Marco Rossi's 3-point night propels Canucks past Panthers

Rossi had a goal and two assists as Vancouver defeated Florida 5-2

Mar. 18, 2026 at 9:00am

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Marco Rossi had a goal and two assists to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Elias Pettersson scored twice for the Canucks, who have won two of their last three games. Matthew Tkachuk scored a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who have lost two straight.

Why it matters

The win helps the Canucks maintain their position in the playoff race, while the loss continues a rough stretch for the Panthers who are looking to bounce back after a strong regular season last year.

The details

Rossi opened the scoring with a power play goal assisted by Brock Boeser and Pettersson. Tkachuk tied the game at 1-1 in the first period, but Pettersson scored another power play goal to put the Canucks back on top. Rossi then added a goal of his own late in the first to make it 3-1 Canucks. Bennett scored in the second period to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Canucks added two more goals in the second and third periods to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 18, 2026.
  • Rossi scored the opening goal at 3:49 of the first period.
  • Tkachuk tied the game at 11:41 of the first period.
  • Pettersson scored to make it 2-1 at 13:40 of the first period.
  • Rossi scored to make it 3-1 at 17:46 of the first period.
  • Bennett scored to make it 3-2 at 11:28 of the second period.
  • Raty scored to make it 4-2 at 14:27 of the second period.
  • O'Connor scored to make it 5-2 at 14:25 of the third period.

The players

Marco Rossi

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who had a goal and two assists in the game.

Elias Pettersson

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who scored two goals in the game.

Matthew Tkachuk

A forward for the Florida Panthers who scored a goal and had an assist in the game.

Brock Boeser

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who had three assists in the game.

Sergei Bobrovsky

The goaltender for the Florida Panthers who made 17 saves in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to play with that same intensity and focus if we want to keep our playoff position.”

— Marco Rossi, Forward, Vancouver Canucks

What’s next

The Canucks will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Panthers will try to bounce back in their next game.

The takeaway

This was an important win for the Canucks as they try to solidify their position in the playoff race. Rossi's strong performance was a key factor, and the team will need to maintain this level of play down the stretch.