The Vancouver Canucks were looking to rebound after their 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night. They got a sigh of relief as captain Bo Horvat took warm-up and was dressed for the game after taking an Alex Edler shot off his foot in the previous game. Horvat looked like he was in so much pain after being the victim of friendly fire and it was nice to see him not miss a game from that.
Like the game before, it was another frustrating contest as the Canucks couldn’t buy a goal until the dying minutes of the game. It included some very inexcusable penalties and poor defensive mistakes.
With the outlook of the playoffs getting slimmer, it’s like the Canucks are deciding to write their names in the Death Note instead of a Shinigami doing it for them.
Anyways, here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to the Jets.
Hellebuyck and the posts were hard to solve
Connor Hellebuyck sure loves playing Vancouver and is playing some very good hockey as of late. The Canucks couldn’t find a way to solve him as he was making all kinds of saves out of nowhere.
Hellebuyck has given up nine goals against the Canucks this season on 149 shots which makes a .949 save percentage according to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance.
It was almost like he was doing his best Thatcher Demko impression. Jimmy Vesey got two of the best Canucks chances of the night but couldn’t beat Hellebuyck.
Jimmy Vesey looking for his first goal as a Canuck gets a couple good chances but is denied by Hellebuyck. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/NdETCjdZ0K
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) March 25, 2021
Late in the third, Hellebuyck’s bid for a second straight shutout at Rogers Arena was denied by Nile Hoglander but it was far too little and far too late.
However, it just wasn’t the goaltender the Canucks had a hard time solving, the goalposts weren’t doing them any favours either. They hit the posts about five times Wednesday and it was just ridiculous that none were going in.
Jake Virtanen hit the post on the breakaway and J.T. Miller hit the crossbar on this chance.
👀👀💔💔 pic.twitter.com/Xah9mebUiL
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 25, 2021
Luck wasn’t on the Canucks side and hitting all those posts kind of sums up their season because they have hit quite a lot.