Put to the test against the best team the NHL has to offer, a young Canucks team earned a 2-1 shootout victory. This game was a reminder of the intentions of Vancouver’s front office when they acquired JT Miller: to add experience to their forward group and get the team back into the postseason by bringing in a player who possesses the maturity that can only be gained from going toe-to-toe against the league’s best and finding ways to win, no matter the obstacles. And today, the Vancouver Canucks faced many obstacles against a Washington Capitals team that boasts the best record in the NHL. A Saturday matinee game on the east coast which the Canucks are notorious for starting sluggishly, they lost their most used defenceman halfway through the first period to injury. After surrendering the first goal of the game early in the first period, the Canucks decided that they would not roll over and hand the Capitals another win. Instead, they went punch-for-punch, save-for-save, and earned themselves a crucial two points in the standings. For a random game in November, it has the makings of being an important stitch in Vancouver’s tapestry.

After experimenting with new defence pairs, Green reverted back to the standard partners for today’s game. That is until Alex Edler left the game and did not return.