Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CanucksArmy</a> where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a> game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
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&nbsp;
We somehow keep getting invites back to do Instant Reactions. Believe me, I&#8217;ve told Quads about my game coverage article record (1-10). But now that the Canucks have been mathematically eliminated, maybe that&#8217;s why I was sent in. The Canucks don&#8217;t have anything but pride to play for, so earning points will only affect their odds of getting a higher first-round pick.
Smart thinking, Quads&#8230;but it failed.
Here were the line configurations for tonight&#8217;s game against the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-game-day-playing-pride-final-road-game-season-mackinnon-less-colorado-avalanche">Colorado Avalanche:</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Thursday&#39;s team against the Avs.
📺 Sportsnet Pacific 📻 Sportsnet 650 <a href="https://t.co/eONsrvZFAS">pic.twitter.com/eONsrvZFAS</a>
&mdash; Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1910499969980572025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The game&#8217;s first threatening scoring chance came off a great play from Teddy Blueger and Linus Karlsson to find Drew O&#8217;Connor alone in tight on Mackenzie Blackwood.
Blueger won the defensive zone faceoff, and the trio broke the puck up the ice. After a board battle and an Avalanche defender draping on his back, Karlsson sends a backhand pass to Blueger at the top of the right faceoff circle, who then finds O&#8217;Connor down low all alone.
O&#8217;Connor has a limited angle and does a quick fake to the forehand as if he&#8217;s going to the far side of the net and then tries to beat Blackwood shortside. The Avalanche goaltender gets a glove on it and keeps the game scoreless.
The Canucks were awarded the games first two power play opportunities, within the first 10 minutes. Kiefer Sherwood took a high stick from Martin Necas, and Nils Höglander was cross-checked into the boards by Samuel Girard.
While they couldn&#8217;t capitalize, both units were able to set up in the zone and generate scoring chances. Which, if you&#8217;ve been watching all season, doesn&#8217;t always happen. But the second unit continued to move around the zone and give different looks to the opposing penalty kill.
Filip Hronek has been a great weapon on that power play, as he&#8217;s got a deadly powerful shot from the point but is also not afraid to pinch down low. We highlighted that more in our most recent <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/tape-dissecting-vancouver-canucks-insane-comeback-win-dallas-stars">The Tape article, where you can read more about it here for a visual example.</a>
After Girard&#8217;s penalty, the Avalanche gained possession of the puck and sprung him coming out of the box. Girard was one-on-one with Hronek, who was able to keep up with Girard&#8217;s speed, and despite getting beat toward the inside, his active stick helped minimize the shot on Kevin Lankinen. The Canucks netminder kept it a one score game.
The Avalanche entered the second period with some steam, as they generate multiple high-danger scoring chances and hemmed the Canucks in their own end for the 1:30 of the period.
There might be no better version of the Canucks than a mathematically eliminated version of the Canucks.
However, it would be the Canucks who broke the ice early in the middle frame:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Jake DeBrusk opens the scoring with his 26th goal of the season! 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tl8YrxOKV4">pic.twitter.com/Tl8YrxOKV4</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910516785201504562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The shift before the goal, Sherwood&#8217;s line with Dakota Joshua and <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchies-aatu-raty-pair-goals-isnt-enough-vancouver-canucks-so-loss-columbus-blue-jackets">Aatu Räty</a>, was generating time in the offensive zone. Sherwood displayed his playmaking ability by sending a pass behind the net to Joshua, who got a sharp-angle shot off on Blackwood. Then, he showed off again with that slick move to grab the primary assist on the opening goal.
That is now points in four straight games and 10 points over his last eight for Sherwood. When this team has needed offence, Sherwood has really stepped up for the club.
1-0 Canucks.
But Sherwood&#8217;s contributions don&#8217;t stop there:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Kiefer Sherwood rips a shot past Mackenzie Blackwood! It&#39;s 2-0 Vancouver! 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/TQgL5U9oqP">pic.twitter.com/TQgL5U9oqP</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910519097500295206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Dakota Joshua carries the puck through the neutral zone, taking a cut to the middle of the zone for more open ice. He then pulls Devon Toews to allow a lane for Sherwood, who trusts in his shot to rip one up high on Blackwood.
Make that two points in three minutes for Sherwood and four goals and five points against the Avalanche – his former team – on the season. Also, even though the game doesn&#8217;t mean much to these guys at this point, him slamming his glass and celebrating like that is just nice to see.
2-0 Canucks.
It&#8217;s easy to get caught flat-footed after an insurance marker goal, and that&#8217;s what happened a few minutes later:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kevin Lankinen makes his best save of the night! 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/U73wSSXGGh">pic.twitter.com/U73wSSXGGh</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910520344064197052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After Sherwood blows a tire and turns the puck over in the defensive zone, Valeri Nichuskin picks up the loose puck. He then skates it to the slot area but isn&#8217;t in a prime shooting position. So instead, he sends a backhand pass to Necas at the low left circle, and Kevin Lankinen does a great job of sliding across and getting the blocker save to keep the Canucks ahead by two.
But after that, the Canucks didn&#8217;t sit on their lead. They sustained pressure in the offensive zone, registering nine shot attempts to the Avalanche&#8217;s one over the following three minutes.
