CANUCKS POSTGAME #11: THE (SCORELESS) STREAK CONTINUES

Perhaps in an attempt to keep things equal, the Canucks decided to give Jacob Markstrom what they’ve been giving Ryan Miller essentially all season: zero goal support.

After dropping a 3-0 decision in Montreal less than 24 hours before, the Canucks followed up that effort with a 1-0 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators tonight. The club extended their dubious scoreless streak to 152 minutes and 43 seconds, and its losing streak to seven games. Adding insult to injury, the Canucks have now been shut out in four of their last five games, including twice to the Senators.

With starting goalie Craig Anderson on leave from the Senators to spend time with his wife Nichole (recently diagnosed with cancer – we wish her well), Ottawa started waiver wire pickup, Mike Condon. And the Canucks, down defenceman Chris Tanev, inserted Russian behemoth Nikita Tryamkin into the lineup for the first time this season. Both would make an impact on this game – after a fashion – but the former would come away with the last laugh, pitching a shutout for his new team in his first game in a Sens uniform.

These two teams may have played against one another in a Heritage Classic once upon a time, but historically there has never been much of a rivalry between the Canucks and Senators. Judging by the action in the opening period, perhaps the two teams were attempting to create one. Despite the absence of goals, there was a fair bit of emotion on the ice, resulting in two fights and one minor altercation in the first twenty minutes.

Early in the proceedings, Derek Dorsett got into the action with a scrap against Matt Borowiecki, sending both players to the box for five minutes. Later in the period, Tryamkin found himself in no-man’s land after Luca Sbisa coughed up a turnover to Chris Kelly in the high slot, resulting in the towering Russian sticking out his knee to impede the Senators’ forward. Zack Smith went to defend his teammate’s honour, giving up a few inches in both height and reach to Tryamkin.

Even noted pugilists Bo Horvat and Erik Karlsson got into the action, albeit in a much less heated fashion. Both received minor penalties for roughing, and the Canucks completed their fifth consecutive period without a goal.

The Canucks held the balance of play in the second period, receiving a couple of power plays but generating little in the way of dangerous chances. As a team, the Canucks controlled 62% of the even-strength shot attempts in the second period and outshot the Senators 9 to 8. But the only tally of the period went to the Senators off the stick of Mike Hoffman.

The Canucks pressed a bit in the third, getting a couple decent looks late, but Condon held his ground on the handful of chances of the Canucks managed in the period. The Senators sat back as the Canucks feebly attempted to tie the game. No dice. Final score: 1-0.  

-The Canucks came into this game with a team shooting percentage (all situations) of 6.0%, by far the lowest in the league. Obviously, the final result tonight will only further worsen that figure. That number is due to rebound – one would think – but the question is by how much? We all figured that scoring goals would be the Canucks biggest problem this season, but I don’t think anyone expected it to be this dreadful. As Ryan Biech points out:

Read that again. The Canucks are averaging fewer than 1.5 goals per game through 11 games this season. For context, the 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres, a team that systematically tried to be terrible, averaged 1.86 goals a game. One has to figure the Canucks will score more goals, even by sheer luck. But when, and how many?

-Even before falling behind 1-0, the Canucks did, for the second straight night, control the majority of shot attempts at even-strength. Only two players finished the game with a CF below 50% – Alex Edler and Brendan Gaunce. Once again, it’s almost mind-boggling that a puck hasn’t managed to enter the other team’s goal. The Canucks have generated 138 shot attempts over the last two games. Not one has resulted in a goal.

-Nikita Tryamkin made his 2016-17 Canucks debut tonight, logging 14:17 of ice time, including 1:19 shorthanded. The young defenceman acquitted himself nicely in limited minutes, despite the kneeing penalty (where he received no favours on the Sbisa giveaway). His 5v5 CF was a solid 60% on the evening.

-Markstrom may have misread the poke check on Hoffman on the goal, but the goal really came about as a result of a series of misplays by the Canucks defence. Erik Gudbranson turned the puck over to Hoffman, although, in fairness to him, his partner Ben Hutton didn’t exactly put him in a great spot with the breakout pass.

-Shutout for Mike Condon. He didn’t have to make any spectacular saves to preserve the goose egg, but it was a nice way for the former Hab and Penguin to start his Senator career