Canucks: The defence is the key to a turnaround in December

The end of November can’t come soon enough for the Vancouver Canucks. If they want to turn things around, the blue line will have to step up.

Heading into November, the Vancouver Canucks had an impressive 8-3-1 record, but that wonderful start was erased following a brutal month-long stretch.

Vancouver has lost nine of its last 12 games now, and they’ve picked up a mere four wins in November. Even if they pull off a victory against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, the Canucks will have few positives to reflect on in the second month of the season.

The struggles reached a new low on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were playing without Sidney Crosby. Vancouver held a 6-3 lead in the third period, only to unravel entirely by allowing five unanswered goals — en route to an 8-6 loss in the Steel City.

Blame Thatcher Demko all you want, but it’s not like he was allowing soft goals or anything.

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Much of the loss here fell on the Vancouver blueliners, who’ve had too many defensive breakdowns and miscues throughout the November slump.

Demko and Jacob Markstrom have been arguably the best goaltending duo in the NHL this season. They’re keeping Vancouver in games, and for the most part, the offence has done more than enough (85 goals for, seventh in the NHL entering play on Friday) to give this team a chance.

But the defencemen are going to have to step up if the Canucks want to turn things around in November. The team has allowed four-plus goals in seven of its last seven games, and again, the goalies cannot take the blame for it.

Markstrom had to stand on his head with 32 saves in last week’s 2-1 shootout win over the powerhouse Washington Capitals. Two days earlier, he made a whopping 45 saves in a 6-3 route of the Nashville Predators.

Vancouver now ranks 16th in shots allowed per game (31.7), according to NHL.com. The penalty kill isn’t terrible by any means, but it ranks just 15th at 82.2 percent. With Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn and Quinn Hughes now on the blue line, the Canucks simply need better production.

Thankfully, the Canucks have been far more healthy on the blue line thus far compared to previous years. That said, there aren’t any excuses for the defencemen to struggle this much, especially after a glorious performance in the month of October.

The Canucks had a great first month of the season, followed by a terrible November — where almost nothing went right. If things are to turn around in December, the Vancouver blue line is going to have to cut back on the mistakes while finding a way to regain its October form.