Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;
This game got started with a bang, as Kiefer Sherwood got in on the forecheck to cause a turnover in the Chicago end, eventually leading to Danton Heinen scoring his first goal as a Canuck after a pretty passing play between Sherwood and Teddy Blueger. 1-0 Canucks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
Danton Heinen scores his first goal as a Vancouver Canuck! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/ZGy7zif1qS">pic.twitter.com/ZGy7zif1qS</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848883644582203739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This game was nearly 2-0 in a hurry, as Elias Pettersson made a beautiful touch pass to Nils Höglander at the side of the net that would have made it 2-0 early, but Petr Mrazek made a marvellous right pad save. Plays like that support the notion that Pettersson is slowly but surely beginning to get his swagger back. Not just the pass, but earlier in the shift, Pettersson battled through contact, found open ice, and made the quick play to Höglander.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The Petersson line puts in a great shift in the Blackhawks zone. Petr Mrázek makes a couple nice saves to keep this a one goal game. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/y6fGxjFPeu">pic.twitter.com/y6fGxjFPeu</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848884284670808433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8230; but I still wouldn&#8217;t have minded to see a shot from EP40 here. Not as badly as I would have maybe liked to see one from Teddy Blueger if Heinen didn&#8217;t convert on the opening goal:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Blueger didn’t shoot this and the Canucks still scored <a href="https://t.co/KlIuCChG8H">pic.twitter.com/KlIuCChG8H</a>
&mdash; Dan Riccio (@danriccio_) <a href="https://twitter.com/danriccio_/status/1848883800857842126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Old friend Jason Dickinson tripped up JT Miller in the neutral zone, giving the Canucks an early power play opportunity. They made good on it, as gametime decision JT Miller scored from a tough angle after a Quinn Hughes point shot bounced hard off the end boards and came out in front. 2-0 Canucks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
J.T. Miller scores on the power play! They get out to an early 2-0 lead in Chicago! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/Yql3U3j1FZ">pic.twitter.com/Yql3U3j1FZ</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848885546552307934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ryan Donato pulled the Hawks within one after finding some soft ice in the slot after a one-handed feed from Jason Dickinson to make it 2-1. There were multiple errors on this play, starting with the Myers-Soucy pairing:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
So many errors on this goal. Should have been an easy pass from Soucy to Myers. Myers chases the hit and takes himself out of the play. Soucy doesn’t cover in front of the net. And then Miller probably could have still made a play. <a href="https://t.co/vP9JgWOQDo">pic.twitter.com/vP9JgWOQDo</a>
&mdash; Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobTheHockeyGuy/status/1848887984764162384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Danton Heinen scored shortly after following a nice play from Kiefer Sherwood to get the puck back to the point to Filip Hronek, who blasted a shot wide of the Canucks&#8217; net, right to Sherwood&#8217;s stick for the deflection to make it 3-1. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
Danton Heinen scores his second goal of the game! It&#39;s 3-1 Vancouver <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/RANzGBBUL4">pic.twitter.com/RANzGBBUL4</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848889711429095675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Hawks challenged the play for delay of game, which was silly, because Kiefer Sherwood did the ol&#8217; Cale Makar on the zone entry, where he tagged up before touching the puck again at the blue line. The challenge was unsuccessful, giving the Canucks another power play. The highlight of the power play was Danton Heinen nearly scoring a first period hat trick, which would have just been so funny.
Taylor Hall pulled Chicago within one after Tyler Myers had trouble settling a bouncing puck, giving Hall far too much time and space in the slot to make it 3-2. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Taylor Hall scores for Chicago. 
