Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
Elias Pettersson did well to shield the puck in the neutral zone and feed Carson Soucy for the first chance of the game. WAS THIS PETEY BUILDING OFF OF WHAT MANY ARE REFERRING TO AS “THE SHIFT“? Stay tuned to find out!
Aatu Räty took the game’s first penalty just over five minutes into this one, and the Canucks’ 10th-ranked penalty kill was beaten after Olen Zellweger fired a point shot that beat Kevin Lankinen far side on the Ducks’ fifth shot of the game. 1-0 Ducks.
The Pettersson line turned in another solid shift, giving the Ducks fits on the breakout. Early on, though, the Ducks were getting more chances, and Kevin Lankinen needed to be sharp early to keep the Canucks within one. This save after Carson Soucy blew a tire at the blueline especially stood out:
JT Miller drew his team-leading ninth penalty of the year, giving the Canucks their first power play of the game. You already know how it ended. The best look they generated came from this tic-tac-toe play between Conor Garland and JT Miller down to Elias Pettersson, who couldn’t bury the chance in all alone on Lukas Dostal:
Nils Höglander drew a penalty shortly after the Canucks’ first power play ended, and, this time, you’ll never guess what happened! Quinn Hughes hit Brock Boeser with a beautiful shot-pass that Boeser tipped home his sixth goal of the year to even things up at one all.
Back at five on five, the Canucks’ third line that has been so good was once again, so good. Danton Heinen made a nice pass for the nifty zone exit, and Kiefer Sherwood slapped home an Erik Brannstrom backhand saucer pass off the rush to give the Canucks their first lead of the night.
Kiefer Sherwood is pure electricity. 2-1 Canucks after 20 minutes with the shot total even at seven all. It was quite the first period for Sherwood, who was getting into it with Trevor Zegras a few times in the opening frame, including this time.
Sherwood was certainly the story of the first period. He’s already up to three goals on the year. Does he beat his career-best of 10 set last year with Nashville? I think so.
Quinn Hughes pushed the Canucks’ lead to two early in the second period when he stayed out for a long shift and blasted home his third goal of the season. The goal was later given to Elias Pettersson, but it counts just the same. 3-1 Canucks. 
I’m going to be real with you. Sportsnet+ played eight minutes of commercials, so I missed eight minutes of the second period, but according to NHL.com, Leo Carlsson took a penalty, and the Canucks failed to score on the ensuing power play.
I can’t tell you much more than that.
Honestly, this game was a bit of a snoozefest down the stretch, and instead of telling you about Trevor Zegras’ dirty little elbow to Conor Garland’s jaw, or the Canucks’ power play, let’s focus on Quinn Hughes.
The Canucks’ captain became the third-fastest defenceman in NHL history to hit 300 career assists behind just Bobby Orr and Brian Leetch with his third assist of the night. That assist came on this deflection goal from Jake DeBrusk, which made it 4-1 Canucks. 
SIKE! The NHL, after taking away Hughes’s goal and giving it to Pettersson, gave it back to Hughes, undoing the 300 assist celebration we all had planned. WAIT, SIKE AGAIN!? They gave the goal back to Pettersson just moments later, confusing all of us.
Regardless of the NHL trolling him and anyone watching that game, Quinn Hughes was just so spectacular tonight. He’s been so good all season long, but between the improved shot and just how much better the Canucks have been any time he’s on the ice, Hughes has arguably been even better than he was last season when he was voted the NHL’s very best defenceman. If you ask me, he’s still the best defenceman in the league.
Danton Heinen added one final goal on the night after another great play from Kiefer Sherwood.
Some takeaways from tonight:
-Conor Garland is carrying the Elias Pettersson line.
-Sportsnet+ is such a garbage product. Absolutely despicable that they would increase the price of it before making it even remotely reliable.
-I’m expecting Kiefer Sherwood to be heavily featured in The Stanchies tonight.
-300 assists for Hughes. Wow.
What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!
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