The stakes were high today as the Vancouver Canucks took on the Winnipeg Jets to round out their six-game road trip. With the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames adding to their respective point totals on Saturday night, Vancouver entered today’s game needing to do the same to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, with Pius Suter scoring the lone goal for the Canucks, Vancouver ultimately fell 3–1. Thatcher Demko stopped 24 of 27 shots, but was unable to best Connor Hellebuyck’s .958 SV% on the night.
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The penalty kill was tested quickly, with Aatu Räty taking a slashing penalty four minutes into the game. Only a minute later, Teddy Blueger was called for high-sticking, leaving Winnipeg with a two-man advantage for a minute. However, Vancouver managed to stand in the way of all the chances Winnipeg generated, killing both penalties and stopping the NHL’s second-best power play from scoring. Vancouver killed all of the three penalties they took today, bringing them up to 82.8% — good for third in the NHL.
Demko was the Canucks’ best player early on yet again, making a massive blocker save during Vancouver’s first penalty kill of the game to keep the score 0–0. He faced nine Jets shots throughout the opening frame and remained sharp throughout the game, stopping a surprise deflection in the opening minute of the third period.
Suter has been scorching as of late, tallying seven points in the past three games coming into today’s match. He ripped a fiery shot off the crossbar early into the first period and scored the game’s opening goal. Even with a lengthy offside review, Suter’s goal was deemed onside by a hair’s worth of distance. He finished the game with the highest TOI of all forwards, 21:04, as well as eight faceoff wins out of 20 taken. With the absence of Filip Chytil and Elias Pettersson, Suter has stepped up exceedingly when the team has needed him to.
"He's taking a leadership role. He's one of the guys that has really stepped up for me, play him in all situations," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said postgame of Suter's play as of late.
Speaking of goal reviews, there were two in today’s game. Suter’s goal review came as a result of a near-offside play. In the third period, a close stop by Demko looked like it could have crossed the Canucks’ goal line, but after a quick review, there was no clear angle that provided evidence of a Jets goal.
Hits were a talking point in tonight’s game, as 12 players put up two or more hits. Kiefer Sherwood led the team with 10 hits, while Dakota Joshua and Derek Forbort had six. Drew O’Connor and Filip Hronek both had five, and Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, Elias Pettersson (D), and Filip Hronek all put up three. Vancouver finished the game with 50 hits in total.
While the game may not have ended the way they’d wished it to, Vancouver certainly tried to get the results they wanted. Demko was sent to the bench with 4:40 left in the game, leaving the six Canucks on the ice to try and score two more goals to tie the game up. Despite preventing Winnipeg from grabbing an empty net goal, Vancouver took a too-many-men penalty with 1:20 left in the game to negate their chance at a comeback.
Tocchet noted that he was "really proud of the guys" in today's effort, but that they were "just on the wrong side." He noted how they've "just got to worry about the next game."
With the playoff window getting slimmer and slimmer with each game, it may only be a matter of time before the Canucks' postseason chances become dashed.
Stats and Facts
- Canucks playoff odds are now 15.5%, according to MoneyPuck.com
- Vancouver has not allowed a first-period goal in six straight games
- Pius Suter extends his point streak to eight points in four games
- Canucks surpass 50 hits in one game for the second time this season
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
18:55 - VAN: Pius Suter (22) from Tyler Myers and Jake DeBrusk
2nd Period:
9:26 - WPG: Kyle Connor (38) from Mark Scheifele and Colin Miller
3rd Period:
6:24 - WPG: Mason Appleton (10) from Adam Lowry and Nikolaj Ehlers
12:11 - WPG: Cole Perfetti (16) from Vladislav Namestnikov and Kyle Connor
Up Next:
With today concluding the Canucks’ six-game roadtrip, Vancouver sets their sights on a three-game homestand running throughout next week. They take on the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena on Wednesday, with puck drop expected at 7:30 pm PT.
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