It’s Instant Reaction so we have to be honest. Elias Pettersson’s first few shifts of this game were downright awful. More double clutching, more getting pushed off the puck, and really, just more of what we saw on Thursday, when Pettersson looked ineffective at best against a worse-than-mediocre Sharks team.

And if you recall, I criticized Pettersson pretty heavily in that edition of Instant Reaction. So, when it goes the other way, we need to point it out. Which is what we’re about to do.

Because really, this was one of Pettersson’s best shifts of the season. After a smart defensive play to anticipate and break up the Leafs’ breakout attempt, Pettersson curled back and made a slick saucer pass to Filip Hronek, who opened the scoring in this one.

Thatcher Demko exited this game during the first TV timeout, with Kevin Lankinen entering the game in relief. In the first intermission, the panel showed a couple of camera angles where Demko appeared to be in some discomfort.

Just as he got his timing back after so many months off and was getting going. What rotten luck.

The Canucks employed the same strategy of suffocating the Leafs’ offence that they used to shut them out the last time they played. Funny enough, it was Kevin Lankinen who was in goal for that one.

As a result, this game was a bit of a snoozefest, and the Canucks were more than happy to keep it that way.

Unfortunately, the Leafs got their first power play in the dying moments of the second period, as Morgan Reilly buried their first goal of the game to tie this one up at 1-1 heading into the third.

The Canucks’ game plan of parking the bus for 50 minutes after getting a one-goal lead just wasn’t going to work.

They came out flying for the third period, and after Kiefer Sherwood drew a high-sticking call against Oliver Ekman-Larsson, giving the Canucks their second power play of the game.

Filip Hronek and Filip Chytil teamed up to set up Brock Boeser, who ripped home his 18th goal of the season to make it 2-1 Canucks. 

The Canucks’ path to victory became all the more challenging when Marcus Pettersson was called for slashing Mitch Marner with just over three minutes to go.

And thankfully for them, Kevin Lankinen was their best penalty killer.

Stepping out of the box, Marcus Pettersson had a chance to put the icing on the cake by burying an empty net goal, but he hit the post.

Thankfully, you shouldn’t see it on misplays of the month, because the Canucks held on to win.

Some more takeaways from tonight:

-Not getting an injury update on Thatcher Demko for two weeks would suck. Hopefully, it’s a quick recovery.
-A post for Elias Pettersson. A post for Elias Pettersson. A post for Marucs Pettersson. A post for Tyler Myers.
-Another strong game for Filip Hronek.
-Would have loved to see Elias Pettersson score his first NHL goal. I love how much he wants the puck on his stick and how willing he is to make things happen with it.
-I just hope Quinn Hughes is okay.
-All in all, a solid team win that the Canucks deserve praise for. Going 3-0-1 without their captain is no easy feat.

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below! And be sure to tune into Rink Wide Vancouver moments after the final horn LIVE on YouTube!