Canucks: 3 takeaways from 9-2 loss to the Lightning
Power play fails to produce
If the Canucks were going to stand any sort of chance of beating the Lightning, it was going to rely heavily on special teams. The penalty kill would have to play lights out against Tampa’s second-ranked power play, while Vancouver’s fourth-ranked unit had to be off the charts in order to find a win.
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The power play failed miserably. On four attempts, the Canucks were unable to score a single goal.
Vancouver’s man advantage had an extended five-on-three power play, but even the elite top unit couldn’t convert. Tampa Bay had the answer for everything thrown at them, even recording short-handed goal in the third period.
On the other side of things, Vancouver couldn’t keep up five-on-five let alone while they were down a man to the penalty box.
In comparison, Tampa Bay scored on two of five power play opportunities.
The Lightning are a team that doesn’t have holes in their lineup. They carry a top-five NHL goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy, arguably the best forward group of all 31 teams and stacked defence core led by a Norris winning defender, Victor Hedman.
You can’t expect to overcome the Lightning without A-plus special teams play. The effort was there, but Vancouver just couldn’t capitalize.