Coming into tonight's Vancouver Canucks game, I thought it would be a slog. The Edmonton Oilers have scored 11 goals in their last two games, and the Canucks have let in 11 goals in their previous two games. JT Miller was nearly traded today before the deal fell apart. The vibes are bad; it's Hockey Night In Canada, and the Oilers are coming to town. This was primed to be a bad game.
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But this game was not a slog at all.

If this winds up being JT Miller's last game in a Canucks uniform, it wasn't a bad one. Miller had a strong game, Pettersson had a strong game, and Connor McDavid had a tantrum; what more could you ask for on Hockey Night in Canada?

Do you know why this game wasn't a slog? Wyatt wasn't covering it. He is clearly bad luck, and our backups are working on a mutiny so the Canucks can go on a run here.

https://twitter.com/TheStanchion/status/1880822906214928581

You're welcome, everyone.

Make sure to tell Wyatt this is his fault, and we should change the name of this series to the Trenties.

<strong>Best Start</strong>

There were two ways this game could go.

First, the Canucks get smoked, Corey Perry gets a hattrick, Jim Rutherford starts throwing popcorn out of the press box, and a panic trade is made tonight, sending JT Miller and Höglander to Detroit for Patrick Kane or something.

Or, the Canucks come out flying, beat the best player in the world on national television with a strong night from problem players causing all of us to think. "Hmm, maybe we can fix them."

I am thankful to report it was the latter. However, the tiniest, smallest piece of my brain is telling me they can work it out. Maybe  ̶M̶o̶m̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶D̶a̶d̶  Miller and Pettersson don't need a divorce. Maybe I can save the marriage.

Sorry, a little bit of my baggage slipped out.

MOVING ON.

Only 60 seconds in, we could tell the Canucks wouldn't be walked all over when Pettersson charged the net with a wrap-around.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNTZyZnFqazcyZngxOWc3Y2t6aWkza2Z2ZHpucjNudmZnN2NkOThzbSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/RAZioidazvbC4oQKbp/giphy.mp4

When you get a Pettersson highlight before the starting line-up has finished covering the score bug, you know you're going to have a good game.

Petey had another chance in tight in the first.

In the first period, the Canucks nearly doubled up on the Oilers with 13-7 shots.

Wait, that can't be right. Hang on...

Yep, I just checked; the Canucks drastically outshot an opponent that has a high power offence. Weird.

JT Miller fed an awesome pass to Conor Garland, and Garland missed the net by a hair.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNWpicGVkYWduMWg3NDFpM3VleHdsazVzYndwbDJzenp0ZW13Zm5oMyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Sq2ziSEy8cjolXUvKN/giphy.mp4

<strong>Captain Quinn</strong>

Quinn Hughes wanted to make sure that all this offence wouldn't be wasted scoring the game's opening goal.

Wait, no, no, no, the Canucks don't score first. Let me just double check thaaaaaaaat. Yep, that's right. Weird.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExazh3ZDRuaXY1dGc1bjZzZTlsc293NTZmMnp0dG5tMW92ejJxdzh2YiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/NX9cEdpoGiaX6wYdG8/giphy.mp4

At first, it looked like this goal went in off a Garland tip, but the war room decided that Quinn's shot went off Ekholm's foot.

That wasn't all, Hughes scored twice this period with the second being nicer.

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNnVlOHdmMmJzeXRsdHd4ZWE3NmdqdjI4OWxkeHZpMzZpYm92OHp4bCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/HUJ6abmkoHMmz264HZ/giphy.mp4

Can we just talk for a moment about Quinn Hughes? There has not been much to love about this season if you're a Canucks fan, but if there was one thing to love, it would be Quinn Hughes. Hughes already has 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points at the halfway mark of the season.

Hughes is on pace for 100 points. He won a Norris last year with 92 points and a team around him that could actually get their game together.

This year, Hughes is even better. He should be in the Norris race again <em>and</em> in the Hart race. But voters hate back-to-back Norris winners, so Werenski will win or something equally dumb.

If he doesn't win the Norris while out doing his Norris-winning season I will be as angry as JT Miller with a rookie goalie in net who hasn't been called to the bench yet.

https://twitter.com/SNstats/status/1880826186844238204

<strong>Pour it on Baby</strong>

Even Danton Heinen got in on the action. Earlier in the first, Heinen let this rocket of a shot off.

https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExc2tscmI4MjVsamV0bXlrNmh1MzJ6cThldTB0YXI4emFjYTE2MzJyOCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/CimmTzaVlVGwBLmS1s/giphy.mp4

Not gonna lie; I forgot Heinen was a player. He just does so much nothing. And not in a bad way, but in the <em>just buy time until the top line can get back out</em> kind of way.

Okay, I see you, Danton.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExc3J5MnAzZXE2d3J0bGQ4dnVhNzZpMmM2NWFxY2hpemRhbWZ3aGgzNSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/D83K7FeR6WUiwGkJXY/giphy.mp4

The Canucks would end the first period up 3-0.

