LOS ANGELES — The challenge for Kevin Lankinen to jump back into a National Hockey League goal crease and start after four days without practising or playing was surely less than whatever the Vancouver Canuck has been dealing with at home this week.

With his desperate team facing the second half of back-to-back road games Saturday night against the Los Angeles Kings, Lankinen flew back from a personal leave for family reasons and stopped 21 of the first 22 shots he faced before a broken play in overtime gave him no chance against Adrian Kempe in the Canucks’ 2-1 loss.

After only a morning skate with a few teammates, Lankinen played after four days off — and after minor-league callup Nikita Tolopilo was in goal for the first two games of a road trip in which the Canucks are 1-1-1 heading

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