CanucksArmy Post Game: Boucher Does Dallas
6 years ago
Puck Drop
Ashton Sautner made his NHL debut after being an emergency recall with Chris Tanev once again out injured. The rookie got the usual treatment from his teammates, falling victim to the usual first NHL game shenanigans.
In what could be a swan song for the Sedins, tonight’s game marked yet another milestone in their careers. Daniel Sedin played in his 1300th career game tonight. It’s just another notch in the bedpost in what’s been a pair of Hall of Fame careers for the Twins. It’s been a difficult final stretch of the season for the Canucks, but we should all strive to give the Twins their due in these final two weeks. They ushered in the best era of Canucks hockey the franchise has ever seen and re-wrote the teams record books along the way.
Jacob Markstrom got the start and was strong early on. Despite the Stars disappointing season they still boast some elite NHL talent, and they put Markstrom to the test early in this one.
After the team traded penalties early in the period, the Canucks got their first full power play with four minutes left in the period. With Stephen Johns in the box for tripping, it was the Star who managed to open the scoring. Jake Virtanen tried to get out of a tight spot along the boards he passed to Alex Edler at the blueline. Edler was unable to handle the pass and caught flatfooted could only watch as Mattias Janmark pulled away on a breakaway.
Just thirty seconds later, still on the power play, the Canucks responded. Reid Boucher deftly redirected Jussi Jokinen’s slap pass, past Kari Lehtonen tieing the game up at one.
2nd Period
Five minutes into the second saw Tyler Seguin narrowly avoid serious injury, as Darren Archibald’s skate came up and caught him in the face. Thankfully Seguin was ok and didn’t miss a shift.
There wasn’t a whole lot going on in the second for either team and despite a lack of whistles, it wasn’t the most exciting hockey to watch.
Approaching the nine-minute mark, the unscathed Seguin was off to the box after getting his stick up on Boucher. With Boucher cut, the Canucks had a four-minute man advantage. The power play had its chances, highlighted early by Bo Horvat hitting the crossbar, followed later by a Jake Virtanen wrap around that went through Lehtonen and out the other side of the crease.
But it took until, literally the last second of the power play for the Canucks to take their first lead. After knocking down Troy Stecher’s shot, Nic Dowd rang a shot off the post. The puck pinballed behind Lehtonen off his skate and trickled across the goal line.
2-1 Canucks.
3rd Period
The Canucks went to the power play for the fifth straight time early in the third but were unable to extend their lead.
After killing off a delay of game penalty by Tyler Motte, the Canucks extended their lead. Virtanen picked up a dump in that went all the way around, and threw a shot on net. Despite the innocent looking nature of the shot, the puck found its way through Lehtonen giving Vancouver a 3-1 lead with nine and a half minutes left.
Michael Del Zotto and John Klingberg traded penalties, but the game remained tied until the final minute of the game. With 40.9 seconds remaining, Tyler Motte scored an empty net goal.
His first as a Canuck after being acquired at the trade deadline from Columbus in the Thomas Vanek trade. Since joining the Bluejackets, Vanek has four goals and nine points in thirteen games.
The Numbers
Quick Hits
- All three of Reid Boucher’s goals this season have come against the Dallas Stars.
- Our own Cam Davie once again has his “The Flow” shirts for sale, with proceeds going to the Make A Wish BC/Yukon. They’re great looking shirts, and it’s a great cause. If you can, brighten up the final few you weeks of the season in style!
- 2015 fifth round pick Adam Gaudette saw his Hobey-Baker calibre season come to an end on Saturday. It’s expected Gaudette will go pro and forego his Senior year at Northeastern. The hard-working centre has been a big talking point and a bright spot for many in another tough year. Similar to Boeser last year, it seems likely the Canucks will dangle burning a year of his deal and a couple NHL paycheques in front of him to get him signed. Going back for his senior year means he could become a Free-Agent next August, the Canucks need to get him signed now.
