Canucks Edge Ducks 5-4 Behind Tolopilo’s 37 Saves

The Vancouver Canucks secured a thrilling 5-4 victory against the Anaheim Ducks on November 27, 2025, at the Honda Center. Maximizing their opportunities, the Canucks capitalized on crucial moments, especially in the final stages of the match.

Max Sasson scored the decisive goal with just four minutes remaining in the third period, breaking a 3-3 tie. This victory marked an important turnaround for the Canucks, who improved their record to 10 wins, 12 losses, and 2 overtime losses. The Ducks, despite a strong effort, fell to 14 wins, 8 losses, and 1 overtime loss.

Nikita Tolopilo stepped up as the Canucks’ goalie, making 37 saves. He was called up due to injuries affecting regular goaltenders Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen. Tolopilo’s performance proved vital in securing the win, particularly as the Ducks outshot the Canucks throughout the game.

Vancouver opened the scoring at 9:49 of the first period with a goal from Linus Karlsson. Following a well-executed play by Arshdeep Bains, Karlsson found the net, marking his fourth goal of the season. Just two minutes later, Evander Kane extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal, bringing his season tally to four.

Despite being outshot 13-5 in the first period, the Canucks maintained their lead. The Ducks responded quickly in the second period, with Jackson LaCombe scoring a power-play goal just nine seconds in. This brought Anaheim within one goal.

Vancouver regained a two-goal advantage at 9:04, with Conor Garland scoring his sixth of the year after a clever assist from Brock Boeser. The Ducks retaliated, with Leo Carlsson backhanding a shot past Tolopilo at 16:19, narrowing the gap to 3-2.

With just over a minute remaining in the second period, Mason McTavish managed to equalize for the Ducks at 3-3, converting a pass from Beckett Sennecke and beating Tolopilo stick-side.

In a pivotal moment late in the match, Sasson’s goal at 16:58 of the third period tipped the scale back in favor of the Canucks, as he redirected a shot from Filip Hronek past Ducks’ goalie Petr Mrazek, who ultimately made 23 saves on 27 shots. Drew O’Connor added an insurance marker into an empty net at 18:08, marking his seventh goal of the season.

Although Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks with just seven seconds left to narrow the score to 5-4, it was too late for a comeback. The Canucks managed to hold on for the victory, showcasing a resilient performance.

Looking ahead, the Canucks will face the San Jose Sharks on November 29 at 1:00 p.m. before heading to Los Angeles for a matchup on November 30 at 19:00. In this game, Vancouver defenseman Tom Willander achieved a personal milestone, recording two assists for his first multi-point game in the NHL.

The performance of both teams highlighted the competitive nature of the NHL, with the Ducks going 1-for-6 on power plays while the Canucks converted 1-for-3. As the season progresses, both teams will look to build on their current standings and improve their playoff aspirations.