Up until this morning, I thought for sure that Anton Rodin would be making his season debut against the New Jersey Devils. When Brock Boeser suffered a foot injury, it came with the phrases “day-to-day” and “game-time decision,” which is why it made sense for the Canucks to call up someone like Jayson Megna to step in if necessary.
But when Rodin got the call, it suggested that Boeser would miss more than just one game and there were rumblings over the weekend that this was the case. When Megna played less than five minutes on Monday against the Stars, it seemed certain that Rodin would step into the lineup.
Instead, Boeser made a rapid recovery and was declared good-to-go, leaving Rodin sitting in the press box once again. The poor guy has played a grand total of 9 games in the last calendar year. I feel like the fans need to step in just to get him in a game, and his name conveniently fits the “Rudy Rudy Rudy” chant from the eponymous film.
I started chanting “Rodin Rodin Rodin” as I watched this game.
- The New Jersey Devils blocked a metric buttload of shots in this game, which is larger than your standard imperial buttload. They were filling up lanes like rush hour traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge. Every time the Canucks created a scoring chance, bodies popped up in front of the puck like innocent victims in Under Fire.
- When the puck did manage to get through, Cory Schneider turned it away like it was George Costanza asking for free bread. With the way Schneider made every one of his 37 saves look easy, you might be tempted to think the Canucks didn’t do enough to challenge him, but a big reason why every shot seemed to hit him in the chest is that his positioning was impeccable.
- The Canucks had 80 shot attempts, which is a ridiculous number; 77 is far more distinguished. Unfortunately, they missed the net with 22 of those shots, likely because they were trying to avoid the shot-blockers that were throwing their bodies in front of the puck with less regard for their bodily well-being than Doug Glatt.
- It’s not just that the Canucks took a lot of shots; they got shots in great scoring areas. The heat map of 5-on-5 unblocked shot attempts from Natural Stat Trick shows that the Canucks were all around the front of the net and the slot. They just couldn’t put the biscuit in the basket, because the basket had a Cory Schneider-shaped lid on it.
- The Sedins led the way in puck possession, spending long shifts in the offensive zone and creating some of the Canucks’ best chances. They went with a classic slap-pass in the second period that beat Schneider but couldn’t beat the post, but their best chance came in the final minute when Henrik set up Daniel alone in front of the net. Schneider made like parents nervous about their kids' internet usage and put up a blocker.
- I really wish Daniel had scored, because Sven Baertschi did an absolutely beautiful dummy on Henrik's pass, faking like he was going to take it before letting the puck go through his legs. Alas, that moment will soon be forgotten.
- Brock Boeser played a strong game in his return to the Canucks lineup after a one-game absence. He fired four shots on goal that provided some of Schneider’s toughest challenges, but he also did so many little things well. He’s more than just some nice hair and a shot; he’s a complete hockey player. His smart work along the boards was particularly noticeable on one shift, cutting off two exit attempts by the Devils and prolonging a chance-creating shift for his line.
- Unfortunately, Boeser was also partly at fault on the Devils’ lone goal on Markstrom. It’s not that he fanned on his shot, though that did lead to the rush the other way; the issue is that after Taylor Hall got the initial shot off, Boeser peeled off the play without looking to see if he needed to pick up a check. If he had, he might have seen Jimmy Hayes stepping down the right boards to fire a one-timer past Markstrom. Maybe he would have seen Hayes if he was purple. Would have stood out a bit more.
-
Apart from the one goal that he would probably like to have another chance at, Markstrom was superb once again. It’s that one soft, weird, or unlucky goal against every single game. He just can’t seem to shake it. It feels like a curse that can only be lifted by true love’s first kiss or some sort of ritual sacrifice of a goalie stick. Someday, he will get that shutout.
