Leevi Merilainen makes 23 saves as the Canucks beat the Flames 4-1

Goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 23 saves in his first start for the Vancouver Canucks, a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Vancouver claimed the 24-year-old from Oulu, Finland, off waivers from the Ottawa Senators late last month. Merilainen said it felt good to win and was a little strange to play for the first time in a long while. Teammates and head coach Manny Malhotra praised his performance.

Merilainen’s best save came late in the second period. With Vancouver trailing 1-0, he stopped Flames defenceman Zayne Parekh on a Calgary three-on-one break. Malhotra said Merilainen looked poised and calm in net, and that calm could carry over to the Canucks’ five-on-five play. He added that the stop could have changed the game’s momentum and praised Merilainen for making the saves needed in his first game.

The Canucks trailed 1-0 after the first period, then scored four times in the third to earn their second win of the season. Liam Ohgren marked his 100th NHL game with a goal and an assist on defenceman Elias Pettersson’s winner, as Vancouver improved to 2-1-0. Drew O’Connor and Aatu Raty, into an empty net, also scored. Tom Willander and centre Linus Karlsson each had two assists. Matt Coronato scored on the power play for the Flames, who fell to 0-2-0. Devin Cooley made 23 saves.

Ottawa drafted Merilainen in the third round, 71st overall, in 2020. He went 8-3-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and three shutouts in 12 NHL games in 2024-25. In 20 games last season, he went 8-10-1, with a 3.51 GAA and .860 save percentage. With other goaltenders in its system, Ottawa decided Merilainen was expendable, and he moved to Vancouver. He said leaving an organization he had been with for about four years and crossing the country for a fresh start felt strange at first, but the new opportunity was exciting. He said he knew Vancouver wanted him there.

Merilainen briefly appeared in Vancouver’s 9-7 loss to Edmonton on Thursday night, replacing Kevin Lankinen midway through the second period. He allowed one goal on 11 shots. Merilainen said that taste of action made him eager to start a game. He felt confident, said the Oilers game went OK, and added that he had a good summer.

It was a physical game. Calgary forward Adam Klapka fought Canucks defenceman Luke Schenn less than three minutes into the first period. O’Connor’s third-period goal followed a big hit by Vancouver centre Elias Pettersson on Parekh that freed the puck. Merilainen said he likes physical games and finds them more entertaining to watch.

This report by Jim Morris of The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2026.