The Canucks played host to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, according to the NHL schedule, but I’m not buying it. Those weren’t the Detroit Red Wings. They were some heinous approximation of the Red Wings, like when I found out I was lactose intolerant, and tried to replace a staple of my diet, Annie’s Mac & Cheese. with a lactose-free product called macaroni & ‘chreese’. It was not delicious. (The extra “R”, as it turns out, stands for retch-inducing.)
So we’ll call them the Detroit Red “Wrings". Nevermind that they won -- this Babcock-free version of the team was equally unpalatable. Once known as puck possession champions, this iteration couldn’t possess a pronoun, which might explain why they struggled through the first two periods to make this game theirs. I came up with that incredible grammar joke while I watched this game.
- Luckily for the Red Wings, the Canucks’ sudden inability to hold the lead at home doesn’t discriminate. They’ll let any team back in the game, even the weakened Wrings. Vancouver took a 2-0 lead into the third; within seven minutes, it was tied. Then they lost in overtime. Listen, I know the organization is committed to playing more exciting hockey this season, but these thrilling comebacks aren’t working for me. I think I’d actually be fine with one of those sleepy third periods where the Canucks don’t fall apart completely.
- Yannick Weber blew it on the game-winning goal. I know he wanted a change, but as the last guy back, you’ve got to be mindful of the goaltender attempting that stretch pass. It’s frustrating, especially since it might be cause for him to be re-banished to the press box, and that would be a mistake. Weber had a strong game, with a game-high 10 shot attempts, and Dan “Community Man” Hamhuis, his partner, finished with a game-high even-strength corsi of +13. Those two have impressive chemistry, like Nicolas Cage and Cher.
- Chris Tanev’s first goal of the season was the first goal of this game, and it came on the Canucks’ first powerplay. (Incidentally, Tanev’s personalized goal song was Nelly’s “Hot in Herre”, an unexpectedly great choice. Although I would have gone with another Nellyville jam, the grossly-titled, energy drink-inspiring “Pimp Juice”.) Thanks to a nice feed from Alex Burrows and some sly interference by Brandon Sutter, Tanev had a ton of room for the shot, and the defender whistled it home like Walter on the Muppet telethon.
- The second powerplay unit also accounted for the game’s second powerplay goal. Sutter scored this one, finishing off a tic-tac-toe passing play by one-timing a puck past Mrazek in the slot. The one-timer was the right call. As an NHLer, you never want to two-time the puck, especially since you still have to see it at work every day, and working with someone you two-timed can be very awkward.
- Milestone alert: this game was no. 1100 for Henrik Sedin in the NHL. It’s a huge deal, since it means he only has 8900 to go before 10,000, at which point he’ll become an elite NHLer, if I’ve been reading Malcolm Gladwell correctly.
- Henrik does appear to be getting better at faceoffs. He's been good in the circle to start the season, and he was nigh automatic tonight, winning 17-of-21. The Canucks won 62% of the draws overall, and appear to be getting a real lift from their wings. I guess you could say their wings are the wind beneath their wins.
- I want to say Daniel Sedin was all over the ice tonight. but that’s not true. He was mostly in the offensive zone, and primarily right at the edge of the crease. He looked punchy all evening, especially when he punched a puck into the Detroit net in the second period. But the goal was called off, because you’re not allowed to punch the puck in hockey, since it isn’t wearing a helmet.
- I don't know how to feel about the Sedins 3-on-3. You can see the potential for Sedinery, but with all that open ice, it's hard for them to slow the game down the way they like, and a lengthy, exhausting puck-possession shift isn't particularly what sudden-death calls for. If only the Canucks had some fast, young players they could try. But they don't! I sure didn't see any in this game!
- That wasn't a dig at the kids. Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi were actually quite good in the pittance of icetime they were given by Willie Desjardins. I know he's trying to teach them patience and whatnot, but benching them for playing well seems like the wrong approach. If you absolutely must teach them a lesson, I say just slime them every time they say "I don't know." It worked for Alanis Morrisette. She was on five episodes of "You Can't Do That on Television", and she's seemed super happy ever since.
- That said, as Blake Price noted, Desjardins seemed almost apologetic when asked about their low icetime. Maybe he forgot them on the bench? That happens. Sometimes you forget kids places. My mom forgot me at school once. And one time, when I was a summer camp counsellor, we forgot a kid at the Vancouver Aquarium. She was fine. She's terrified of jellyfish now, but that's a healthy fear, in my opinion. Jellyfish are messed up, like snakes. Where are their arms and legs? It's not okay.
- Bo Horvat's icetime was pretty low too. He played just 13:10 of this game. Brandon Sutter, meanwhile, skated for 19:48. Part of this is due to Horvat's disappearing linemates, of course. But I do wonder if Horvat's hurt. Or maybe Desjardins' surgically-repaired hip is still bothering him. and he's having a hard time turning to Horvat. If so, all the Canucks' young players should try literally getting on their coach's good side.
