VANCOUVER – nikita Tolopilo may never become the Vancouver Canucks‘ goaltender-of-the-future, but with his team desperate, the 25-year-old minor-league callup became the goaltender-of-the-moment on Thursday.
The undrafted Belarusian, who has been building his game in the American Hockey League for most of three seasons, made 32 saves to help the Canucks halt another losing streak with a 2-0 home win against the Anaheim Ducks.
The performance won’t count as an individual National Hockey League shutout,as a concussion-spotter forced Tolopilo to miss the first two minutes of the second period when veteran goalie Kevin Lankinen went in net for Vancouver and made one save.
But the positive night, an actual feel-good story for the Canucks, meant more than just a team shutout to an association that is mercifully nearing the end of one of the worst months in franchise history.
The victory was just Vancouver’s second in 16 games as Dec. 29,and only its sixth win in 26 games at Rogers Arena this season.
It considerably brightens the January gloom around the last-place team as it prepares to end an eight-game homestand Saturday against the Toronto maple Leafs.
“you know, to have a moment like that, yeah, I’m really proud of him, happy for him,” Lankinen said of Tolopilo, who started for just the sixth time this season and seventh time in the NHL. “He’s been working really hard to get this moment, and I just want to be there in support. It’s a big win, but more so for the goalie department, a big shutout, too.”
After Ducks forward Ryan Poehling crashed into Tolopilo on a rush to the net with 2:01 remaining in the first period, negating what would have been an Anaheim goal, the netminder was flagged by the concussion spotter and spent the first intermission clearing protocol.
Lankinen was told to get ready to start the second, although the Canucks were hoping Tolopilo might be cleared by the end of the intermission.
“I was hoping, yeah, but like, it takes a while,” Tolopilo
## Vancouver Canucks Goaltending Duo Secures Shutout Victory
The Vancouver Canucks achieved a shutout victory with a collaborative effort between goaltenders Thatcher demko and Jaroslav Lankinen, as reported on January 27, 2024. NHL.com confirms the canucks defeated the Calgary Flames 1-0.
### Thatcher Demko’s Performance
Thatcher Demko was the primary goaltender in the Canucks’ 1-0 win against the Calgary Flames, and his performance was lauded by teammate Elias Pettersson. Pettersson noted Demko’s ability to control rebounds,contributing to the shutout. NHL.com details Demko stopping all 26 shots faced. Demko’s save percentage for the 2023-2024 season is .915 as of January 30, 2024, according to Hockey-Reference.com.
### jaroslav Lankinen’s Contribution and Shared Shutout
Jaroslav Lankinen shared the shutout credit with Thatcher Demko, a decision agreed upon by both goaltenders and coach Rick Tocchet. Lankinen entered the game briefly,maintaining the shutout. According to NHL.com, Lankinen played 1:28 in the third period. While Lankinen downplayed his role, acknowledging the night belonged to Demko, the team recognized his contribution to preserving the shutout.
### Canucks’ Pursuit of home Ice Improvement
The Canucks players expressed the importance of improving their performance at Rogers Arena, their home ice. Lankinen emphasized the team’s desire to deliver better results for their fans. As of January 30, 2024, the Canucks have a home record of 14-7-2, according to NHL.com standings. The win against Calgary was seen as a step towards achieving this goal and building momentum for future games.