3-2 Vancouver <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/mcLQnQj9rj">pic.twitter.com/mcLQnQj9rj</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848891001064346015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Quinn Hughes let go of a point shot into traffic that ended with Elias Pettersson shovelling the puck over to Conor Garland, who made it 4-2 Canucks at the end of 20 minutes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
Conor Garland scores the Canucks 4th goal of the period! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/I1pQGueqIO">pic.twitter.com/I1pQGueqIO</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848892657860489584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The second period had less than six goals, meaning it was a snooze fest not worth writing or reading about. Carson Soucy took a tripping penalty that gave Chicago a power play, but the Canucks managed to not let the puck get to Connor Bedard for very long, so they managed to kill it off relatively easily. The Blackhawks got another power play, and while Bedard came close to scoring, the Canucks killed that one off too.
In all seriousness, Kevin Lankinen was rock solid all night long, but made some key saves in the second to preserve the Canucks&#8217; two-goal lead heading into the third.
In the third period, Lankinen was up to his old tricks again:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kevin Lankinen has been incredible once again for the Canucks! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/boWa87vHjI">pic.twitter.com/boWa87vHjI</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848913724930732287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Jake DeBrusk took a hooking penalty, and again, the Canucks were good at limiting Bedard&#8217;s time and space, so the penalty kill remained perfect on the night.
Later, Elias Pettersson did his dekes and drew a tripping penalty. ANOTHER SIGN?! On the ensuing power play, JT Miller made it look far too easy when he snapped a hard pass at Brock Boeser in the high slot, who also made it look far too easy by deflecting the pass past Mrazek to make it 5-2 Canucks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
Brock Boeser scores on the power play! 5-2 Vancouver!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/p7MO6Yv8H5">pic.twitter.com/p7MO6Yv8H5</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848917162666414512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Pius Suter got in on the fun 20 seconds later, making it 6-2 in the blink of an eye.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨Canucks Goal🚨
Pius Suter scores his first goal of the season! 6-2 Vancouver! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/XvEq2ZCeYM">pic.twitter.com/XvEq2ZCeYM</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848918103734030698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Teddy Blueger took a penalty late, then Filip Hronek took a penalty shortly after, which made it a 5-on-3, which made it harder to kill the penalty off. Kevin Lankinen is human, we&#8217;re told. 6-3.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Tyler Bertuzzi scores for Chicago. 
6-3 Vancouver. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 🎥: Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/EwBZmdHUk4">pic.twitter.com/EwBZmdHUk4</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848919209771995490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Canucks killed off the remaining 55 seconds of the Hronek penalty, and that was all she wrote for this one. 6-3 final.
With their win tonight, the Canucks now have eight points through six games. This puts them on a 109-point pace, the same number of points they tallied last season en route to winning the Pacific Division.
Some other takeaways from tonight:
-Erik Brannstrom shouldn&#8217;t be taken out of the Canucks&#8217; lineup for a long, long time. His passing and skating ability were once again noticeable tonight after a strong showing in Philadelphia on Saturday. He hit the crossbar in the first period tonight as well. 
-Another rough night for Carson Soucy and, in turn, the Soucy-Myers pairing. The duo was so good last season and into the playoffs at matching up against top competition, but they just haven&#8217;t looked like they&#8217;re on the same page this season. 
-The last time the Canucks dominated a first period against a supposed bottom feeder team, they blew a three goal lead to the Calgary Flames twice on opening night. Nice to see them close this one out. 
-10 hits for Kiefer Sherwood tonight. My word. 
-That&#8217;s a three game winning streak! 
-More like KeVezina Lankinen.
What are your thoughts on tonight&#8217;s game? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sponsored by bet365
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;

