Vancouver Canucks: 3 takeaways from loss to Calgary Flames

The Vancouver Canucks improbable playoff hopes grew even slimmer after last night’s loss to the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-1.

A week ago, the Vancouver Canucks had a 0.5% chance to make the playoffs. But after their three-game winning streak, the team found themselves at a 1.6%. Last night’s loss to the Flames, once again narrowed those odds. Here are my three takeaways from last night’s game.

Are you scoreboard watching?

This is a takeaway from last night’s game because yesterday the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and the Arizona Coyotes all had games.

All five of those teams are teams the Canucks trail in the standings. So my question is, are you scoreboard watching? I know I certainly am. I even found myself watching a Blackhawks game the other night, in which they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Canucks are already going to have an extremely difficult time getting into the playoffs. TSN’s Jeff Paterson said on the PatCast that if the Canucks went 7-0-1 over their remaining eight games, Arizona would need to go 5-4 in order for the Canucks to grab the second and final wild-card spot.

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That also doesn’t take into account the roles other teams could have in this. If any of the teams already ahead of the Canucks in the standings do just as well as them — the Canucks will be left on the outside looking in.

Yesterday, the Avalanche beat the Blackhawks, the Coyotes lost in a shootout to the New Jersey Devils, and Minnesota lost to the Carolina Hurricanes. That means that the Canucks were six points out of the wild card spot, held by the Avalanche with 80 points.

Again, they will need to win nearly every game from here on out to make the playoffs, and the loss to the Flames last night makes it even more difficult and improbable.

Lots of rough stuff

As multiple people who were at the game said on Twitter, last night’s game had a playoff feel to it — even before the puck had dropped.

It makes sense, cause if the Canucks were to squeak into the playoffs, the Flames and the Canucks would match up in the first round. While it would be extremely difficult for the Canucks to put up much of a fight against a very solid Flames team, it would surely be an entertaining series.

Last night’s game saw its fair share of hits, slashes, and all around, was a scrappy game. It was going on right from puck drop but was escalated in the second period after Johnny Gaudreau was forced to go to the dressing room after a collision with Bo Horvat.

Gaudreau went down on all fours and was clutching his face before getting off the ice and heading straight for the Flames tunnel. Garnet Hathaway tried to challenge Horvat to fight after the fact, but the thing is, Horvat delivered a clean hit to Gaudreau, and it was Gaudreau’s own stick that him in the face.

Gaudreau returned in the same period and I don’t think he even missed a shift. The rough stuff continued throughout the rest of the game, and both goaltenders even got involved in it.

Jacob Markstrom came out of his crease to play the puck, and bumped into Matthew Tkachuk. That wasn’t where the rough stuff ended though. As Tkachuk skated back into the play, Markstrom gave him a hearty chop to the arm and Tkachuk immediately headed down the Flames tunnel. Here’s a look at the play for those who haven’t seen it.

Mike Smith was on the receiving end of some rough stuff, however, as Alex Edler attempted to intercept a clearing attempt from Smith, but in the process knocked him to the ice. Smith’s helmet popped off and Edler received a penalty that essentially sealed the deal on any chance at a comeback for the Canucks. I’m fairly certain that Smith embellished that one a little though.

It was a physically demanding game for the Canucks who have another game tonight. But man, would it be fun to watch these two teams go at it in the first round of the playoffs? I think so.