The Avalanche would find their way on the scoreboard late in the second period:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Devon Toews point shot finds it&#39;s way past Kevin Lankinen. It&#39;s 2-1 Vancouver. 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/9kV6xcoZox">pic.twitter.com/9kV6xcoZox</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910523781946499099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Charlie Coyle performs a give-and-go with Makar before taking a point shot through traffic. That shot would get tipped past Lankinen by Devon Toews? Shouldn&#8217;t Toews be the one shooting from the point and Coyle be the one in front, tipping the shot? However way you slice it, the Avalanche now cut the Canucks lead in half.
2-1 Canucks.
And not long after, Drew O&#8217;Connor would take a high-sticking penalty on Girard, 200 feet from his own net.
While the Avalanche had some threatening passing in the Canucks end, it was the Canucks who got the two best chances on the Avalanche power play.
Garland was sent on a breakaway? If you want to call it that. At one point, it was, but he was quickly met by Cale Makar and had to just send a backhand floater on net.
The true chance came seconds later when the puck bounced to Blueger in the neutral zone. Waiting for Pius Suter to join him, Blueger takes on his defender and gets the step to pass the puck around him and find Suter for a quick shot that Blackwood gets a piece of but rings off the post.
It&#8217;s not often that you see the Canucks get more chances on the penalty kill. It&#8217;s usually the otherway around, where the Canucks allow more shorthanded chances.
The Avalanche were on a mission to find the equalizer in the third period. Two grade-A scoring chances off passes from behind the net to the slot area for one-time attempts. Lankinen comes up clutch and stops both of them.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kevin Lankinen has come up clutch so far in the 3rd period! 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ya6AQWTcld">pic.twitter.com/Ya6AQWTcld</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910532328285487252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Lankinen has been solid in this game. He hasn&#8217;t seen a ton of high-danger chances, but when he was faced with them, he was the backbone the Canucks needed.
And sometimes, a big save at the other end provides the spark every team needs to produce at the other end of the rink.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Dakota Joshua scores! He is having a big night putting up a goal and an assist!
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/hivukGe9ww">pic.twitter.com/hivukGe9ww</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910533091476771189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After a faceoff win, Hronek passes it to Marcus Pettersson, who finds up for a slap shot at the point. The shot gets through the shot blocker in front and the net-front traffic. Joshua spins off Toews and gets inside position at the front of the net to scoop home a rebound if it pops out to him. It does just that, and the Canucks extend their lead back to two.
3-1 Canucks.
You&#8217;ve got to tip your cap to Rick Tocchet for finding something with this Dakota Joshua &#8211; Aatu Räty &#8211; Kiefer Sherwood line. They&#8217;re all balls of energy on the forecheck who aren&#8217;t afraid to throw their body, and they&#8217;re producing offensively.
Räty looks to be fitting in quite nicely since his call-up. He has points in three straight games now, tallying two goals and two assists. He looks comfortable out there, in what is his audition to make the NHL roster as a mainstay next season. Räty looks comfortable enough to try this move off at the NHL level:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Aatu Räty attempts the between the legs move but isn&#39;t able to put it past Blackwood. 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/jdHuBXsiMx">pic.twitter.com/jdHuBXsiMx</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910534696465031243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sure, the Canucks were winning already and that&#8217;s exciting – maybe not at this time of year – but the best part of this game had to be when Elias Pettersson dropped the gloves for his first career fight:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
D Elias Pettersson bringing that fire and swagger baby <a href="https://t.co/4WQntzHOau">pic.twitter.com/4WQntzHOau</a>
&mdash; Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheStanchion/status/1910535744558686481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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First off, Pettersson just bullies O&#8217;Connor over in their battle near the front of the net. O&#8217;Connor gets up, and they exchange pushes before Pettersson eventually drops the gloves.
Secondly, Pettersson stands his own and lands a few punches before O&#8217;Connor has even shed his gloves. O&#8217;Connor would land a solid connection on Pettersson – as you can see from the shiner on his forehead – but for his first NHL fight, we here at CanucksArmy award Pettersson the winner of the bout.
Nils Höglander would put the nail in the coffin with an empty-net goal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Nils Hoglander puts the puck into the empty Colorado net! It&#39;s 4-1 Vancouver! 
🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/OdqrcAdMB4">pic.twitter.com/OdqrcAdMB4</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910538986176790717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
4-1 Canucks Final.
&nbsp;
<h1>Takeaways</h1>
&#8211; Kiefer Sherwood had another strong game. Not only is he a physical force out there, but he&#8217;s contributing offensively and comes up large in the defensive zone with an active stick, like he did as Makar swung around behind the net to clear the zone and go off for a change.
&#8211; Victor Mancini continues to impress. Early on, he was making similar silky plays in the offensive zone as he made in the previous game. He also showed off his speed to keep. up with Logan O&#8217;Connor at the tail end of the first period and knocked Logan O&#8217;Connor off the puck as he was darting toward the net. The kid is strong and crafty in both ends of the ice.
&#8211; Rick Tocchet is getting the most out of his lineup. He might not have much to work with Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil on the shelf, but he&#8217;s found a spot for Aatu Räty and Linus Karlsson, where they&#8217;re both making impactful plays. They should be players to watch for next season.
<div class="mb-5">What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below. And be sure to tune into Rink Wide Vancouver moments after the final horn!</div>
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&nbsp;

