Braeden Cootes scored and set up another as Vancouver fought back after an early deficit, but Seattle’s power play and late goals sealed a preseason loss.
The Story
The Vancouver Canucks used a young-looking lineup in Seattle on Saturday night, and while the overall performance didn’t look sharp, the game still featured several of the themes that matter most in the shortened preseason: quick impressions for players fighting for roster spots, and a chance for the club’s developing group to show they can execute under pressure.
The Canucks fell behind by multiple goals early, then clawed their way back to bring the matchup into the final stretch. Despite that momentum, the comeback didn’t hold, with Seattle adding a late goal after a sequence that underlined Vancouver’s defensive issues on special teams and in coverage.
Goaltending was handled by Nikita Tolopilo, who played the full contest. He allowed four goals on 29 shots, a workload that fits the typical preseason pattern of a heavy volume against goal with fewer protections for shooters and less emphasis on purely risk-free play. The article notes that he did make several sharp stops, including on breakaways and odd-man rushes.
In the postgame view, head coach Manny Malhotra framed the night as consistent with preseason hockey. He pointed to the team’s structure work and the presence of some good individual efforts, while also describing the overall level as somewhat sloppy.
Several players’ nights appeared to hinge on whether they could stand out quickly enough to earn more opportunities. For Victor Mancini, a key opportunity existed to make a case for an NHL role, but he struggled in moments that became swing points. The article describes an error midway through the first period after he lost awareness of the forecheck pressure, leading to a turnover and a Sawyer Mynio penalty in front of the net.
Seattle capitalized early in the game’s momentum with a power-play goal. Jani Nyman fired a shot that went through Tolopilo’s glove, giving the Kraken the initial lead. The detail that the puck beat Tolopilo via the glove area helped set the tone for a game where Vancouver’s special-teams and defensive responsibilities would become increasingly difficult to manage.
Sawyer Mynio’s evening was also described as difficult, with his penalty directly preceding Seattle’s opening goal. The article adds that after that early setback, he was involved in a second Kraken goal as he lost a lower-zone battle to Jacob Melanson, which helped clear the way for Ty Nelson to finish from the high slot.
The Canucks’ forward competition included a relatively low-profile offseason addition: Matthew Stienburg. The article characterizes his signing as unheralded and notes his limited NHL exposure before Saturday. Still, he stood out with energy, drew a penalty that ended a Kraken power play, and looked effective in the forecheck, while also showing a willingness to drive plays toward the net. He led Vancouver with five shots on goal, including power-play chances.
Faceoffs and game management were another area worth watching, especially for players pushing for bottom-six roles. Aatu Räty posted a strong faceoff result, going 12-for-18 on draws, while also drawing penalties on drives to the net. However, the article describes his overall five-on-five and shot volume as less consistent, finishing the game with a single shot attempt that was blocked.
Seattle’s lead widened again early in the third period with another power-play goal, putting Vancouver in a heavier hole. The article links the failure to stem the scoring to a penalty kill that got caught moving through the defensive zone rather than maintaining coverage, leaving Mancini exposed while Logan Morrison fired the puck inside the far post.
After that, the Canucks had moments where the game might have turned further. Adam Novotný nearly scored midway through the third period after a Kirill Kudryavtsev shot created a scramble in front. The puck popped out to Novotný on the far side, and his quick shot appeared headed for the net until Cale Fleury slid in to make the save.
For many Vancouver fans, though, the most encouraging storyline was Braeden Cootes, who produced the team’s top offensive results in this game and built on chemistry with Arshdeep Bains. The article describes Cootes scoring the first Canucks goal on a two-on-one he created with Bains, forcing the goaltender to respect a potential return pass. Cootes then took the sequence to finish with a shot that beat Nikke Kokko.
Cootes’ impact carried into the power play as well. Jagger Firkus took a delay-of-game penalty by skating directly into his own post and dislodging the net, giving Vancouver a 4-on-3 advantage. With the extra space created by a coaching decision to pull Tolopilo, Malhotra turned that opportunity into an even greater advantage by stretching it to a 5-on-3, and the power play produced quickly.
In that play, Cootes set up Bains to narrow the Kraken lead to one. The article emphasizes the deception in how Cootes held his eyes and body language, keeping the option to shoot before threading the puck across the seam for Bains’ one-timer from a tight angle.
The article also notes tactical details behind that momentum, including Malhotra’s willingness to pull his goalie aggressively during the Firkus penalty sequence and create a longer, more dangerous power play window.
For Cootes, the evaluation came with cautions alongside the strong points. While he recorded two points, the article says Vancouver was outshot 10-to-5 when he was on the ice at five-on-five, and he was out-attempted 19-to-7. It also reports he went 4-for-13 on faceoffs, suggesting that the offensive ceiling is clear, but the all-around game still needs refinement.
Overall, the game illustrated what preseason results are supposed to do for Vancouver: test players quickly in live conditions while management and coaching staff look for consistent two-way impact. With preseason shortened to four games, the limited timeline increases the importance of nights like this—especially for players such as Cootes, who delivered directly in scoring and playmaking even as other aspects of the team’s game, including special teams execution, left Vancouver vulnerable late.
The matchup also highlighted the reality of NHL competition in a rebuild context: the article points to veterans with more established experience and suggests that part of the club’s longer-term process is for experienced players to set the standard heading toward the regular season. In the immediate term, Saturday’s performance left Vancouver with a clear picture of who raised their profile—along with the areas that still need work before games start to matter more.
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