Mr. Perfect Between the Pipes: Lankinen Steals One in Seattle

Last night, the Vancouver Canucks goalie, Kevin Lankinen, did a number on the Seattle Kraken by a score of 3-2 in the shootout. He’s the reason the Canucks won last night’s game.

The Canucks didn’t dominate this game. They didn’t overwhelm Seattle with speed or possession. In fact, by the third period, they were hanging on. But none of that mattered, because Lankinen decided the puck wasn’t going past him. Not then. Not later. Not in the shootout. Not at all.

---

Lankinen Was Tested All Night Long

From the opening moments, Seattle tested him. Jordan Eberle early. Jared McCann with pace. Shots coming clean, not the easy kind that pad stats. But Lankinen was calm, square, and patient. There was no extra movement or panic. He was there in the right spot, over and over again.

The game itself had plenty of juice. Conor Garland and McCann dropped the gloves in what might be the scrap of the year. Vancouver found just enough goals when they needed them. Elias Pettersson quietly climbed another rung on the franchise ladder, passing Alex Burrows on the all-time list.

But none of it survives without Lankinen.

The Third Period and Shootout Showed Lankinen at His Best

By the third period, the ice tilted hard. Seattle threw 16 shots at him in that final frame alone. Lots of grade-A chances. Screens in traffic and net-front chaos. Still nothing. Lankinen stayed patient, letting plays come to him, and never looked uncomfortable.

Overtime didn’t solve anything. And then came the shootout, where Lankinen had apparently decided to become folklore. So far, seventeen shooters. Seventeen stops.

That’s not a typo. Different shooters with different releases. Same result. Somewhere along the way, “hot streak” stops explaining what’s going on. It’s more than confidence, rhythm, or even muscle memory.

Sportsnet Announcers Had Fun Describing Lankinen’s Success

Sportsnet even used wrestling references, such as Mr. Perfect and Mr. Wonderful, to describe the success. It was a goalie who’s on fire right now. Why not Mr. Obvious, too, because one sports caster noted that Lankinen’s save percentage in the shootout was far higher than his save percentage during regular play.

What makes Lankinen’s stretch especially interesting is the context. There was a time earlier in the season when Lankinen gave up some soft goals. But whatever that was, it’s gone. This version of Lankinen looks settled again. And, if the Canucks really want to win, that matters. With Thatcher Demko working his way back into shape, the Canucks suddenly have something they haven’t always had. They have two goalies who show up, stop pucks, and win games.

Teams steal games. Goalies do, too. Last night, Kevin Lankinen was the whole story.

Related: Pickard’s Best Game of the Season Pauses Oilers Goalie Plans