Canucks Army Postgame: Aw Fiddlesticks, Not Another Loss
By J.D. Burke
8 years ago
The Vancouver Canucks are not a good team. They’re not a particularly well-run team either. That’s okay though because cashing in on this season means reaping the rewards of this ineptitude at the draft in June.
With another loss, their third in a row, the Canucks took another step back and are now just three points removed from the Edmonton Oilers in the Centennial Season of their rebuild. Enough about that, though, let’s get to the game!
Vancouver’s young guns led the way, as the newly minted second line combined for the first two goals of the game – the only two the Canucks would score, no less. Markus Granlund was elevated to the role long held by Bo Horvat and the Canucks second line has flourished since – if just for these two games. Jake Virtanen opened the scoring on a bank-in play. Sven Baertschi put the Canucks up by a pair not long after.
Tomas Hertl got the San Jose Sharks on the board, deflecting the puck past Ryan Miller on what looked to be a high-stick. The referees reviewed the play and the goal stood. On a Brent Burns marker from the point and a Patrick Marleau deflection in front, the Sharks were able to take the lead and hold on until the final buzzer.
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Quick Hits
- The Canucks love going to the chemistry well. Not long after the acquisition of Emerson Etem, they had him slotted alongside Linden Vey on the third line. The move did wonders for both players, as they built on the relationship they developed during their junior careers with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The newest iteration of this lineup approach has Granlund slotting in alongside Baertschi on the second line. Baertschi scored and Granlund was second on the team by Corsi For.
- This team misses Alex Edler so damn much. That’s reflected in their diminished controlled entries of late. Or lack thereof. Their ability to transition is especially diminished with the man advantage. To his credit, Ben Hutton is getting better, but those are massive shoes to fill.
- Brendan Gaunce is back. That’s a thing. Gaunce is an impressive prospect. In some ways, the antithesis to a Jake Virtanen. If Gaunce is going to make it, it’s likely going to be by virtue of his ability to read the game. He’ll cut his teeth in the NHL in spite of his physical skills. There were some good moments there. For the most part, Gaunce played a quiet game. There was one moment in the second that stuck out. Gaunce displayed amazing awareness to make a deft tip-pass to an open winger in space to create a clean zone entry. It was a difficult pass to corral, so full credit to Gaunce. Little plays like that warm a coaches heart.
- Willie Desjardins is dialing back Luca Sbisa’s minutes and it’s doing wonders for the project defender. That role suits Sbisa’s skill set and reflects his ability, which is a nice change. Hard to argue with the results, either. The gaffes are fewer and further between, not to mention less catastrophic. Tonight, Sbisa was a 57% possession player to boot.
- Derek Dorsett is pretty useless at this stage in his career. Keeps taking stupid penalties. Supremely frustrating. Have to think if Dorsett is on Brandon Prust’s contract, he’s down in Utica now. No clue what he even brings to the lineup anymore…
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