Postgame: Canucks fall 5–3 in Seattle to open the preseason

Score and scoring summary

The Vancouver Canucks dropped their preseason opener 5–3 to the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Seattle led 1–0 after the first, stretched it to 4–2 after two, and closed out a 5–3 final. Vancouver goals came from Victor Mancini (power play), Chase Stillman (penalty shot), and Nils Åman. Seattle’s Jani Nyman scored twice, while Vince Dunn recorded three assists in the home win.

What decided it

A three-goal surge by Seattle in the middle frame flipped the game after Mancini’s power-play equalizer early in the period. Nyman’s quick-release finishing and Dunn’s puck movement from the blue line drove the Kraken’s offense, while Vancouver’s young lineup generated chances but struggled to suppress Seattle’s odd-man looks and net-front second chances in the second period.

Goaltending usage

Vancouver ran a two-goalie split. Nikita Tolopilo started and stopped 13 of 14 shots in 29:29. Ty Young played the final 27:18 and made 6 saves on 10 shots. Joey Daccord handled the Seattle crease, with a mid-game split noted by broadcasters, and steadied things as Seattle pushed ahead.

Standouts and development notes

Victor Mancini’s one-timer on the power play opened Vancouver’s scoring and highlighted his point-shot utility. Braeden Cootes and Kiefer Sherwood earned the helpers on that goal with crisp puck touches. Chase Stillman’s successful second-period penalty shot showed poise and deception. Nils Åman buried from the slot in the third period off a Joseph LaBate feed, with P.O. Joseph collecting the secondary assist. Jonathan Lekkerimäki generated multiple looks from the circles, flashing the release that projects him as a power-play weapon, even if it didn’t find twine in this one. Nils Höglander’s pace and forecheck pressure showed up consistently on retrievals and body positioning through the neutral zone.

Special teams snapshot

Vancouver converted once on the man advantage through Mancini’s finish, driven by Cootes’ half-wall decision and Sherwood’s touch. The penalty kill had strong clears when Teddy Blueger was on the ice but conceded seams during Seattle’s second-period push. Early-preseason rotations and mixed units were evident; Vancouver used a variety of looks to evaluate bubble players in both phases.

How expectations matched reality

Several preseason hopes were met or exceeded. Mancini exceeded expectations with a power-play goal and steady minutes. Cootes met and arguably exceeded targets by driving a scoring play and holding up physically. Blueger’s faceoff work and defensive reliability were on-script. Åman exceeded with a goal at five-on-five. Lekkerimäki met the brief for shot generation but will want cleaner shot-lane creation on future power plays. Höglander’s motor was present; finishing touch can come as timing sharpens. The biggest miss was overall game control during Seattle’s second-period surge, where Vancouver’s young defense pairs were stressed by the Kraken’s pace changes.

Big-picture takeaway

As a first look, the Canucks achieved key evaluation goals: a productive night from developing right-handed defense in Mancini, meaningful touches for young skill like Lekkerimäki, and defined roles for depth centers like Blueger and Åman. Tightening neutral-zone gaps and cleaning net-fronts against heavier NHL lineups will be the early emphasis as preseason continues.

Game Facts

Scoring Summary

Roster and Goalies

Forwards

  • Nils Åman
  • Arshdeep Bains
  • Teddy Blueger
  • Filip Chytil
  • Braeden Cootes
  • Nils Höglander
  • Danila Klimovich
  • Joseph LaBate
  • Jonathan Lekkerimäki
  • Drew O'Connor
  • Kiefer Sherwood
  • Chase Stillman

Defense

  • Pierre-Olivier Joseph
  • Victor Mancini
  • Sawyer Mynio
  • Elias N. Pettersson
  • Jimmy Schuldt
  • Tom Willander

Goalies

  • Nikita Tolopilo — TOI 29:29, SA 14, GA 1, SV 13
  • Ty Young — TOI 27:18, SA 10, GA 4, SV 6

Line and Pair Usage

Teams mixed lines frequently in preseason. Exact 5v5 combinations were not formally published. The following units are based on roster usage, scoring plays, and special-teams deployments.

Notable EV Trios (inferred)

Defense Pairs (inferred)

Special Teams

Player Performance

Line Performance

Expectations Review