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CanucksArmy</a> where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a> game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
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&nbsp;

We somehow keep getting invites back to do Instant Reactions. Believe me, I've told Quads about my game coverage article record (1-10). But now that the Canucks have been mathematically eliminated, maybe that's why I was sent in. The Canucks don't have anything but pride to play for, so earning points will only affect their odds of getting a higher first-round pick.

Smart thinking, Quads...but it failed.

Here were the line configurations for tonight's game against the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-game-day-playing-pride-final-road-game-season-mackinnon-less-colorado-avalanche">Colorado Avalanche:</a>

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1910499969980572025

The game's first threatening scoring chance came off a great play from Teddy Blueger and Linus Karlsson to find Drew O'Connor alone in tight on Mackenzie Blackwood.

Blueger won the defensive zone faceoff, and the trio broke the puck up the ice. After a board battle and an Avalanche defender draping on his back, Karlsson sends a backhand pass to Blueger at the top of the right faceoff circle, who then finds O'Connor down low all alone.

O'Connor has a limited angle and does a quick fake to the forehand as if he's going to the far side of the net and then tries to beat Blackwood shortside. The Avalanche goaltender gets a glove on it and keeps the game scoreless.

The Canucks were awarded the games first two power play opportunities, within the first 10 minutes. Kiefer Sherwood took a high stick from Martin Necas, and Nils Höglander was cross-checked into the boards by Samuel Girard.

While they couldn't capitalize, both units were able to set up in the zone and generate scoring chances. Which, if you've been watching all season, doesn't always happen. But the second unit continued to move around the zone and give different looks to the opposing penalty kill.

Filip Hronek has been a great weapon on that power play, as he's got a deadly powerful shot from the point but is also not afraid to pinch down low. We highlighted that more in our most recent <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/tape-dissecting-vancouver-canucks-insane-comeback-win-dallas-stars">The Tape article, where you can read more about it here for a visual example.</a>

After Girard's penalty, the Avalanche gained possession of the puck and sprung him coming out of the box. Girard was one-on-one with Hronek, who was able to keep up with Girard's speed, and despite getting beat toward the inside, his active stick helped minimize the shot on Kevin Lankinen. The Canucks netminder kept it a one score game.

The Avalanche entered the second period with some steam, as they generate multiple high-danger scoring chances and hemmed the Canucks in their own end for the 1:30 of the period.

There might be no better version of the Canucks than a mathematically eliminated version of the Canucks.

However, it would be the Canucks who broke the ice early in the middle frame:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910516785201504562

The shift before the goal, Sherwood's line with Dakota Joshua and <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchies-aatu-raty-pair-goals-isnt-enough-vancouver-canucks-so-loss-columbus-blue-jackets">Aatu Räty</a>, was generating time in the offensive zone. Sherwood displayed his playmaking ability by sending a pass behind the net to Joshua, who got a sharp-angle shot off on Blackwood. Then, he showed off again with that slick move to grab the primary assist on the opening goal.

That is now points in four straight games and 10 points over his last eight for Sherwood. When this team has needed offence, Sherwood has really stepped up for the club.

1-0 Canucks.

But Sherwood's contributions don't stop there:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910519097500295206

Dakota Joshua carries the puck through the neutral zone, taking a cut to the middle of the zone for more open ice. He then pulls Devon Toews to allow a lane for Sherwood, who trusts in his shot to rip one up high on Blackwood.

Make that two points in three minutes for Sherwood and four goals and five points against the Avalanche – his former team – on the season. Also, even though the game doesn't mean much to these guys at this point, him slamming his glass and celebrating like that is just nice to see.

