Instant Reaction: Bo Horvat scores once, Elias Pettersson scores twice, and the Canucks win 6-5

Tonight, we’re changing things up. Instead of our usual instant reaction format, we’re giving you some quick and dirty play by play. Of course, the good stuff will be in The Stanchies, but the Canucks played a solid game tonight and deserve to have their highlights showcased. Let’s do this!

There was quite a bit of action in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Both teams were able to find the back of the net twice. Kyle Palmieri opened the scoring just past the halfway point of the period. He made a strong cut into the slot and was able to get an accurate shot around Oliver Ekman-Larsson and off the bar and in.

Then, OEL fired a point shot to tie things up at one. There was some debate on if Anthony Beauvillier tipped it or not. We will have to see how that plays out. No matter the case, we were locked in at 1-1.

Brock Boeser was next to hit the score sheet after a great play and pass in the offensive zone from J.T. Miller.

The Islanders pushed back and evened the score when Brock Nelson was given a ton of space to shoot during a two-on-one. Kyle Burroughs fumbled the puck in the offensive zone and was not able to get back in time to support the defending on the odd-man rush.

The Canucks controlled possession for most of the period but a pair of critical errors cost them a pair of goals and we were all square after 20. The Canucks had nine scoring chances in the period and only allowed five.

They were rolling lines and keeping the players fresh on the second night of a back-to-back. With a 2-2 tie after 20, we were off to the second period.

The Islanders went to the power play early in the period and you can guess what happened next…

Bo Horvat tipped a point shot past Collin Delia but Rick Tocchet successfully challenged the goal for goalie interference as Anders Lee backed into Delia on the shot.

The Islanders then went back to the power play and Mat Barzal ripped a one-timer home just as the penalty expired. No matter how they got there — the Islanders got their 3-2 lead.

The Islanders began to pour it on around the halfway point of the second period and eventually were rewarded when the Canucks former captain found the back of the net for the second time in the game. This goal actually counted for Horvat.

The Canucks came fighting back against the pressure after struggling with the long change in the second period. Phil Di Giuseppe had been having a strong game and set up Nils Åman in front of the net for his second career goal.

The Canucks were within one goal with less than five minutes remaining in the middle period but that’s as close as they’d get during the second period pushback.

After 40 minutes, we were off to break with the Canucks trailing by a single goal. It was a much busier period for scoring chances as the Canucks still held the advantage — the Canucks had 16 scoring chances in the period compared to the Islanders’ 13.

Now, to the third.

Vasily Podkolzin drew a high-sticking penalty early in the frame, and Elias Pettersson capitalized on the power play with a howitzer from the point.

We were all tied up at fours with about 15 minutes remaining in regulation.

Then, the Canucks struck again and gave themselves a third period lead on a wrist shot from Elias Pettersson for his second goal of the period.

The Islanders came back hard with a barrage of strong shifts in the Canucks’ zone. They were able to earn a power play just past the 10-minute mark of the period, but could not even up the score. The Canucks killed off the penalty and later had a tremendous chance when Miller received a pass from Podkolzin and streaked into a forehand deke that was stopped by Ilya Sorokin.

Pettersson, who was having a tremendous period, drew a penalty with less than five minutes left in the third period and the Canucks went to the power play.

Beauvillier left no question about the tip-in on this goal as he scored his first (or second) as a Canuck for an insurance goal.

The Islanders pulled their goalie and Quinn Hughes took a delay of game penalty with 2:05 remaining in the third.

We were coming down to the finish line but the Islanders made it interesting when Noah Dobson fired a shot off of Anders Lee and into the back of the net with 45 seconds remaining.

Miller blocked a couple of shots in the final few seconds and the Canucks left Long Island with two points in their back pocket.

Some notable top performers include Phil Di Giuseppe, who may have played his best game as a Canucks on the heels of scoring just one night before against the New York Rangers. Di Giuseppe finished the night with a 71.43% control of Corsi and an 84% control of expected goals. He was on the ice for 11 shots on net and only three shots against.

Ethan Bear was once again steady on the side of Quinn Hughes. Hughes has another tough night but was still fine for the Canucks — just not his usual spectacular self.

All in all, the Canucks fought back to secure a win and they did it against their former captain.

Set your alarms, because the next Canucks game is Saturday morning at 9:00 am!

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!