The Stanchies: Canucks log fourth straight loss in low-event affair vs. Kings<\/p>\n
This game could\u2019ve been an email. For a couple of reasons.<\/p>\n
Number one, the Canucks have nothing to play for beyond pride and being a spoiler. Neither of those reasons have been strong enough to improve their game in the last few games, so why would it today?<\/p>\n
And number two, the LA Kings entered tonight\u2019s contest on the cusp of the last wild card spot with a game in hand on the eighth seed Nashville Predators. They have everything to play for, so of course they put together a clinical effort in a 4-1 romp.<\/p>\n
Earlier today, I talked about the types of plays the Canucks would need to watch for against the Kings, like zone entries along the boards and passes back to the blue line for shots. With two chances at dragging the Kings out of the playoff hunt, you\u2019d hope the Canucks would want to make a real impact in the last way they can.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Not only did the Canucks not heed those warnings, but they\u00a0also managed to leave the front of the net open for all four Kings goals as well. D.J. Smith\u2019s squad didn\u2019t even play a particularly impressive game, and yet it absolutely didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n
This game was boring as sin, a waste of everyone\u2019s time and attention, and par for the course in this absolutely dismal season. For all the people clamouring to keep the head coach in an effort to secure this same standings finish next year, I\u2019d implore you to try watching this game again, from beginning to end, and see if you really think another 82 games of this is a good idea.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get this over with, shall we?<\/p>\n
Best It\u2019s Gonna Be Like This<\/p>\n
Can we get a stat check on how many first shot goals we’ve given up this season? \ud83d\ude44\ud83d\ude44 That goal is a perfect example why Adam Foote cannot be back. The middle of the ice cannot be that easy to access. It has been that way all season, and hasn’t gotten any better. #Canucks<\/a><\/p>\n The tone for this game was set right away.<\/p>\n As we talked about earlier, the Kings love nothing more than a pass from the corner back towards the middle of the ice. But the Canucks made it a little too easy for Milan Hejduk impersonator Adrian Kempe. Instead of taking his usual position above the circles, the Canucks left Kempe all the room in the world right in front of the net.<\/p>\n Brandt Clarke simply had to flip it in front from behind the net.<\/p>\n We\u2019re a minute and 29 seconds in, and I\u2019m already wondering if we can ask the scorekeeper to start a running clock. Usually, you need to be up by at least five goals for that, but I think we can make an exception for this team.<\/p>\n Max Sasson usually reserves his best plays for when Wyatt is in charge. But tonight he had a couple of good plays worth highlighting. This was the first one, when he and Teddy Blueger linked up to win a board battle behind Anton Forsberg\u2019s net before Sasson found P-O Joseph for the scoring opportunity from range.<\/p>\n Marcus Pettersson went all season without a goal, and then this past week suddenly became prime Niklas Lidstrom. He scored a game winner against the President\u2019s Trophy-winning Avalanche, and tonight he showed off the kind of skills that earn you the high score on a pinball machine.<\/p>\n The BR\u00d6 Line wins the board battle off the zone entry, Brock Boeser finds Marcus with some open space near the left circle, and he winds up and rips the puck directly into a tumbling Brian Dumoulin near the lip of the crease. Dumoulin\u2019s backside perfectly redirects the puck into the goal before he goes tumbling in with him.<\/p>\n Moments like this are when I wish the NHL had soccer rules for own goals, cause that would be one for Dumoulin\u2019s statline. But still! Good for Marcus finding his scoring touch!<\/p>\n Marcus Pettersson and Elias Pettersson have the same amount of goals over the last 32 games<\/p>\n Depressing<\/p>\n All I can really say as a Gen Z\u2019er who doesn\u2019t take bad news properly is\u2026 oof.<\/p>\n Best Same Ol\u2019, Same Ol\u2019<\/p>\n
\n#canucks<\/a><\/p>\n