logo
CanucksArmy has no direct affiliation to the Vancouver Canucks, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Canucks Army Postgame: Morning Meltdown
alt
J.D. Burke
Jan 23, 2016, 15:42 ESTUpdated:
Comments
(graphic by, Matt Henderson. Follow him on Twitter @mhenderson95)
As only the Vancouver Canucks can, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, dropping a 5-4 contest to the rebounding Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center this morning.
The Canucks came out of the gates well enough, bucking the recent trend of slow starts developed on this Eastern swing. Vancouver played what was very possibly their fastest period of the season, generating chances off the rush and using their speed to get pucks past the young and inexperienced Pittsburgh defence. Jannik Hansen potted the first of three goals on one such occasion and Bo Horvat nearly potted one of his own, leaving Derick Pouliot undressed in the wake of his rush.
Vancouver cruised into the third period with a 2-1 lead, looking every bit the favourite to bookend their relatively successful road trip with a commanding win over the Pens. Then Vancouver things happened. Evgeni Malkin took over the game, netting the final two-thirds of his hat-trick night on some auspicious plays in and around the Canucks crease – including a fluky own goal, courtesy Linden Vey.
Sidney Crosby potted the empty netter and although the Canucks would get within one of a tie on Hansen’s final of three goals, it wasn’t to be.

Highlights

Stats

Quick Hits

  • This, in response to Jake Virtanen’s gaudy 11 (!!!) successfully executed zone entries at 5v5. Anything over ten is bordering on elite, so yeah… suffice to say, Virtanen was carrying his line at even strength through the neutral zone. Which, really, makes sense given the physical skill set at Virtanen’s disposal. That should be his zone to wreak havoc in and he sure as hell did today.
  • I don’t think Luca Sbisa had a particularly good game. No, not by any stretch of the imagination. There was the giveaway which led to the Penguins power play goal in the second and any number of other flubs on attempts to clear the zone. Still, it would be some kind of unfair if I didn’t bring up that he and Ben Hutton led Canucks blue liners in Corsi For%. That’s something, I guess.
  • You know, I think Jannik Hansen just might hit 20 goals this season. The Honey Badger is just five goals short, with about a third of the season remaining. The elusive 20-goal scoring Dane just might be on the Canucks roster. Somebody notify cat Silverman.
  • I don’t think Ryan Miller had a particularly good game, but I’d hardly fault Miller for the L. I mean, the Canucks have been getting outshot on a nightly basis, so the dam was doomed to eventually falter. Not to mention, it’s not like you could really blame Miller for any of the goals against. 
  • Garbage time or not, a little credit to Mike Zalewski for picking up his first point in the NHL this season and second of his career on Hansen’s third goal. Not sure it’s something, but it’s definitely not nothing. 
  • I hate to be that guy, but don’t get too used to this new, goal scoring Bo Horvat. This isn’t to say Horvat hasn’t been on a tear and kicking ass at both ends of the rink, but…

Breaking News