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The Stanchies: Canucks rip four third period goals, Meriläinen shuts down Flames in 4-1 win
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Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lachlan Irvine
Oct 4, 2026, 12:52 EDTUpdated: Oct 4, 2026, 12:57 EDT
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Last season, the Vancouver Canucks spent months looking for any sort of bright side to a horrible campaign. This year, we’re only three games in, but everything seems so much sunnier. Maybe that’s why, even though Vancouver fell behind 1-0 and only had six shots through the first 30 minutes, you felt they had some magic in the tank to pull off a turnaround. And turn it around they did, thanks in part to an at-first shocking overturned goal call early in the final frame.
The Canucks put up four goals in the third period, and they all came from the young stars. Liam Öhgren, Tom Willander and Linus Karlsson all had multi-point nights. DPetey scored a gorgeous game-winning goal. Aatu Räty jumped into the lineup and scored an empty-net goal after winning a D-Zone faceoff. They even got some exceptional goaltending from new arrival Leevi Meriläinen, who shut down 23 of 24 Flames shots.
I can’t stress enough that this is a small sample size. But we’ll have plenty of time to be disappointed by the Canucks in the future. Heck, the Canucks are already playing at a better home-record pace than last season, when they only won nine games at Rogers Arena all year. Eventually, those numbers will dive back to Earth. But until that day comes, I highly recommend cherishing these wins.
Let’s dive into the Canucks’ second win in three games.
Best Conspiracy
Which one of you who met DeBrusk at the Vancity Card Show yesterday got the man sick?
We’re not mad; we’re just disappointed.
Best Skynet Impression
The Canucks paid tribute to the legendary Jim Robson before tonight’s game. If you weren’t attending the game and had no idea they did, you’d be forgiven for not knowing. In their almighty wisdom, Sportsnet decided that all five of their channels should show overtime between the Canadiens and Penguins instead.
Rogers killed Hockey Night in Canada long before not renewing their agreement with the CBC. Every new offence is just another nail in the coffin.
Best That Name Again is Mr. Plow

Welp, Luke Schenn fought already #Canucks

— Atinna Gunawan (@atinnag.bsky.social) 2026-10-04T02:18:42.870Z

Of course he did. When you have a crease that needs clearing, you call KL5-3226.
Sure, Adam Klapka had the size advantage. And the reach advantage. And the… punching advantage. But a wise man once said, “It’s about sending a message.”
Hold on, I’m being informed that’s a quote from the Joker in The Dark Knight. Well, you get what I was going for anyway. Schenn’s Canucks teammates sure understand, because his energy is rubbing off on them. Look how little guff Zeev Buium takes from Brennan Othmann being a nuisance in front of his goaltender. Zero, that’s how little.
You can’t help but LOVE this new sense of pushback the young Canucks are discovering.
Best Bless This Mess
There’s going to be a lot of positives to discuss today. The power play unit is not one of them. Is it too early to call it a real problem? Probably. But it’s definitely not working so far.
The Flames’ strategy of creating a wall of PKers at their own blue line kept messing up Vancouver’s power play zone entry strategy of carrying the puck in. Without adjustments, Calgary kept swarming and causing a free-for-all. The Canucks had a few early opportunities on the man advantage, but the best scoring chances on them were all Calgary’s.
With Joel Farabee in the sin bin early, the Flames penalty killers almost immediately won a pair of board battles, and Sam Honzek forced Fil Hronek to turn the puck over at centre. Hronek and Leevi Meriläinen tag-teamed to run Honzek out of real estate, but already everybody was flashing back to Thursday’s pair of shorthanded goals.
Then a few moments later, Meriläinen almost coughs the puck up to Yegor Sharangovich behind the net and is forced to take a page from the Cobra Kai’s book and sweep the leg.
Three games is enough to sense a pattern, and I think we might want to go back to the drawing board with this one.
Best saw that coming
As if the Canucks’ power play going down the crapper wasn’t predictable enough, the Flames scoring on their first power play chance of the hockey game is a plotline even the laziest Hollywood writer would call ‘predictable’.
To the surprise of few, it was Mr. Plow getting a little too excited about shovelling the Canucks’ driveway and getting dinged for interference.
With Schenn Daddy in the box for interference, Matt Coronato caught Paul Cotter leaving him with a touch too much time and space. Some of that is also Aatu Räty, on one of his first big assignments of the season, hanging out a little too far from any Flames forechecker and forcing Cotter to cover a passing lane. All Coronato had to do was pick a corner.
It’s a very good shot through a little bit of traffic, and there’s not much Meriläinen can do.
Best Alex Edler impression
The Flames would’ve taken a 2-0 lead into the locker room if not for a few very fortunate bounces.
First, Simon Nemec has a near-open net to shoot at, but Fil Hronek does a little stand-up goaltending and gets his skate in the way. The rebound redirects right to Martin Pospisil, but Meriläinen circles back gets his leg in front to bounce the puck out like a pinball paddle.
Exactly how they drew it up.
Aside from this kick save, Hronek hasn’t played like his usual self yet so far this season. Surely Adam Foote’s one big skill wasn’t being the Hronek whisperer, right?
Best Green Hill Zone
I’ve gotta be honest here: the lone Sonic game I’ve ever played is the extremely goated Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, made for the Wii before Vancouver 2010. But in the hockey portion of that game — played in this very building, I might add! — when you stunned the goalie, it looked a lot like Joel Farabee did trying to stay upright getting to the bench.
Best good habits
The Canucks new look top line of EP40, Marco Rossi and Linus Karlsson started slowly. As did the rest of the team, as evidenced by their six shots at the halfway mark of the game. But Line One began to pick up by the midway point of the hockey game, thanks in large part to Petey turning into a hitting machine and wreaking havoc for the Flames defenders.
Here, EP40 runs over Jacob Middleton in the corner to turn the puck over to Rossi, who finds Fil Hronek with a billiards pass from behind the net. Hronek steps into one right as Linus parks himself in front of Devin Cooley and makes the goalie’s life battling for the puck a whole lot harder.
Cooley wins the battle this time, but the Canucks are starting to heat up. The next great chance the top trio gets, EP40 gets back to his brilliant dekes by toe dragging around a prone Zayne Parekh and wiring a shot that beats Cooley, but rings the inside of the iron. Marco Rossi spots the loose puck and a yawning cage, but before he can whack it home, a Yegor Sharangovich stick ruins everything.
The Canucks are firmly knocking on the door now.
Best TSN Turning Point

