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Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Canucks Defeat Flames 4-3 in a Shootout

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Lukas Bernasiewicz | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 12:32 AM ET

The Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames squared off in a crucial game with major playoff implications for both teams. With the standings in the Western Conference as tight as they are right now, two points would be a major boost for either team as Calgary currently holds a one-point lead over the Canucks for the final wild-card spot in the conference’s playoff picture. A regulation win for either squad would help mightily. Vancouver was also given good news before the start of the game as their captain Quinn Hughes returned to the lineup and looked to make a big impact.

Game Recap

The puck dropped for the start of the first period, and the Canucks and Flames traded chances. Both teams knew that this game had the same vibe as a playoff game and getting on the board first would be a huge advantage to either side. But both goalies would not let that happen early as the game stayed 0-0 for most of the first period. It wasn’t until the clock winded down to the final six minutes of the period that the Canucks broke the deadlock.

As a Canucks’ powerplay finished, Vancouver kept the puck in the zone to create a chance. A Filip Hronek one-timer bounced out to Marcus Pettersson and he found Pius Suter at the right-wing boards. Suter shot the puck and it got blocked but fired it again on a second chance and somehow beat Dustin Wolf to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead. A big goal for the Canucks to open the scoring, but the Flames came right back four minutes later. Rasmus Andersson found a streaking Nazem Kadri up the middle of the ice and Kadri deked out Kevin Lankinen with a beautiful move to tie the game for the Flames at 1-1, and that is how the first period ended.

The start of the second period was similar to the first as neither team could break the deadlock that began the period. It took over 10 minutes for someone to break the tie, but once again it was the Canucks grabbing the lead after the period began with a tied score. On the power play, Hughes sent the puck to the net, and Jake DeBrusk tipped it to give Vancouver the 2-1 lead with less than nine and a half minutes to go in the second period. The Canucks were given another powerplay in the back half of the period, but this time it was the Flames that capitalized on Vancouver’s man advantage. Hughes tried to send the puck into the Flames’ zone from the red line, but MacKenzie Weegar picked off the pass, and he sprung Kevin Rooney and Jonathan Huberdeau on a 2-on-0, and Huberdeau scored to tie the game.

Then, just over two minutes later, the Flames were given a power play, and Huberdeau wired home a shot that stuck to the back of the net. Some were unaware if the puck even went in. Huberdeau’s goal kept the Flames in good spirits as they took their lead into the second intermission.

Calgary looked to maintain their lead in the third period and potentially add to it, while Vancouver desperately needed to score and also keep the puck out of their net. The Canucks did a great job keeping the puck out of their net as they were playing really solid defence and Lankinen shut the door for them in the third period. But that tying goal was still lacking until the Canucks found a way to tie the game. Newly acquired Victor Mancini threw the puck on the net from the point and a perfect rebound came out to Elias Pettersson, and he scored to tie the game up for the Canucks with six minutes left in regulation. A huge goal for the Canucks and Pettersson as Vancouver showed they were not going to leave this game without a fight. That goal proved to be huge as the third period concluded, and both teams went to overtime.

The game went to a five-minute overtime period of 3-on-3 and the Canucks controlled possession for the vast majority of the period. But Vancouver looked scared to shoot the puck as they did not want to give Calgary a fast break. So, they spent a lot of time skating with the puck and wasting time instead of taking open shots. They did get a few good looks, but Wolf was up to the task and kept the game tied, and both teams went to a shootout.

Calgary began the shootout with Morgan Frost. He came in and tried to go low blocker on Lankinen but was stopped giving the Canucks the chance to respond. Next up was Elias Pettersson, and he quickly shot five-hole on Wolf and beat him to give the Canucks the advantage. After the next two shooters missed, Johnathan Huberdeau was next to try to keep Calgary alive. Huberdeau skated in on the ice’s left side, moved into the slot, and slipped the puck through Lankinen’s legs to tie up the shootout. Next up was Pius Suter to try and win the game for the Canucks, but Wolf stopped him, and we headed to the fourth round.

First up for Calgary was Yegor Sharangovich, and he was stopped by Lankinen giving the Canucks a chance to win with a goal. Conor Garland shot for the Canucks in Round 4, and he came in with speed and shot the puck glove side and scored to give the Canucks a huge victory over the Flames. Now both teams are tied with 71 points, and the fight for the final wild-card spot in the West just got even more entertaining.