CanucksArmy Post-Game: Grounded
By J.D. Burke
6 years agoWhat’s life like for the Canucks in a post-Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi landscape? Not good. The Canucks haven’t won a single game without Horvat in their lineup, and tonight’s loss might have been their worst yet.
In total, the Canucks opponents have outscored them by a margin of 13-4 in the three games since Horvat’s injury.
The Jets opened the scoring little over a minute in as Dmitry Kulikov beat Jacob Markstrom with a fluttering shot from the point. It was a throwback to the Markstrom from the first month of the season; the one that let in the soft goal early almost every game.
To the Canucks credit, they responded well and put up a good fight right to the end of the opening frame. Brock Boeser (who else?) evened the score up, too. It was his first night playing with the Sedins, and both brothers combined to set him up in the slot.
In the second, the disparity in quality between the two teams came to the front. The Jets speed was too much for the Canucks to handle. Matthieu Perrault finished a tic-tac-toe passing play in the slot and sent the puck past Alexander Edler and Markstrom’s gloves. Great try, Edler.
Nikolaj Ehlers doubled the Jets lead not long after. Nic Dowd, who the Canucks acquired last Thursday, got burned by Ehlers to draw a hooking penalty, and the Canucks kill faltered (one area you know they miss Brandon Sutter in immensely) surrendering the Ehlers goal.
The Canucks didn’t muster much in the way of a comeback in the third. They surrendered another great passing-play goal to Josh Morrisey in the slot, and Markstrom gave the puck up to Perrault for the fifth Jets goal.
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 of the Canucks 26 shots. Markstrom stopped just 19 of the Jets 24 tries, meanwhile. According to TSN’s Jeff Paterson, Markstrom owned that it wasn’t his best night, though. For whatever that’s worth.
The Numbers
Quick Hits
- This was a night for Markstrom to forget. The first goal, as he aptly points out, is one that he has to stop. Ideally, he wouldn’t give the puck to Perrault in the slot either for the fourth. The Jets had just over two expected goals tonight; they scored five. It almost accounts perfectly for the two that Markstrom should have stopped.
- The Nic Dowd acquisition hasn’t exactly gone to plan through two games. On Saturday, Dowd didn’t win a single faceoff and was a possession anchor. Tonight, Dowd was one-for-three in the circle and tied for the lowest on-ice shot attempt differential on the Canucks with Michael Chaput at minus-five. Dowd also took the penalty that led to the Ehlers. It’s early. The sample size is small. Still, it’s hard to ignore how poor he’s been in the first two games.
- I’ve been in Alexander Burmistrov’s corner most season. I don’t think he’s a great player — not by any stretch — but he absolutely is one of the Canucks best 12 forwards. There are only four Canucks forwards who’ve left in the black by Corsi for, and he’s one of them. That’s before you account for tonight’s +11 performance, too. I have no idea how they can healthy scratch him with Sutter and Horvat out of the lineup. One has to think that after a performance like tonight’s that he might have bought himself another game.
- Speaking of Russians who’ve found themselves in the press box, do you think this Canucks team could use Nikolay Goldobin in their lineup? In the last three games, the Canucks have scored just four times. That’s barely over a goal a game average. Goldobin isn’t going to save the Canucks season, but as a prospect, he’s best known for scoring goals. If not now, when is he going to get a chance?
- Is it starting to feel like last season? The way the injuries are mounting up, it’s starting to feel like it. I’m a fan of Chaput as a 13th forward. I’m not sure I’m as keen of Chaput moving ahead of Burmistrov, Goldobin, Reid Boucher, etc. That reminds me a lot of Willie Desjardins style deployment. If the results start to follow, well, wouldn’t that suck?
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