The Penguins won a genuine coin flip — neither side controlled the run of play.
The Canucks dominated and lost. They held 56% of shot attempts, carried expected goals 5.15–4.87, and created 9 high-danger chances against Pittsburgh's 10. The Penguins won 3–2 anyway, because S. Skinner made every Canucks miss count.
Skinner finished 30/32 with a 0.938 save percentage, stopping 3.15 goals above expected. He was perfect where it counted — stopping all 9 of Vancouver's high-danger attempts. When a goalie is that sharp, underlying performance becomes irrelevant.
Vancouver's collapse came at the worst moment. The Canucks went 0/9 on their high-danger chances — a drought that won't repeat — while Pittsburgh converted its chances with clinical efficiency, scoring 3 times on 27 rush opportunities. That asymmetry is what separates a close game from a loss.
K. Lankinen (VAN) also performed above expectation with a 0.880 save percentage and 1.87 goals saved above expected. His excellence mattered little against the rush, where Pittsburgh's speed overwhelmed a Canucks defense that, despite creating 8 rebound opportunities, couldn't prevent the breakaways.
Teddy Blueger's deflection from the doorstep proved decisive — a simple play on an open net that summed up the night: Penguins taking what they got, Canucks failing to capitalize on better chances.
