Kevin Lankinen has made a point of focusing on what91Ƶs in front of him 91Ƶ whether it91Ƶs a puck or an opportunity.
The goalie stuck to that ideal Friday as he made his debut for the Vancouver Canucks (0-0-2).
91ƵLiving day by day has kind of been my motto the last few years,91Ƶ he said after the Canucks dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Philadelphia Flyers (1-0-0).
91ƵNot look too far ahead, not look too far behind, and just put my best foot forward every day. And with those habits every day, kind of build that long term success, if you will. So, that was a good first one, but a lot to build on, too.91Ƶ
Lankinen stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced Friday before Morgan Frost put a shot past him glove side in the fifth round of the shootout.
Some of his biggest saves of the night came midway through the third period when Philly91Ƶs highly touted prospect Matvei Michkov fired the puck from the slot, hitting the Finnish netminder91Ƶs pad. The rebound popped out to rookie Jett Luchanko, whose shot sent Lankinen diving backward and to his right for a save as bodies crashed into the crease.
91ƵI think that was a little bit of desperation mode there. But I think that91Ƶs part of the game, too,91Ƶ Lankinen said. 91ƵI got the bounce, and I think I got some help from the guys, too, along the goal line there. So that91Ƶs a team effort.
91ƵI91Ƶm trying to do my best, and I know the guys have got my back. And likewise. So it91Ƶs fun to play behind this team.91Ƶ
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet was impressed with Lankinen91Ƶs performance.
91ƵReally good,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵHe91Ƶs been good the whole camp and every game he91Ƶs played a solid game. Really solid.91Ƶ
Lankinen was a late addition for the Canucks.
The 29-year-old goalie inked a one-year, US$875,000 contract with Vancouver on Sept. 21 when the team was already in Penticton, B.C., for training camp.
Now in his fifth NHL season, Lankinen went undrafted before signing with the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in May 2018. He spent two seasons with the club before joining the Nashville Predators ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
The six-foot-two, 190-pound netminder has 45-43-15 career record with a .905 save percentage, a 3.06 goals-against average and three shutouts.
He joins a Vancouver goalie squadron led by all-star Thatcher Demko, who is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
The Canucks are 91Ƶa great group, from top to bottom,91Ƶ Lankinen said.
91ƵSolid (defence) core, exceptional talent up front. Obviously, goaltending has been really strong here, too. And even the coaching staff, starting from the head coach to the goalie coach, and everything is top-notch,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵSo, I91Ƶm just proud of being part of this.91Ƶ
Vancouver91Ƶs defence was tested Friday when Tyler Myers went down less than two minutes into the game after hitting Joel Farabee along the boards.
Myers spent several minutes on the ice being looked at by trainers before he was helped up and went directly to the locker room, favouring his right leg. He did not return.
Making adjustments when a defenceman leaves the game isn91Ƶt easy, admitted Vancouver blue liner Derek Forbort.
91ƵYou91Ƶve just got to be smart with your changes. You don91Ƶt want to over extend,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵIt sucks, but everyone91Ƶs just got to pick up the slack.91Ƶ
The Canucks defenders logged big minutes Friday, including captain Quinn Hughes, who91Ƶs ice time totalled 31:29.
Lankinen liked the team in front of him rallied.
91ƵThat was huge, obviously, playing with five (defencemen) throughout the whole game,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵEspecially a game like that, a lot of grinding and battling. They did a tremendous job. I91Ƶm really proud of the d-core.91Ƶ