Hang on, let me double-check that.

Yeah, would you look at that? Weird.

<strong>The Elephant in The Room</strong>

https://twitter.com/noahstrang_/status/1880853116826042490

Okay, so how did Miller do? Our eyes were glued to #40 and #9 all night. Did Miller give Petey a fist bump after Hughes' second goal? Did I see Petey shoot a dirty look at JT? Let's not pretend; we were all curious how it would go tonight.

JT had his best game in a while tonight. He had an assist on both of Quinn Hughes' goals, over 20 minutes of ice time and was even named the third star of the game for what that's worth.

He caught my eye on a couple of plays specifically.

It says here, "Miller on the back check," but that can't be right.

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExajNlajI3eWloYThpMmphOTJ5Ynk2NW5la2Y2dGxrOW5wNjkwemx3ZCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Al3aQnouOqSf4b4LPO/giphy.mp4

Huh. This doesn't seem a lot like the 2024/25 Canucks. I gotta say, I like it.

Miller comes back hard and fast and lays a big hit on Leon Draisaitl. Miller was a pain in Drai's side all night. He was engaged. He was the version of Miller that gets the fans in the building chanting his name.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExd3ZoMnhzYjhsOTF3MjUyOHF2bmtkNW1ja2UzbWp0YXpidXRiODBmeiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/8QWs7SUaX3NDEQfRhY/giphy.mp4

Here, we see Miller also on the forecheck. He lays a hit behind the net that forces the puck loose, which leads to a shot from Jake DeBrusk in the middle of the slot.

On one hand, it's a shame that Miller's time may be coming to an end in Vancouver. But on the other hand, it might be for the better health of the team. Also, I have been very open about my worry about how his contract will age in the back half. If the Canucks can get out of that deal, improve the health of the locker room and bring back value, in the long run, I think it will be for the best.

<strong>Best Jersey Botch</strong>

https://twitter.com/RobTheHockeyGuy/status/1880821328040919048

Remember him?

No? Me neither.

Turns out, Levesque only ever served as an emergency backup for a single game in December 2003 when Dan Cloutier hurt himself during a morning skate – at least according to <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/54948/chris-levesque">Elite Prospects</a>.

Hell yeah. What a jersey to own.

<strong>Conor Vs. Connor. </strong>

https://bsky.app/profile/passittobulis.bsky.social/post/3lg34d77e3s2x

Now, time for the main event. In the final moments of the game, Connor McDavid had a temper tantrum and likely got himself a suspension. We are going to break this down moment by moment.

Let's go.

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It starts with a collision. Garland knocks the puck off McDavid, and they fall down into each other.

But then McDavid, being down a goal with seconds left in the game, decides he is best utilized as the best player in the world by pinning Garland to the ground. McDavid then realizes, "Wait, I can't score like this." and then gets frustrated and punches Garland in the head and gets up to try and take off. Garland then holds McDavid and should have likely got a penalty for holding. Garland gets off lucky and turns away to rejoin the play.

Surely the altercation stopped there, right? Wrong.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcXI5bjBmN3p2MXZrdzcxeTN1c3V5eXg4Mm5oczZuajVnNXFsazltYSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/SIy4jLhMwzq5d7Ygz1/giphy.mp4

Once these two besties got up and separated, McDavid thought to himself, "I know, I will take my frustration out with an absolutely uncalled-for cross-checkk to the small man's face!"

Nobody liked that, especially after the chicken wing he got away with the other night in Minnesota.

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcDAxNTVzMXliaGZxaDYweHNxenFiNmo2dmVqZGVoMjNpNWg3N3FibiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/AYlLk5WlzfnAlhFDdS/giphy.mp4

Good one, Connor.

Eventually, Connor McDavid got a 15-minute match penalty along with Tyler Myers.

Wait, what? What did Myers do?

https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOGQwMGRkNDNrNGE0MnNiNGFmZ3poNGwxem9renplOWRiaXRjNHg5cSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/McZdyQ2s2sCBsPb5nY/giphy.mp4

Top left. Myers thinks to himself, "Wow, that looked really cathartic for Connor; I want to try that," and drills Bouchard in the face with a cross-check.

Why, you ask? Chaos baby. It's the name of the game; never let them know your next move.

Garland seemed to bounce back alright.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOXZ4aTQ2ZW01c2d5cmJ0ajJ5eGJtamtqeTNmeDloeDY3OTNrNTM0NCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/oCo3IniCfhBP63xbTW/giphy.mp4

Leon Draisaitl pairs up with Conor after the fact to apologize for Connor. You see, his heated driveway broke, and he is going through a hard time and can act out. You can see Garland nodding along and forgiving them.

I think.

The Canucks face the Oilers again on Thursday in Edmonton. Circle the date on your calendars! It should be a fun one!

Now, how much do you want to bet that Myers gets a worse punishment than McDavid does?

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1880867285432176729

<strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong>
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