Canucks: 3 takeaways from 6-3 win over Sabres
The Vancouver Canucks played some matinee hockey against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. They got back in the win column with a 6-3 victory.
Turn off the Saturday morning cartoons and park yourself on the couch for some Vancouver Canucks hockey.
That’s what many Vancouver fans did to kick off their weekend, tuning in for a Sabres vs. Canucks Saturday morning showdown.
From the Sunshine State to the cold winds of Buffalo, head coach Travis Green marched his troops back into the battle for the first game of back-to-backs this weekend. Finding a way to earn two points was more important than ever, coming into the contest the Canucks were winless on the road, dropping their first two games to the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.
This matchup featured two teams built on young talent, and it was a perfect opportunity for Vancouver’s star players to step up and get the team back on track. They did it once already, back on Dec. 7, when Vancouver fought off Jack Eichel and the Sabres in a 6-5 overtime thriller.
It was another six-goal output for Vancouver against the Sabres, who put it away in regulation by a final score of 6-3. Here’s what we learned.
Boeser scores first and scores game-winner
It appears nobody wants to get the Canucks back to their winning ways more than the elite right winger Brock Boeser.
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The Burnsville, Minnesota native not only had a great game on Thursday scoring first in Florida, but he was also the first player for Vancouver to light the lamp in Buffalo. Boeser got involved out front of the net and tipped the puck behind himself, bulging twine to get the game knotted at one.
It was a nifty play that proved Boeser has more than just a one-timer in his arsenal. For a player who has been criticized for not scoring enough goals this year, he’s been quietly having his best season to date.
His shot may not be finding the back of the net as often, but he’s consistently on the score sheet and is pacing just shy of a point per game through the first 45.
Boeser could have scored his second goal of the contest which would have been his 16th of the campaign, but the call on the ice was not overturned.
The Canucks called the play back to review what appeared to be a goal by Boeser. The video review with the birds-eye view revealed the puck squirted under the post and through the netting. Shocking fans, the referee didn’t budge and wasn’t convinced. Another view from behind the net and yes, the puck didn’t go in. It was another close call for Boeser.
Boeser wasn’t leaving KeyBank Center without another tally. Deep in the offensive end during the third period, Boeser got the puck out of the left corner, fed the puck to Chris Tanev for the give and go one-timer. An absolute stunner, and it was his fourth point against the Sabres in the two-game season series. Two goals in the contest for Boeser places him second overall in team scoring with 43 points in 45 games.
Horvat continues his road dominance
Coming into the contest against Buffalo, captain Bo Horvat was grooving offensively. Horvat found the net twice at home and had eight points in his previous five games. However, despite Bo’s recent success, the team was winless on its road trip, and and they needed him to crank it up offensively.
Horvat did what captains do best. He went to work in the second frame of game action and tapped in his own rebound in tight to get the Canucks on the board for the second time in the game.
It was the extra effort rushing the net and fighting for positioning that earned Horvat his 10th road goal. Quite fitting that it was assisted by Tanner Pearson, his 20th helper on the year and a perfect linemate for Bo.
It wasn’t the goal that would win the game, but it was the maximum effort from the Canucks first-year captain that earns him some spotlight. The Canucks are in a tight race for playoff positioning, and the team leader is doing all the right things in all the right areas. He simply led by example versus the Sabres — something the young core can learn from moving forward.
Virtanen continues to flourish
Curious if his consistent play will continue into the second half of the season, Jake Virtanen is proving doubters wrong with another goal in a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. His 13th of the season comes in only the Canucks’ 45th game. With the latest shotgun for Jake, the 23-year-old now has 25 points, tying his career-high.
The sky is the limit for Virtanen. The power forward is really becoming the player he was drafted to be, with his top performance coming consistently in his contract year, Big Tuna, as his teammates call him, is in for a major raise as well as an extended stay.
He has 37 more games to help this team into the playoffs and help himself earn big dollars as an everyday NHL player. 20 goals should be expected from Virtanen at this point, and 50 points could be a reasonable ceiling for the New Westminster local.
Final thoughts…
The Canucks filled the opposing net six times to get themselves back on track. A victory and two points are all that matters.
Next. Canucks: Inconsistency won't get them to playoffs. dark
That win was a must for the Canucks, who have two more road games to close out the five-game trip. No break for Vancouver as they visit the Minnesota Wild tomorrow. Puck drop is at 1 p.m. Pacific.