Canucks Army Post-Game: Christmas Holidaze

Stats

Quick Hits

• Tryamkin has two career goals, both of which he scored at the Saddledome in Calgary. Maybe there’s something in the water. That’s icing on the cake for Tryamkin, who’s responsible for one-half of the Canucks most surprisingly effective pairing at even strength. As Patrick Johnston pointed out earlier, the Canucks have controlled about 57% of shot attempts at even strength when those two have shared the ice. Tonight they managed about 55% of on-ice shot attempts at even strength, good for the best mark on the Canucks’ blue line. I keep writing this off as unsustainable, and they keep on proving me wrong game after game. Maybe this is for real?

• Seven-plus years after the Canucks drafted Anton Rodin 53rd overall in the 2009 NHL Draft, he made his NHL debut. Talk about an interesting career arc. Wasn’t noticeably good or bad tonight, which is a positive given you can’t say as much for most Canucks tonight. Rodin left tonight’s game in the black, just barely, by Corsi For with a 50% mark. Frankly, I’m a little surprised to see him taking shifts with the Canucks nominal second line. I thought they’d ease him into the lineup in a role similar to Sam Gagner’s with the Blue Jackets — easy minutes on the fourth line at even strength and heavy power play usage. It’s encouraging that he didn’t buckle under these circumstances.

• Don’t really have anything to add here, but I find it somewhat interesting that the Canucks have played in three straight 4-1 games. Remember the spat of 5-2 losses last season? I’m getting flashbacks.
• There were a couple of short-term casualties on the night. Daniel Sedin blocked a Flames shot in the first period and skated gingerly afterwards. Bo Horvat suffered a similar fate in the second period and left for the Canucks dressing room to have the medical staff check him out. The good news, of course, is that both returned to game action tonight. A sigh of relief from Canucks fans, to be sure.
• Horvat’s line seemed to contribute on all of the Canucks sparse scoring chances in tonight’s game. They continue to be effective, no matter the circumstances. It really is something. I spoke to Sven Baertschi about that line and the difference of playing with Alex Burrows opposite him instead of Jake Virtanen. Baertschi said that Burrows slows the game down and helps them play more of a cycle based attack. That’s probably why Horvat and Baertschi have turned the corner in terms of their ability to tilt shot shares. Certainly a theory worth exploring.
• It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Baertschi. Playing on the Canucks first unit power play, the Flames sent an odd-man rush towards the Canucks net. Troy Stecher took the puck carrier and directed Baertschi towards Mark Giordano. Baertschi took his man, until he decided not to. Giordano jumped onto a rebound unimpeded and sent home the shorthanded marker. That wasn’t an especially good look for Baertschi. I’m surprised he didn’t get the white board treatment a second night in a row.