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Instant Reaction: Linus Karlsson scores and earns a promotion in Canucks’ 3-1 loss to Avalanche
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Photo credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
David Quadrelli
Dec 2, 2025, 23:25 ESTUpdated: Dec 2, 2025, 23:29 EST
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Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
So, the Colorado Avalanche are pretty remarkable…

Starting Lineup

For those who checked out Monday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, you will know I was delighted to see Jonathan Lekkerimäki get a shot on the top line with Elias Pettersson.

First Period

The Avs are the definition of a high-octane team, and if you’ve watched any of their games this year, you know they start on time, too. Which is why it was impressive to see the Canucks generate a couple of solid chances right off the hop, while limiting the Avs’ chances to the outside. Less than five minutes into the game, the Canucks’ fourth line collaborated on a downright pretty goal.
First, Aatu Räty one-handed the puck to Arshdeep Bains, who entered the zone and sauced a pass to a streaking Linus Karlsson, who made a beautiful move to the backhand and opened the scoring in this one.
Not bad. Not bad at all. 1-0 Canucks.
Marcus Pettersson took a high-sticking penalty, and the surprisingly below-average Avalanche power play went to work for the first time on the night. They spent a ton of time in the Canucks’ end — even after the penalty expired — and got some great chances, but Kevin Lankinen was sharp early.
Quickly though, the Avalanche were outshooting the Canucks by a tally of 12-3 before the game was 10 minutes old. The Canucks withstood a stretch of sustained Colorado pressure, but with 37 seconds remaining in the period, Nathan MacKinnon tied this game up:
1-1.
Wait, what was PO Joseph doing on this play…?
Arguably the most surprising thing about the first period was how many times the Canucks managed to get in behind the Colorado defence in transition. Kiefer Sherwood and Jake DeBrusk both had prime breakaway opportunities, and there were multiple odd-man rushes for the Canucks as well.
Not a bad first period, all things considered.

Second Period

The Canucks were really liking that stretch pass through the neutral zone in the first, and kept looking for it in the second. The Avs seemed to adjust a bit however, and the Canucks weren’t finding the clear-cut breakaways and odd-man rushes that they were in the first.
Colorado had a breakaway of their own, and Brock Nelson made no mistake in roofing his attempt past Kevin Lankinen to give the Avs their first lead of the night.
2-1 Avs. That’s a tough look for Max Sasson on the backcheck. Quinn Hughes likely shouldn’t have been that aggressive, but he likely thought Sasson was going to be back covering for him.
The final ten minutes of the second period featured plenty of back-and-forth action, as this game turned into a bit of a run-and-gun style. And before the end of the period, Nathan MacKinnon scored his second goal of the game.
3-1 Colorado. MacKinnon is very good at hockey.
Some takeaways from the second:
-Social media seemed frustrated with Quinn Hughes tonight…
-Like the look of Lekkerimäki with Pettersson and Kane, although that line’s first period was much better than their second.

Third Period

The Canucks shuggled their lines up a bit to start the third period, as Lekkerimäki went out with David Kampf and Brock Boeser to start the third period. Drew O’Connor was back with Max Sasson and Jake DeBrusk; Aatu Räty skated with Arshdeep Bains and Kiefer Sherwood; and Elias Pettersson was with Evander Kane and Linus Karlsson, who was given a well-deserved promotion.
This was a very strong game for Karlsson, and it will be interesting to see if his third period promotion sticks for Friday’s game against Utah.
In the third period, the Canucks pushed and even got some good looks on Mackenzie Blackwood. We also got this moment!:
With just under three minutes remaining, the Canucks pulled their goalie and sent out an extra attacker. And wouldn’t you know it? Linus Karlsson was out there as the Canucks hinted for two goals. He even set up Brock Boeser right in front for the Canucks’ best chance at coming back. It was a big game for Linus Karlsson.
This one ultimately went the way we thought it would with the Canucks facing the NHL’s best team. It was a valiant effort, but the Avs have a 10-0-2 home record for a reason. Even with much of their team battling a flu bug, the Avalanche didn’t really seem at risk of losing this game at any point. That’s just the truth, but the Canucks certainly didn’t give up, and definitely didn’t make it easy on the Avs.
Now, about Quinn Hughes’s body language. This just isn’t a great look for a captain:
What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!

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