Thursday night at Rogers Arena, the Vancouver Canucks trailed 3–1 late in the game but somehow clawed their way back to beat the Nashville Predators 4–3 in a shootout. For a team that has taken more than its share of losses this season, the victory felt a little different. The Canucks didn’t just eke out a win—they earned it by refusing to go away.
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The hero in regulation was Filip Hronek, who tied the game with just over a minute left after Vancouver pulled goalie Nikita Tolopilo for the extra attacker. Until that moment, Juuse Saros had been frustrating the Canucks all night. Jake DeBrusk finished things off in the shootout, while Tolopilo stopped Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and Steven Stamkos to secure the win.
Item One: The Canucks Played Better Than the Score Suggested
One interesting part of the game came from the Nashville bench. Predators head coach Andrew Brunette admitted afterward that his team probably didn’t deserve the point they got. He said Vancouver was the better team from the opening faceoff and that Nashville had too many passengers.
That lines up with how the game looked. The Canucks created plenty of chances early, but Saros kept turning them away. Drew O’Connor, Linus Karlsson, and Brock Boeser all had quality looks that could have easily changed the game earlier.
Sometimes hockey works like that. A team can play well and still find itself trailing. The key is not letting frustration take over—and Thursday night the Canucks didn’t.
Item Two: Filip Hronek Comes Up Huge
Hronek picked a pretty good moment to remind everyone what he can do. With the Canucks pressing late and the goalie pulled, Hronek stepped into a shot from the right faceoff circle and beat Saros through a screen with just 1:01 left in regulation. It was a shot that felt bigger than just another goal on the stat sheet. It tied the game, saved the night, and kept Vancouver’s hard work from going to waste.
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Hronek also recorded an assist earlier in the game, quietly putting together a strong night. For a defenseman who sometimes flies a little under the radar, that late goal was a big moment—and the kind of play that can give a team a jolt of confidence.
Item Three: Marco Rossi Drives the Offence
Marco Rossi was right in the middle of almost everything good the Canucks did offensively. Rossi finished the night with a goal and two assists, continuing a stretch where he has looked more and more comfortable driving play. His rebound goal late in the second period cut Nashville’s lead to 3–2 and gave Vancouver some life heading into the third.
Beyond the points, Rossi’s game has a certain calm to it. He’s around the puck constantly and seems to make smart decisions when he gets it. On a team that’s still trying to find its identity, performances like this are the kind that coaches notice. This youngster has looked good since returning from his injury. He might just be a keeper.
Item Four: Brock Boeser Keeps Scoring
Boeser got the Canucks on the board early, and the goal was classic of him. The puck bounced around in front of the net after a Hronek point shot and a Rossi tip, and Boeser managed to get just enough of it to redirect it past Saros. It was one of those greasy net-front goals that scorers seem to have a knack for finding.
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Boeser also played a role in the team’s push throughout the game. Afterward, he talked about the confidence in the locker room, saying the group felt they were controlling play even when they trailed. That belief showed up in the third period.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
The win moves Vancouver to 2-1-1 in its past four games, which may not sound like much, but after the way this season has gone, even small steps forward count. More importantly, the way the Canucks won might matter more than the two points themselves. Falling behind late and still finding a way back showed some resilience. Coaches love that word, and Thursday night the team actually showed it.
Now the challenge is building on it. Confidence can disappear quickly in the NHL if it isn’t reinforced with another strong effort. But if the Canucks bring the same push they showed late against Nashville, there’s at least a chance that this win could spark something positive over the next stretch of games.
And for a team that has endured a lot of frustrating nights this season, even the smallest spark is worth holding onto.
