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What Karlsson said after clever between-the-legs goal for Vancouver Canucks

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Nov 10 2025, 2:00 pm
What Karlsson said after clever between-the-legs goal for Vancouver Canucks
What a goal (Sportsnet)

Being a fourth-line NHL player isn’t always easy, especially when your spot in the lineup is constantly in jeopardy.

So, what’s the best way for a player like Linus Karlsson to stand out?

Well, scoring a goal like this certainly helps.

Karlsson’s between-the-legs beauty was his first of the season, snapping a 14-game goal drought dating back to 2024-25.

“It’s just a quick thing I have if it’s available,” Karlsson said postgame when asked about the goal. “I thought that was the best option to score at that time.”

Even though Karlsson and the Vancouver Canucks lost 5-4 in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche, it was undoubtedly one of the team’s best performances of the season.

“I liked the resiliency,” head coach Adam Foote said following the loss. “It was a good hockey game.”

That included a couple of stellar moments from Karlsson and his linemates, Arshdeep Bains and Max Sasson, who are fighting to stay in the NHL with players such as Teddy Blueger, Jonathan LekkerimƤki expected back in the near future.

That doesn’t include Nils Hƶglander, who is in the latter stages of his recovery as well.

“We know each other well, and the shifts we get, I think we do pretty well,” Karlsson said, “We create, we try to get some energy to the team going, and get O-zone chances.”

When you’re a fourth-line player like Karlsson and his linemates, there’s increased pressure to make the most of your ice time.

“It’s tough sometimes to be playing like seven, eight minutes,” he said. “And, we just try to give everything we have in those shifts.“

Against the Avalanche, they did help tilt the play in Vancouver’s favour.

That was most evident during a shift in the third period, where the Calder Cup line controlled possession and got some chances in the offensive zone while the Avs had Cale Makar and Devon Toews out on the ice.

“When we get out there with six, seven minutes left… of course, that’s really fun to be out there when it matters,” Karlsson said.

Aside from his power play marker, Karlsson also led all Canucks with three high-danger attempts at even-strength. No other player had more than one.

That’s a pretty good impression to leave on the Canucks coaching staff as he tries to stay in the lineup.

And while he wasn’t rewarded for his efforts at even-strength, at least he was able to chip in on the power play.

So, did he think the between-the-legs goal was the nicest of his career?

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s up there.”

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