2-0 Canucks.

It's easy to get caught flat-footed after an insurance marker goal, and that's what happened a few minutes later:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910520344064197052

After Sherwood blows a tire and turns the puck over in the defensive zone, Valeri Nichuskin picks up the loose puck. He then skates it to the slot area but isn't in a prime shooting position. So instead, he sends a backhand pass to Necas at the low left circle, and Kevin Lankinen does a great job of sliding across and getting the blocker save to keep the Canucks ahead by two.

But after that, the Canucks didn't sit on their lead. They sustained pressure in the offensive zone, registering nine shot attempts to the Avalanche's one over the following three minutes.

The Avalanche would find their way on the scoreboard late in the second period:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910523781946499099

Charlie Coyle performs a give-and-go with Makar before taking a point shot through traffic. That shot would get tipped past Lankinen by Devon Toews? Shouldn't Toews be the one shooting from the point and Coyle be the one in front, tipping the shot? However way you slice it, the Avalanche now cut the Canucks lead in half.

2-1 Canucks.

And not long after, Drew O'Connor would take a high-sticking penalty on Girard, 200 feet from his own net.

While the Avalanche had some threatening passing in the Canucks end, it was the Canucks who got the two best chances on the Avalanche power play.

Garland was sent on a breakaway? If you want to call it that. At one point, it was, but he was quickly met by Cale Makar and had to just send a backhand floater on net.

The true chance came seconds later when the puck bounced to Blueger in the neutral zone. Waiting for Pius Suter to join him, Blueger takes on his defender and gets the step to pass the puck around him and find Suter for a quick shot that Blackwood gets a piece of but rings off the post.

It's not often that you see the Canucks get more chances on the penalty kill. It's usually the otherway around, where the Canucks allow more shorthanded chances.

The Avalanche were on a mission to find the equalizer in the third period. Two grade-A scoring chances off passes from behind the net to the slot area for one-time attempts. Lankinen comes up clutch and stops both of them.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910532328285487252

Lankinen has been solid in this game. He hasn't seen a ton of high-danger chances, but when he was faced with them, he was the backbone the Canucks needed.

And sometimes, a big save at the other end provides the spark every team needs to produce at the other end of the rink.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910533091476771189

After a faceoff win, Hronek passes it to Marcus Pettersson, who finds up for a slap shot at the point. The shot gets through the shot blocker in front and the net-front traffic. Joshua spins off Toews and gets inside position at the front of the net to scoop home a rebound if it pops out to him. It does just that, and the Canucks extend their lead back to two.

3-1 Canucks.

You've got to tip your cap to Rick Tocchet for finding something with this Dakota Joshua - Aatu Räty - Kiefer Sherwood line. They're all balls of energy on the forecheck who aren't afraid to throw their body, and they're producing offensively.

Räty looks to be fitting in quite nicely since his call-up. He has points in three straight games now, tallying two goals and two assists. He looks comfortable out there, in what is his audition to make the NHL roster as a mainstay next season. Räty looks comfortable enough to try this move off at the NHL level:

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910534696465031243

Sure, the Canucks were winning already and that's exciting – maybe not at this time of year – but the best part of this game had to be when Elias Pettersson dropped the gloves for his first career fight:

https://twitter.com/TheStanchion/status/1910535744558686481

First off, Pettersson just bullies O'Connor over in their battle near the front of the net. O'Connor gets up, and they exchange pushes before Pettersson eventually drops the gloves.

Secondly, Pettersson stands his own and lands a few punches before O'Connor has even shed his gloves. O'Connor would land a solid connection on Pettersson – as you can see from the shiner on his forehead – but for his first NHL fight, we here at CanucksArmy award Pettersson the winner of the bout.

Nils Höglander would put the nail in the coffin with an empty-net goal.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1910538986176790717

4-1 Canucks Final.

&nbsp;
<h1>Takeaways</h1>
- Kiefer Sherwood had another strong game. Not only is he a physical force out there, but he's contributing offensively and comes up large in the defensive zone with an active stick, like he did as Makar swung around behind the net to clear the zone and go off for a change.

- Victor Mancini continues to impress. Early on, he was making similar silky plays in the offensive zone as he made in the previous game. He also showed off his speed to keep. up with Logan O'Connor at the tail end of the first period and knocked Logan O'Connor off the puck as he was darting toward the net. The kid is strong and crafty in both ends of the ice.

- Rick Tocchet is getting the most out of his lineup. He might not have much to work with Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil on the shelf, but he's found a spot for Aatu Räty and Linus Karlsson, where they're both making impactful plays. They should be players to watch for next season.
<div class="mb-5">What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below. And be sure to tune into Rink Wide Vancouver moments after the final horn!</div>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2njKpIi04M

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