The Vancouver Canucks put an emphatic end to their recent struggles on Saturday night, defeating the Minnesota Wild 4-2 at Rogers Arena. The victory snapped a frustrating four-game losing streak for the Canucks.
Raty Leads the Charge with Three Points
The story of the night was forward Aatu Raty, who delivered a dominant performance. Raty was instrumental in the win, contributing two goals and one assist to lead the Canucks' offensive surge. His efforts were complemented by goals from Tom Willander and defenseman Elias Pettersson. In net, goaltender Nikita Tolopilo turned aside 27 shots to secure the win.
Minnesota opened the scoring early when Matt Boldy found the net just 3:11 into the first period. The Canucks, however, seized control of the game with a decisive second-period outburst.
Second Period Surge Seals the Win
Vancouver's comeback was swift and powerful, netting three goals in a span of just 5 minutes and 43 seconds during the middle frame. The rally began with Tom Willander's first-ever NHL goal at 9:29, a milestone moment for the young player. Elias Pettersson followed up with his first of the season and second of his career at 11:46. Raty capped off the flurry, making it 3-1 with 4:48 left in the period.
Raty wasn't finished, pushing the Canucks' lead to three goals early in the third period with his second tally at the 5:09 mark. The Wild managed a late power-play goal from Mats Zuccarello with 2:38 remaining, but it was too little, too late.
Notable Absence and Goaltending Shift
The game was preceded by an unexpected lineup change for Vancouver. Forward Elias Pettersson was a late scratch after leaving the pregame warmup with an upper-body injury. The game would have been his 500th career NHL contest.
For Minnesota, the loss was a rare blemish for goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Wallstedt, who stopped 16 shots, lost in regulation for the first time in 11 starts this season, a stretch where he had posted an impressive 8-1-2 record. The four goals allowed were a stark contrast to his recent form, having surrendered only five total goals across his previous six games, which included four shutouts.
The Canucks will look to build on this momentum as they move forward in the season, while the Wild aim to rebound from a defeat that halted their goalie's remarkable run.
