Canucks Army Postgame #81: Something To Cheer For
7 years ago
It was a near-perfect night for Team Tank.
They got contributions from some of their young players, and a goal from Boeser, who is scoring at a 41-goal pace over a full season right now.
Of course, Jared McCann had five goals in his first nine games, so it’s best not to get ahead of ourselves. Still, it’s something to be excited about.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes and Devils also lost, setting the stage for the ultimate tank game tomorrow night. The Canucks must lose in regulation to clinch 29th place. Just a single point would put the Canucks ahead of both teams in the standings.
Before we get to tomorrow night’s appointment viewing, let’s unpack the ins & outs of the Canucks penultimate game, a 3-2 loss to the Oilers.
STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
GAME NOTES
- Brock Boeser scored his fourth goal in 8 games, and while it’s highly unlikely he’ll keep scoring at this pace, he’s given every indication he can put the puck in the net on a consistent basis. In addition to his 4 goals, Boeser has 23 shots over that span, which is perhaps even more impressive. He’s managed at least 2 shots in all but one game, and his play since joining the team earned him some high praise from coach Willie Desjardins:
- The Sedins had another rough game, controlling only a third of shot shares at even-strength. Midway through the second period, The Canucks spent two full minutes hemmed in their own zone, broken up only by an icing call, and the Sedins were mostly at fault for the sequence. I’m of the belief that they can bounce back in a big way next year with the right linemates and a reduced role, but watching them struggle so much down the stretch has been disconcerting.
- There’s still reasons for optimism, however. They looked great on the powerplay with Brock Boeser and created a couple of nice chances skating with Nikolay Goldobin, even if they did get their teeth kicked in at even-strength. The Sedins have spent much of the season skating with players that are a drag on their offensive output, so I’d like to see what they can do over a full season with some young scoring talent.
- Troy Stecher took a stick to the face late in the second period and was visibly shaken up. Fortunately, he returned to the game. Unfortunately, the Oilers scored on the play. Poor Stecher.
- After tonight’s loss, the maximum the Canucks can finish the season with is 71 points. That’s only six more than the 65 USA Today predicted. Maybe those predictions weren’t so ridiculous after all.
