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Canucks Army Postgame: Luca Sbisa Goal
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J.D. Burke
Mar 10, 2016, 01:51 ESTUpdated:
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The Vancouver Canucks played host to the similarly faltering Arizona Coyotes, hosting a modern day Battle of Kursk at Rogers Arena. The Canucks and their Tigers against the Coyotes and their T-34’s made for a hell of a match. The prize? Gaining ground on the Auston Matthews sweepstakes, baby.
With the weight of expectations lifted clean off their shoulders, both clubs let loose and played an open brand of hockey that made for a pretty compelling game on the whole. The Coyotes are a faster team than we’re accustomed to. They can really move the puck and push play. Fortunately for the few, the brave, the people willing to pay the price of admission to watch their team live, the Canucks were up to the task.
Dave Tippett’s Coyotes opened the scoring, putting two past Jacob Markstrom to build a 2-0 lead midway through the second. No sooner then they gained the lead, the Canucks relieved them of it with a pair of their own markers – Radim Vrbata and Luca Sbisa scoring one apiece.
The teams traded blows in the third, but each failed to land the decisive shot. Overtime was on the menu. Max Domi was turned aside by Markstrom on a breakaway chance before Markus Granlund sent the deciding goal past Louis Domingue not long after. The Canucks won by a score of 3-2.

Stats

Quick Hits

  • Not that anyone cares, but the Canucks have a 0.7% chance of making the playoffs after tonight.
  • This might not have been Jake Virtanen’s best game as a Vancouver Canuck, but I don’t think it’s that far off. His play away from the puck is improving and his imposing combination of speed and power gave the Coyotes defenders fits. If you want to point to any one example of Willie Desjardins developmental ability, Virtanen is his Mona Lisa on the season.
  • Speaking of the youth movement, Jared McCann had himself a game. No points to show for it, which is par for the course really. McCann’s last goal came on December 18th. The well has to break at some point. Came close enough tonight. McCann had a chance halfway between the slot and the half-wall, launching a wrister in tight on a super short release that glanced off the crossbar and out. Whether he scored or not, it’s pretty impressive that he could fire that calibre of a shot off in so tough a situation.
  • It feels like it’s been forever since Radim Vrbata last scored. In reality, tonight’s goal is his second in three games. Of course, injuries put a solid week or so in between the second and third game. Wouldn’t be surprised if Vrbata went on a scoring stretch to bookend the season. Been an awful year luck-wise. 
  • Good to see Sven Baertschi’s neutral zone impact improving. Was great at the beginning of the season but cratered as soon as the offence came – oddly enough. It’s back now though! Led the Canucks in successful entries and entries with control.
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