The Canucks started this game sloppy, but the LA Kings started even sloppier. The result was a “tight-checking” start to the game. Quinton Byfield took a tripping penalty seven minutes into the game to give the Canucks their first power play of the game. LA has the best penalty kill in the league, and showed why for the next two minutes. The Canucks struggled to get set up, and when they did, LA was quick to shut down whatever offensive attack the Canucks rolled out. That was a tight-checking penalty kill, one might say.

Shortly after, Drew Doughty stepped into a rocket of a slap shot to open the scoring and make it 1-0 LA:

The first period was almost all LA pressuring the Canucks and then not doing anything with the puck. It was the boring brand of hockey we’re used to seeing from the Kings. This, of course, is great news for them, but bad news for the Canucks.

In the second period, Noah Juulsen did his best to inject some life into this game early on.

Elias Pettersson failed to clear the zone with the Canucks’ defencemen stranded out for too long, and the Kings took advantage to make it 2-0. Filip Hronek was out for 2:23, and Myers was stuck on the ice for close to two minutes. Their effort on this play showed it too.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the second period the Canucks turned in was among their most boring of the season.

The Canucks entered the third period down by two, just as they were heading into the third period against the Bruins on Sautrday. The Canucks’ top two lines turned in two strong shifts to open the period, with Elias Pettersson drawing a holding penalty. On the ensuing power play, JT Miller — who was having yet another strong game — found Brock Boeser in the familiar bumper spot to bring the Canucks within one.

The Canucks were called for a penalty of their own, and the Kings didn’t waste much time before pushing their lead back to two.

The Kings scored two more goals after that, and it’s completely fair to be asking questions about this team’s compete level right now.

The Canucks will now have two days off before kicking off a three-game road trip with a date with the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. This was an ugly loss against a team they could very easily meet in the playoffs. They’ll see the Kings three more times over their next 15 games.

Here’s a concerning sentence: the Vancouver Canucks have just one win in their last seven games.

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below.