VANCOUVER - On March 15, 2025, the Vancouver Canucks came out strong with a decisive 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena. Elias Pettersson, who has shown signs of returning to form, scored and assisted, marking his fourth goal in five games, contributing to the Canucks’ impressive performance.
Joining Pettersson on the scoreboard were Conor Garland and Pius Suter, both tallying goals and assists for the Canucks, bringing their record to 31 wins, 24 losses, and 11 overtime losses (31-24-11) for the season. Quinn Hughes and Tyler Myers also found their names on the score sheet, with Hughes opening the scoring less than 18 minutes after the game began.
Arturs Silovs took to the goal for Vancouver, stopping 17 out of 19 shots he faced, securing his first win since November 16, 2024. This victory was particularly sweet as it came against the same opponent he had previously beaten earlier this season, ending his long absence from the net due to inconsistent play.
The game started off with both teams exchanging early chances, but it was Victor Mancini's penalty for the Blackhawks which provided the Canucks with their first power play opportunity. Vancouver's penalty killers, particularly Myers and Marcus Pettersson, thwarted the Blackhawks' efforts to gain momentum.
Late in the first period, the Canucks broke the ice. Hughes scored the opening goal at the 17:46 mark after receiving a pass from Filip Hronek, powering through to fire one past Chicago’s goalie Arvid Soderblom. Just 35 seconds later, Tyler Myers added another goal, making it 2-0 by taking advantage of Sherwood’s drop pass and finding the back of the net from the top of the faceoff circle.
With the Canucks commanding the ice, Garland then extended the lead to 3-0, netting his 17th goal of the season. The Blackhawks appeared to rally late in the second period when Alex Vlasic scored, cutting Vancouver’s lead to 3-1.
Despite their efforts, the Blackhawks could not contain the Canucks. Shortly after Pettersson made it 4-1, Wyatt Kaiser answered back, bringing the score to 4-2. The relentless pressure from Vancouver eventually culminated with Kiefer Sherwood setting up Nils Aman, resulting in the Canucks’ fifth goal at 5-2. Finally, Suter rounded off the scoring, sealing the fate of the Blackhawks at 6-2.
Vancouver’s win not only demonstrated their offensive prowess but also propelled them past the Calgary Flames, placing the Canucks firm at the second wild-card playoff position within the Western Conference.
The game wasn’t without its controversies, as former Canuck Jason Dickinson was involved in a concerning hit on Filip Chytil, sending ripples of concern throughout the arena for Chytil, who has previously battled concussion issues.
For the Blackhawks, the loss extends their winless run to four games (0-3-1) and continues to put pressure on them. Chicago looks to rebound against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.
The Canucks will aim to maintain their momentum as they close out their back-to-back homestand against the Utah Hockey Club on March 16, 2025. With Silovs finding his footing and key players stepping up, this match could mark the beginning of greater things for the struggling franchise.