This game got started with a bang, as Kiefer Sherwood got in on the forecheck to cause a turnover in the Chicago end, eventually leading to Danton Heinen scoring his first goal as a Canuck after a pretty passing play between Sherwood and Teddy Blueger. 1-0 Canucks.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848883644582203739

This game was nearly 2-0 in a hurry, as Elias Pettersson made a beautiful touch pass to Nils Höglander at the side of the net that would have made it 2-0 early, but Petr Mrazek made a marvellous right pad save. Plays like that support the notion that Pettersson is slowly but surely beginning to get his swagger back. Not just the pass, but earlier in the shift, Pettersson battled through contact, found open ice, and made the quick play to Höglander.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848884284670808433

... but I still wouldn't have minded to see a shot from EP40 here. Not as badly as I would have maybe liked to see one from Teddy Blueger if Heinen didn't convert on the opening goal:

https://twitter.com/danriccio_/status/1848883800857842126

Old friend Jason Dickinson tripped up JT Miller in the neutral zone, giving the Canucks an early power play opportunity. They made good on it, as gametime decision JT Miller scored from a tough angle after a Quinn Hughes point shot bounced hard off the end boards and came out in front. 2-0 Canucks.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848885546552307934

Ryan Donato pulled the Hawks within one after finding some soft ice in the slot after a one-handed feed from Jason Dickinson to make it 2-1. There were multiple errors on this play, starting with the Myers-Soucy pairing:

https://twitter.com/RobTheHockeyGuy/status/1848887984764162384

Danton Heinen scored shortly after following a nice play from Kiefer Sherwood to get the puck back to the point to Filip Hronek, who blasted a shot wide of the Canucks' net, right to Sherwood's stick for the deflection to make it 3-1. 

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848889711429095675

The Hawks challenged the play for delay of game, which was silly, because Kiefer Sherwood did the ol' Cale Makar on the zone entry, where he tagged up before touching the puck again at the blue line. The challenge was unsuccessful, giving the Canucks another power play. The highlight of the power play was Danton Heinen nearly scoring a first period hat trick, which would have just been so funny.

Taylor Hall pulled Chicago within one after Tyler Myers had trouble settling a bouncing puck, giving Hall far too much time and space in the slot to make it 3-2. 

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848891001064346015

Quinn Hughes let go of a point shot into traffic that ended with Elias Pettersson shovelling the puck over to Conor Garland, who made it 4-2 Canucks at the end of 20 minutes.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848892657860489584

The second period had less than six goals, meaning it was a snooze fest not worth writing or reading about. Carson Soucy took a tripping penalty that gave Chicago a power play, but the Canucks managed to not let the puck get to Connor Bedard for very long, so they managed to kill it off relatively easily. The Blackhawks got another power play, and while Bedard came close to scoring, the Canucks killed that one off too.

In all seriousness, Kevin Lankinen was rock solid all night long, but made some key saves in the second to preserve the Canucks' two-goal lead heading into the third.

In the third period, Lankinen was up to his old tricks again:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848913724930732287

Jake DeBrusk took a hooking penalty, and again, the Canucks were good at limiting Bedard's time and space, so the penalty kill remained perfect on the night.

Later, Elias Pettersson did his dekes and drew a tripping penalty. ANOTHER SIGN?! On the ensuing power play, JT Miller made it look far too easy when he snapped a hard pass at Brock Boeser in the high slot, who also made it look far too easy by deflecting the pass past Mrazek to make it 5-2 Canucks.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848917162666414512

Pius Suter got in on the fun 20 seconds later, making it 6-2 in the blink of an eye.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848918103734030698

Teddy Blueger took a penalty late, then Filip Hronek took a penalty shortly after, which made it a 5-on-3, which made it harder to kill the penalty off. Kevin Lankinen is human, we're told. 6-3.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1848919209771995490

The Canucks killed off the remaining 55 seconds of the Hronek penalty, and that was all she wrote for this one. 6-3 final.

With their win tonight, the Canucks now have eight points through six games. This puts them on a 109-point pace, the same number of points they tallied last season en route to winning the Pacific Division.

Some other takeaways from tonight:

-Erik Brannstrom shouldn't be taken out of the Canucks' lineup for a long, long time. His passing and skating ability were once again noticeable tonight after a strong showing in Philadelphia on Saturday. He hit the crossbar in the first period tonight as well.
-Another rough night for Carson Soucy and, in turn, the Soucy-Myers pairing. The duo was so good last season and into the playoffs at matching up against top competition, but they just haven't looked like they're on the same page this season.
-The last time the Canucks dominated a first period against a supposed bottom feeder team, they blew a three goal lead to the Calgary Flames twice on opening night. Nice to see them close this one out.
-10 hits for Kiefer Sherwood tonight. My word.
-That's a three game winning streak!
-More like KeVezina Lankinen.

What are your thoughts on tonight's game? Let us know in the comments section below.

Sponsored by bet365
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Recent articles from David Quadrelli

Breaking News