAR
  • The Canucks won when tied after 2P: Dec. 29/25 at SEA
  • The Canucks lost when tied after 2P: Nov. 20/25 vs DAL
  • The Canucks lost in OT/SO when tied after 2P: Jan. 3/26 vs BOS

2025.26 SEASON HIGHS AND LOWS

  • Most Goals Scored, Game: 6, Nov. 16/25 at TBL
  • Most Goals Scored, Period: 5, Nov. 16/25 at TBL, 3rd period
  • Most Goals Allowed, Game: 8, Nov. 17/25 at FLA
  • Most Goals Allowed, Period: 5, Nov. 5/25 vs CHI, 3rd period
  • Fewest Goals Scored, Game: 0, 2x, Latest Dec. 8/25 vs DET
  • Fewest Goals Allowed, Game: 0, Dec. 16/25 at NYR
  • Most PPG Scored, Game: 2, 6x, Latest Jan. 2/26 vs SEA
  • Most PPG Allowed, Game: 2, 9x, Latest Jan. 3/26 vs BOS
  • Most SHG Scored, Game: 1, 5x, Latest Dec. 27/25 vs SJS
  • Most SHG Allowed, Game: 1, 4x, Latest Dec. 30/25 vs PHI
  • Most Shots, Game: 45, Nov. 5/25 vs CHI
  • Most Shots, Period: 19, 2x, Latest Nov. 5/25 vs CHI, 2nd period
  • Most Shots, OT: 3, 2x, Latest Jan. 2/26 vs SEA
  • Fewest Shots, Game: 15, 2x, Latest Nov. 17/25 at FLA
  • Fewest Shots, Period: 1, 2x, Latest Dec. 14/25 at NJD, 3rd period
  • Fewest Shots, OT: 0, 3x, Latest Dec. 29/25 at SEA
  • Most Shots Allowed, Game: 42, Dec. 20/25 at BOS
  • Most Shots Allowed, Period: 19, Dec. 30/25 vs PHI, 2nd period
  • Most Shots Allowed, OT: 6, Dec. 20/25 at BOS
  • Fewest Shots Allowed, Game: 18, 2x, Latest Dec. 5/25 vs UTA
  • Fewest Shots Allowed, Period: 2, Dec. 11/25 vs BUF, 3rd period
  • Fewest Shots Allowed, OT: 0, Oct. 26/25 vs EDM
  • Most Hits, Game: 33, Dec. 22/25 at PHI
  • Fewest Hits, Game: 10, 2x, Latest Dec. 19/25 at NYI
  • Most Blocked Shots, Game: 29, Nov. 14/25 at CAR
  • Fewest Blocked Shots, Game: 6, Jan. 2/26 vs SEA
  • Largest Margin of Victory: 4 goals, 2x, Latest Nov. 16/25 at TBL
  • Largest Margin of Defeat: 4 goals, 2x, Latest Dec. 8/25 vs DET
  • Longest Win Streak: 4 games, Dec. 14-20/25 (4-0-0)
  • Longest Point Streak: 4 games, Dec. 14-20/25 (4-0-0)
  • Longest Winless Streak: 4 games, Nov. 28-Dec. 5/25 (0-3-1)
  • Longest Pointless Streak: 3 games, 2x, Latest Nov. 17-23/25 (0-3-0)

VANCOUVER 2025.26 RECORD WHEN…

  • Score 4+ Goals: 11-1-1
  • Score 3 Goals or Less: 5-19-4
  • Allow 4+ Goals: 2-14-2
  • Allow 3 Goals or Less: 14-6-3
  • Scoring First: 8-7-1
  • Allowing First Goal: 8-13-4
  • On 0 Days Rest: 4-2-3
  • On 1 Day Rest: 6-12-0
  • On 2 Days Rest: 5-5-2
  • On 3+ Days Rest: 1-1-0
  • Score a PPG: 11-7-4
  • Give up a PPG: 10-11-4
  • 25 or More Shots on Goal: 8-14-2
  • Less than 25 shots: 8-6-3

THREE STARS – JANUARY

  • DeBrusk (5 pts)
  • Hronek (5 pts)

DECEMBER WINNER – Demko, Öhgren (15 pts)

NOVEMBER WINNER – Hughes (20 pts)

OCTOBER WINNER – Demko, Sherwood (20 pts)

*5 points are awarded for each Three Stars Selection

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

  • Thursday, January 8: Vancouver at Detroit, 4:00pm PT
  • Saturday, January 10: Vancouver at Toronto, 4:00pm PT
  • Monday, January 12: Vancouver at Montreal, 4:30pm PT
  • Tuesday, January 13: Vancouver at Ottawa, 4:00pm PT
  • Thursday, January 15: Vancouver at Columbus, 4:00pm PT