CanucksArmy Post-Game: Brendan Gaunce Goal! Vancouver Canucks Loss.
By J.D. Burke
6 years agoCanucks Fall in Overtime 5-4 to the Sharks
This game wasn’t lacking in entertainment value, even if the score wasn’t what the Canucks or their fans had in mind.
Jake Virtanen took the puck from the neutral zone and skated it past the San Jose Sharks defenceman to set up Erik Gudbranson in the slot, who bounced the puck off of Brendan Gaunce for his first goal of the season and in 94 games, too. That happened less than two-minutes after puck drop. Gudbranson was initially credited as having scored, but by the third period, the NHL caught the error and confirmed what much of Canucks Twitter believed at the time.
About ten minutes after that first goal, Nic Dowd did what he does best by taking a penalty and sending the San Jose Sharks to the power play. Joe Thornton scored the first of his two goals almost immediately.
The Sharks took control from the Canucks in the second period. Timo Meier scored the go-ahead goal about five minutes in, and Thornton scored his second goal, again on the power play, instigating rooster watch.
Vancouver’s young guns charged back, though. Virtanen, who was determined to keep the Canucks in this game, drove past Sharks defender Tim Heed and slid the puck between Aaron Dell’s pads for the five-hole goal on the rush. It’s amazing what happens when he puts his speed to good use! And then Brock Boeser picked up the garbage in front of the crease and buried a backhand chance of his own to tie the game at 3.
Thomas Hertl scored the Sharks third power play goal late in the middle frame though so the Sharks maintained a lead, 4-3, over the Canucks going into the third period.
There wasn’t as much action in the third period. There was, however, just enough for the Canucks to tie the game at four and take it to overtime, as Daniel Sedin scored minutes into the third frame.
In overtime, Kevin Labanc secured the Sharks victory early. The Sedins had a lackadaisical moment in the defensive zone, and Labanc was there to capitalize for his fourth point of the night.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 of 32 shots. Aaron Dell stopped 36 of 40 Canucks tries.
The Numbers
Quick Hits
- This was one of Jake Virtanen’s best games as a Canuck. From puck drop to the final horn (for those all-too-rare late shifts) Virtanen was flying. He played a pivotal role in the first goal of the game and then potted one of his own a period later. On both occasions, you could see that top-gear of Virtanen’s putting the Sharks defenders on his heels. When he scored, it was because he took the puck to the net — it wasn’t even a hard shot! Is Canucks head coach Travis Green getting through to Virtanen? We know a lot of what they’ve talked about is driving the net and shot selection. The results are starting to follow.
- Brendan Gaunce finally scored! And much like the first goal of his NHL career, scored in only his second NHL game, Gaunce scored it off of his foot. I can’t help but wonder if finally breaking the goalless drought is going to give Gaunce this sudden boost of confidence that brings about more goals. Wishful thinking? Yeah, probably, but I like everything about Gaunce’s game except for his offensive output, so I want to see him do well. He’s a smart player and has good instincts at both ends of the ice, but just doesn’t have puck skills or footspeed, unfortunately.
- The Canucks penalty kill went 1-for-4 tonight. That is, in a word, awful. This is one area where Brandon Sutter is especially valuable, and it’s clear to see the Canucks miss him. If the Canucks get better special teams play tonight, they probably win this game.
- I’ve been mostly reserved in levying criticism against Nic Dowd, who’s had a rough year even going back to his time in Los Angeles. I thought there might be an outside chance that he plays as well for the Canucks this year as he did for the Kings last season. So far, that’s not looking terribly likely. Dowd had two penalties and was a -7 in on-ice shot attempt differential. Yet, Dowd played more ice-time than Reid Boucher, and Alexander Burmistrov combined. Clearly, Green sees something in Dowd. Not sure I see it.
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