Holy smokes, bad hit by Bahl. That should get a suspension #Canucks

— 🇨🇦 Trent Leith 🏳️‍🌈 (@trentleith.bsky.social) 2026-10-04T03:49:26.647Z

Right as the Canucks were starting to find some of their legs, the Flames’ Kevin Bahl woke the beast.
Aatu Räty broke in on an odd-man rush late in the second and got a rocket of a shot off. Devin Cooley snagged the puck with some flair, right as his teammate Bahl decided to throw a late hit from behind on Räty a few feet away from the boards. It was a garbage move that somehow only resulted in a two-minute penalty for cross-checking, and it set the Canucks off.
When Adam Klapka started jawing with EP25 near the benches, Luke Schenn jumped in looking for a Round 2.
We haven’t gotten Schenn a Mr. Plow jacket yet, but at this rate, we might have to quickly.
Best Mask Tribute
Kevin Woodley
Kevin Woodley
@KevinisInGoal
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Closer look at the John Garrett tribute on Leevi Merilainen’s new Canucks mask; also loving way mixed matte + glossy effects, can see how it makes Science World pop in this short video

Watch on X
InGoal Magazine
InGoal Magazine
@InGoalMedia

Incredible work on short notice by our friend Basil at @customcagesca … and note the subtle John Garrett tribute in left corner 🙏

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Holy shit, what a great design.  As Woodley points out, the way the glossy Science World ball sticks out against the matte finish is simply beautiful, and the night sky element behind the city skyline just pops. I love this look.
But the best part of the mask, obviously, is the Cheech tribute on the side. Leevi’s only been here for 20 minutes, and he already understands the city and the franchise’s legacy so darn well. As a fellow goalie born on June 17th, I know I speak for everyone when I say we miss John Garrett here every single day.
The only better way to honour Cheech’s legacy is to put together a great puck-stopping performance. And Meriläinen accomplished that, highlighted by a five-alarm stop on Zayne Parekh.
This isn’t exactly the type of structured mechanics the average NHL goalie coach is looking for from their netminders, but we like fun goaltending around here. I was a goalie raised on a steady diet of  Roberto Luongo and classic Dominik Hasek YouTube compilations. Of course I like watching Meriläinen challenge 50ft out of the blue paint and throw his body through the goal crease like a guy sailing across a backyard water slide. It’s art.
After doing a whole breakdown on Leevi’s game last week, it’s clear his chaotic energy in the cage matches this Canucks team perfectly. Ian Clark and Marko Torenius will certainly try to rein that in a bit, which is why I’ll enjoy this energy as long as I’m able.
Best Investigation

