Kevin Lankinen made his new contract look like a great deal with 32 saves against the Vegas Golden Knights. The one downside of the 4 Nations Face-Off going from an All-Star-esque showcase to a knockdown-dragout battle for national identity is that returning to NHL hockey feels like a bit of a letdown.

Though the Canucks were able to grab an early lead, the Golden Knights took control of this game in the middle part of the contest. Kevin Lankinen was peppered with shots and scoring chances that ultimately broke through early in the second period when, at last, their shot volume broke in their favour on a fortunate bounce off of the end wall.