Vancouver Canucks: 3 takeways from 5-1 victory over Blackhawks

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks put together a full 60 minutes and snapped their seven-game losing skid by crushing the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-1. Here are three things we learned.

A large portion of Vancouver Canucks fans won’t be happy about the victory, but this was arguably the team’s best performance of the season. A full 60 minutes were played, the team was clean in all aspects and Bo Horvat became the third Canuck to score 20 goals on the season.

There is a downside to this all, though. The Arizona Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators were all losers on Thursday. Vancouver moves up to the 29th spot in the NHL standings, but they’re now just four points behind Detroit for sixth-last in the NHL.

It’s obviously better for the Canucks to have better draft lottery odds, but who says they still can’t fall behind the Buffalo Sabres — who only have three less points but a game in hand, plus a much more manageable schedule?

So yeah, don’t give up on that dream, folks. There’s always a chance that the Canucks can draft Rasmus Dahlin, whether they finish 31st or not. For now, enjoy this win, and let’s analyze three takeaways from the victory.

Bo Horvat does it again

It took longer than it should have (due to injuries and such), Daniel Sedin (21 goals), and Brock Boeser (29 goals), as the only Canucks to reach the feat.

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Of course, Thomas Vanek (17 goals in 61 games), and Sven Baertschi (14 goals in 53 games), could have made it five 20-goal scorers here in Vancouver if they played the whole season. Nonetheless, having three players reach the mark is something special for the Canucks. No, really.

Horvat was the only 20-goal man last year. Daniel and Jannik Hansen were the only ones in 2015-16. Radim Vrbata and Daniel were the only ones in 2014-15.

Ryan Kesler was the only one the year before that. There were none in the 48-game 2012-13 campaign.

With that, you have to go back to 2011-12 to find the last time the Canucks had three 20-goal men: Daniel, Kesler and Alexandre Burrows.

Bo Horvat finally snapped a frustrating yet overlooked six-year drought for this team; one that now has three 20-goal scorers.

Canucks and Blackhawks rivalry has changed

It’s safe to say the Canucks and Blackhawks rivalry hasn’t been that heated for about three years now, perhaps more. They last met in the playoffs seven years ago, and Vancouver has been among the worst teams since Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2013, followed by another in 2015.

Oddly enough, these two squads are finally back on the same level, but not in the sense of being two Western Conference heavyweights. Instead, both are missing the playoffs and will have a shot at winning the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes.

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For Vancouver, changes have to be made. That is, general manager Jim Benning needs to ship out more veterans and bring in the young guys. For Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman, he has to get creative in finding the right pieces. There’s no way he gives up on the Stanley Cup window, with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane still in their primes.

It feels weird in seeing the Blackhawks missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, but no dynasty lasts forever. It’s also strange to see the Canucks sweep the Blackhawks in the three-game regular season series. That’s the first time they’ve done so since the 2005-06 season.

This was Henrik’s night

T’was quite the night for captain Henrik Sedin, who ended a 55-game goalless drought. He also added an assist, bringing back the good ol’ days where he and Daniel skated by Chicago’s defence during the 2009, ’10 and ’11 playoff series.

Blackhawks veteran Patrick Sharp also admired Henrik enough to ask for an autograph on his stick after the game. Of course, Henrik obliged:

Before the game, Henrik said that this was his “favorite road city, team and rink. It always brings out the best,” in both teams, per Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. Sure enough, the United Center brought out the best in Henrik Sedin once again.

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The Sedins have yet to give an update on their futures, so there is a chance this was the captain’s final game in Chicago. And if it was, he left a lasting and memorable impression.