Lmao canucks are chaos in a good way this year #canucks

— thegreatdandino (@thegreatdandino.bsky.social) 2026-10-04T04:26:54.487Z

Remember during the playoffs back in April how mad the Oilers were that Tristan Jarry’s skate blade and the puck were clearly well over the goal line? Well at first, this goal call was much weirder!
Once again the Flames are trying to wall the Canucks off from a clean zone entry, but this time the three Calgary players back all get caught puck watching as Paul Cotter gets into the zone. No one picks up Liam ‘Hutty’ Öhgren, playing in his 100th NHL game, streaking down the left hand side until he’s wide open and Cotter is already mid-pass across.
The pass is a bit too far in front of Öhgren, who can only redirect it on goal. Cooley kicks out a rebound that pops right back to Öhgren, who gets it behind the prone Flames goalie. Cooley leans back and pulls it off the goal line. No goal.
BUT THEN… the refs call the Situation Room in Toronto. For everyone watching live, this felt like a formality before the call stood. It sure didn’t look like the puck had crossed the line. And these are the Canucks, since when do close calls like that EVER go their way?
So you can imagine everybody in the building’s shock when the refs overturned the call and pointed to centre ice. Tie game? In this economy??
Look at the excitement on Cotter Otter’s face as they celebrate Hutty’s tying goal. The vibes are so high.
But let’s judge for ourselves. Can you see the puck?
If your answer is “no, that GIF is way too low quality to see a small black disk under a glove,”… okay, well, you don’t have to be rude about it.
How about here?
This was the winning camera angle, as Cooley clearly knocked the puck over the goal line in his haste to keep it from the net. Some people might think this is a cheap way to get a goal, but unless the goal line does a weird U shape I’m unaware of, I don’t have a problem with it.
Also, this is a season that could be devoid of scoring down the line. Let’s not be deleting goals off the board now, shall we?
Best Agitator
Zayne Parekh had his fingerprints all over this game. He was already unhappy after Marco Rossi finished his check a little late post-whistle in the second.
Here in the third he tries to exact some revenge by taking a late shot at Linus Karlsson. But he’s not prepared for these new look Canucks; a team that has the cojones to stand up for each other. And Drew O’Connor isn’t gonna stand for that.
Both Parekh and O’Connor get tossed into the box. But the pushback was warranted, and with the way the Canucks power play is looking, 4-on-4 might be a preferred option at this point.
Best the kids are cooking
With much more open ice to work with, we get to really see the young Canucks in action. The four-man unit of DePetey, Öhgren, Cotter and Willander starts cycling with a level of confidence we haven’t seen ’round these parts in a Fortnite. You can even see EP25 just itching for a chance to activate and go for the net when the puck’s in the corner.
He’ll get his chance when Willander and Öhgren switch places. Hutty, with all the confidence of a man with 100 NHL games and a 99 overall Hockey Ultimate Team card under his belt, draws the Flames’ defenders to the blue line before feathering a perfect pass to a streaking DePetey.
He finishes with a perfect backhand shot over the pad of Cooley, oozing the scoring confidence of a 60-goal man.
When it comes to their scoring touch so far this season, these Canucks look NOTHING like last year’s team. These guys actually seem to be… having fun?
I didn’t know that was possible!
Best Sign Language
When Marco Rossi called whistled for tripping Simon Nemec, Manny Malhotra sure didn’t like the call. I’m no lip reader, but I think I can tell why he thinks there shouldn’t have been a penalty.
Get ready for years of being clipped for Stanchies content, Coach.
Best Foreshadowing
That number was going to climb to 15 by the end of the night.
Not to preface every single observation with ‘it’s early’, but what a renaissance for Petey. He’s shown up absolutely dialled in, and has somehow added an insane new power of rocking opponents with big hits.
And that’s exactly how he helped put together one of the best Canucks goals in recent memory.
With time ticking away, Zayne Parekh is carrying the puck through the middle of the ice, completely unaware he’s right in the tracks on the EP40 Express steaming towards him. Petey lays down a good, clean, thunderous check that causes a turnover and Matt Coronato to completely forget about the game. As he goes after Petey, Drew O’Connor and Linus Karlsson are off on an odd-man rush. Run-DOC fakes the pass across to freeze Cooley before rifling the puck past the goalie’s glove.
THE VIBES. JUST. KEEP. GOING. UP.
Best Räty-touille
Aatu Räty has had one of the toughest paths to getting onto the NHL roster again. He played the first two preseason games, seemingly did everything asked of him, but still ended up in the press box for the first two games against Edmonton. Heck, it took Jake DeBrusk getting Koffing and Wheezing at the Card Expo for Räty to even get into this game. And he did a fantastic job, especially at the faceoff dot, where he led the Canucks with a 71% faceoff-winning percentage.
So it was great to see him get rewarded with the empty-net goal, thanks to a selfless pass from Linus Karlsson.
This team is playing with vibes that are so high that not even letting in nine goals two days ago is enough to get them down. I’m already having so much more fun than last season, and I’d bet you are to.
Lots of hockey left to play, but right now I’m liking the early returns.
Best Pregame Meal

Backugame to Marugame pregame meals. #Canucks

— Ryan avgtraveller (@viewfromtherog.bsky.social) 2026-10-04T01:31:50.922Z

I’m calling an audible that we NEED more pregame meal posts in this series. As the self-anointed king of hockey food content in Vancouver, I’m always on the hunt for restaurants to try, and this udon looks bomb.
Best checking your ex’s Instagram
Wow, they sure look like they’re full of life and having way more fun without you, don’t they?
Best Jersey Botch
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE. Remember when he charged out of his net and hurt himself with Chris Levesque on the bench?

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