Canucks’ Elias Pettersson leads comeback as young blue-line steps up

The Vancouver Canucks finally turned weeks of upbeat talk into a result on the scoreboard. At Rogers Arena on Saturday night, they clawed back from an early two-goal hole to defeat the Seattle Kraken 4-3, taking their first lead of the pre-season late in their fourth and final exhibition game.

Late power-play surge seals first pre-season win

Offence had been hard to come by through three earlier tune-up games, but the Canucks matched that entire output in one night against Seattle. The winner came on a late power play when a Brock Boeser shot caromed in off Jake DeBrusk parked in front, capping a 3-for-4 performance with the extra skater and giving Vancouver the lead it had been chasing all month.

The comeback was sparked in the third period by top defence prospect Zeev Buium, who buried the tying goal on a man advantage after a set-up from Linus Karlsson. Earlier, roster hopeful Jonathan Lekkerimaki delivered his best showing of camp, skating on the top line and setting up Elias Pettersson for a slick second-period finish. Afterward, faces were noticeably lighter in the Canucks’ room as players finally had a tangible payoff for the positive tone around camp.

Head coach Manny Malhotra praised how quickly his group has absorbed a new system, pointing to cleaner breakouts, faster defensive stops and more determined traffic around the crease. He described the victory as a fitting way to put a bow on a whirlwind 10 days that included implementing a new style, integrating several newcomers and squeezing four pre-season games into a tight window.

Veteran goalie Kevin Lankinen viewed the performance as another step on an upward curve, stressing the growing chemistry in the room and the importance of everyone pulling in the same direction once the regular season begins. The Canucks open on Tuesday in Edmonton before a three-game homestand and an early six-game trip through the Eastern Conference that will test that resilience quickly.

Young defenders paired with veterans, Pettersson Jr. makes statement

On the back end, Vancouver may have stumbled onto its opening-night alignment by pairing each of its first- or second-year defencemen with an established veteran. Buium lined up with Filip Hronek, Tom Willander played alongside Jamie Oleksiak and Elias Pettersson Jr. was matched with Luke Schenn. Malhotra liked how each duo complemented one another, highlighting not just their play but the constant communication on the bench.

Pettersson Jr. put his stamp on the night with a heavy open-ice hit on Shane Wright, which drew an immediate response from Ryan Winterton and led to a fight the Canuck defenceman ultimately won. The altercation produced another power play for Vancouver and underscored Pettersson’s belief that delivering big checks means being ready to answer the challenge that follows.

Off the ice, building stronger togetherness has been a major focus for general manager Ryan Johnson and his new regime after two turbulent years. Buium, heralded as a $75-million cornerstone for the future blue line, spoke about the energy building as opening night approaches and a group eager to compete hard for one another.

Merilainen arrival, Tolopilo waivers headline roster questions

While Vancouver won’t officially file its regular-season roster until Monday, the group that faced Seattle may be close to the final 23. Newly claimed netminder Leevi Merilainen is expected to step in for Nikita Tolopilo as Lankinen’s backup, with Thatcher Demko (hips) and centre Filip Chytil (shoulder) set to begin the year on injured reserve. Only three extra skaters sat out on Saturday — centre Aatu Raty and defencemen Guillaume Brisebois and Victor Mancini — and the Canucks could choose to keep all three.

There is still flexibility built into the depth chart. Lekkerimaki and Mancini are exempt from waivers and can be reassigned to the AHL without risk, giving management options if another player is claimed off waivers before Monday. Tolopilo will have to clear waivers, and if another team snaps him up, Vancouver could sign veteran Chris Driedger, who attended camp on a professional tryout, to bolster its minor-league goaltending. Thanks to last season’s 32nd-place finish, the Canucks also hold the top waiver priority league-wide, leaving the door open for one more addition before the puck officially drops on their season.