CanucksArmy Post-Game: Regicide
By J.D. Burke
6 years agoCanucks Dismantle the Kings 6-2 in front of the Rogers Arena Faithful
This game was over almost as soon as it started, and for once, it was the Vancouver Canucks on the winning end of that equation. And oh, how convincingly they won this hockey game.
People were still in the process of finding their seats while Loui Eriksson scored. Twice. In fewer than four minutes of game time. By the time people were leaving their seats for refills on the beverage of their choice at the first intermission, the Canucks had a 4-1 lead over the Kings with contributions from Thomas Vanek and Sven Baertschi.
The Canucks were just getting started. Brock Boeser scored his first goal since January 6th on the power play to cushion the Canucks lead. Anze Kopitar got the Kings back on the boar barely a minute later but to little effect. With the Canucks earning a two-man advantage not-long after as a result of Kings centre Trevor Lewis throwing a questionable check on Brock Boeser, the Canucks capitalized quickly. You guessed it — Boeser.
With the Canucks getting all their goals out of their system in the first two periods and the Kings having little give at all on this night, the third period played out with little action. The Kings thought they’d scored a third goal on the night, but a coach’s challenge for goaltender interference overturned it in short order.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 of the Kings 32 shots.
The Numbers
Quick Hits
- There were a lot of great performances tonight, and they all deserve their due. If I had to pick one player who really moved the needle for the Canucks from start to finish though it’s Bo Horvat who gets my vote. What a game. Horvat had two assists, two shots, won 75% of his faceoffs and was on the ice for four of the Canucks six goals tonight. Not too shabby, eh? If there was ever any doubt about how valuable to the Canucks a healthy Horvat is, tonight should put those to rest.
- The only player who gave me a moment of pause when I reflected on the Canucks best player from tonight’s game other than Horvat was Loui Eriksson. He’s awoken from his December scoring slumber with a vengeance. Two goals in just under four minutes is a pretty special feat. Eriksson added an assist, another two shots for a total of four on the night and was also on the ice for four Canucks’ goals.
- Brock Boeser hadn’t scored since January 6th, but I’d honestly thought he’d been playing some of his best hockey in that stretch leading up tonight. And then, boom! Two goals and Boeser made it look easy. According to Corsica.Hockey, Boeser had ten shot attempts tonight, too, so he earned each of those. Sure, they were power play goals, and they aren’t usually quite as meaningful as the five-on-five markers, but Boeser did draw both of the penalties that led to his goals, so there’s that.
- Jacob Markstrom didn’t have to win this game for the Canucks singlehandedly, but he was there when the Canucks needed him. The Kings had over 2.5 expected goals according to Corsica.Hockey. Markstrom kept them to two. There was one cross-ice feed in tight by the Kings that Markstrom slammed the door shut on in the third period that was an especially good save. Not bad.
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