Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks moves past Colorado Avalanche’s Samuel Girard and Jimmy Vesey during second-period action on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Vancouver Canucks silenced a packed Ball Arena with a sharp 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. While the Canucks won’t be heading to the playoffs, they played with heart and energy to sweep Colorado in their season series for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.
Dakota Joshua and Kiefer Sherwood stood out, each contributing a goal and an assist. Goalie Kevin Lankinen held firm between the pipes, stopping 31 shots to secure the win for Vancouver. Jake DeBrusk chipped in with a key goal, and Nils Hoglander sealed the night with an empty-netter just under two minutes from the final buzzer.
Colorado, already locked into a playoff spot, rested its star forward Nathan MacKinnon. That decision ended his 209-game playing streak. He may miss the last two games of the regular season as well. Despite sitting out, MacKinnon remains tied with Nikita Kucherov for the NHL lead with 116 points.
The Avalanche played without several key names, including defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Josh Manson, and forwards Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton. Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves, but the support just wasn’t enough against a focused Vancouver side.
Devon Toews was the lone goalscorer for Colorado, sneaking one past Lankinen in the second period. That was the closest the Avalanche came to turning things around.
The turning point came midway through the third period. With just under 14 minutes left, Joshua found a loose puck near the crease and tapped it in to make it 3-1. That goal dampened Colorado’s chances and shifted momentum fully to Vancouver.
In other team news, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has begun a minor league conditioning stint with the Colorado Eagles. He’s been sidelined since 2022 due to a knee injury that required surgery. If things go well during his time in the minors, he could return for Game 1 of the playoffs—an emotional and strategic boost for Colorado.
Despite the loss, the Avalanche’s blue line has been quietly productive all season. With a combined 206 points from defensemen, Colorado remains a threat moving into the postseason.
For Vancouver, even without a playoff berth, Thursday’s win was a statement. They’ve shown resilience and fight late in the season, and their clean sweep of Colorado could offer a promising glimpse into what’s to come next year.
