It didn’t take long for Filip Chytil to make his mark with the Canucks.
With Vancouver trailing the Detroit Red Wings by one late in the third period, the young center jumped on a loose puck in the slot and then made a nice move to the net, before burying the game-tying goal from a tough angle.
Chytil pumped up the hometown crowd before celebrating with his new teammates, just two days after being acquired as part of the J.T. Miller deal with the Rangers.
Vancouver went on to lose their second straight game since the trade on Alex DeBrincat’s overtime goal, but it was still big for the 25-year-old forward to be able to come through and help them secure a point in his first game.
He also recorded three shots on goal and a takeaway while finishing with the second-highest time on ice (20:03).
“It meant a lot to me,” Chytil said postgame. “In that moment there were so many emotions going through my head. Now I just want to build on that, keep working hard every day, and just keep getting better each day.”