Canucks: 3 takeaways from the 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators

3. The kids are alright

With most of the roster putting up mediocre outings, it was refreshing to see strong performances from rookies Nils Höglander and Olli Juolevi.

The 20-year-old winger continues to play an important role in the top-six forward group, providing energy, grittiness and determination every time he steps over the boards. Although he technically didn’t record a shot on goal on Monday night, Höglander was still able to get him into dangerous scoring areas throughout the game, including two of the team’s best opportunities halfway through the second period.

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With just under a dozen games left, fans and management alike are hoping that Höglander can transform these glorious chances into goal celebrations.

Meanwhile, it appears that Juolevi is starting to become more and more comfortable as a National Hockey League defenceman.

The former 5th overall pick has become a mainstay on the Canucks’ third defensive pairing, taking over from Jordie Benn after he was dealt to Winnipeg at the trade deadline, and he continues to improve his overall gameplay each night.

Juolevi finished the contest with 15:30 of ice time, as well as one goal, two registered shots and a plus-one rating. Juolevi’s first-period tally marked the second goal of his career (with both tallies coming against Ottawa), and it also showcased resiliency by helping the team bounce back from 1-0 less than five minutes after the Senators opened the scoring.

It’s not expected that Juolevi will light up the scoresheet for the remainder of the campaign, but he’s finally starting to show the promise that Canucks fans have been longing for since he was drafted in 2016.

But, let’s be real. The team would also be more than thrilled if the 22-year-old Helsinki native could steadily add to his point totals over the next three weeks so we can read more tweets like this one:

Other newsworthy notes:

• Goaltender Thatcher Demko is listed as day-to-day after sustaining an injury during the morning skate on Monday. In typical Canucks fashion, the team had just assigned rookie Michael DiPietro back to Utica 24 hours prior to the Demko injury, forcing them to dress 20-year old Arturs Silovs as the backup.
• Forward Jake Virtanen participated in a spirited bout with Senators’ forward Ryan Dzingel, just moments after Ottawa opened the scoring in the first period. This was Virtanen’s first fight of the year, but many fans would much rather that he (and the rest of the bottom six) contribute to the scoresheet instead. The 24-year-old Langley native hasn’t found the back of the net in six games, to go along with five shots on goal and a minus-two rating.
• After the Canadiens also doubled up on the Flames by a score of 2-1 on Monday night, they continue to hold onto the fourth and final spot of the Scotia North Division, with six points up on Calgary and ten points up on Vancouver. Where it gets interesting? The Canucks have five games in hand against the Habs, and it doesn’t look like Montreal’s schedule is getting any easier…

The Canucks will be able to enjoy a rest day before facing off against the Ottawa Senators for the final time this season on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 pm PST (Yes, you read that right).

What were your thoughts on the Canucks’ 2-1 loss against the Senators? Make sure to drop a comment below!