Vancouver Canucks: 3 takeaways from scrappy win over New York Rangers

Jacob Markstrom bounces back

I talked about in my last three takeaways how Jacob Markstrom went on CBC’s After Hours after the Canucks loss to Vegas on Saturday night in which he was pulled from after allowing five goals before the first period had come to an end.

Markstrom faced the music. He could have easily requested that he not be on the program that night, and I’m sure hardly anyone would have batted an eye had he done so. Rather than not show up, he went on the program and talked about the need for him to bounce back and prepare for his next start.

That next start was last night, as the Canucks gave Markstrom the nod, rather than go with Thatcher Demko — who was fairly solid the rest of the way through in that Vegas game. The Canucks showed full trust in their number one netminder to do just as he said and bounce back, and Markstrom did just that last night.

While the Canucks didn’t suffer from one of their signature slow starts, Markstrom still had to be sharp early on as there were a couple of turnovers and odd bounces in front of him in the first two frames. Markstrom was up to the task, however, and had a shutout going until later on in the third.

He may not have gotten the shutout, but Markstrom’s performance last night shows that he is mentally tough and didn’t allow himself to get rattled after the loss against Vegas. That is something you love to see out of your starting netminder who is just now beginning to establish himself as the Canucks’ true number one goalie.

It was a scrappy game and a scrappy win, but an entertaining one, nonetheless. The Canucks will get back at it tomorrow night when they take on the New Jersey Devils back at home at Rogers Arena. Puck drop is at 7 PM.