Canucks: Three takeaways from 3-2 preseason win over Winnipeg Jets

After losing in Calgary on Friday night, the Vancouver Canucks continued their preseason with their first exhibition game at Rogers Arena to take on the Winnipeg Jets.

This was also the first time since March 10, 2020, that fans were in the building to watch the Canucks.

Before the game, both Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes’s contracts were officially announced by the team. The two players, along with general manager Jim Benning spoke to the media.

“It was an interesting process,” said Benning. “We spent a lot of time August talking to Pat (Brisson) every couple of days to figure out different scenarios. We talked about what it would look like about the range on the deals. I think the talks really ramped up here this last week when we started camp and they weren’t here. We got to an agreement and I’m happy.”

Pettersson and Hughes skated on Sunday but weren’t in the lineup. Head coach Travis Green confirmed they won’t be in the lineup for the next game against Seattle, so it will be likely they will be in the lineup in Edmonton on Thursday and when the Oilers come to town on Saturday.

Benning also provided updates on Brandon Sutter, Tyler Motte, and Brock Boeser, as well as the vaccination status of the organization.

The Canucks also honoured the Indigenous Peoples as part of the Truth and Reconciliation tributes by holding a minute of silence for Residential School victims and survivors which was followed by the Salish anthem.

Jaroslav Halak made his Canuck preseason debut in goal but he was replaced by Michael DiPietro at the start of the third period.

It was a much better performance from the Canucks this time around and it’s fair to say they were the better team. They had the puck more and got more chances and really limited the chances from the Jets. The Canucks outshot the Jets 33-18.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

#1 Tanner Pearson, Bo Horvat, and Nils Höglander were buzzing all night

Tanner Pearson, Bo Horvat, and Nils Höglander played on a line for a large chunk of last year and they looked good. It looked like they weren’t rusty on Sunday night.

The line was involved in two of the Canucks three goals. They were feasting on the Jets all night.

They were quick in their transitions, making clean passes, and did a good job pressuring the Jets’ defence on the forecheck. The trio also did a good job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone and create scoring chances.

On the first goal, Tanner Pearson went deep on the forecheck and easily read Mikhail Berdin’s ill-advised pass. Horvat went straight to the front of the net, took Pearson’s pass, and buried it.

Höglander did a good job of pressuring Ville Heinola which resulted in Pearson scoring the third Vancouver goal.

Höglander was the best out of the three as he was winning board battles, driving to the net, and even drew a penalty.

“He was a lot more energized,” said Green on the 20-year-old Swede after the game. “He skated better tonight, he was on the puck, first on the puck, winning puck battles, he was good tonight.”

Per NaturalStatTrick, the line had an impressive 81.82 Corsi for percentage and a 71.43 High Danger Corsi For percentage.

Höglander had the highest CF percentage of the night with 84.21%. Horvat had the second highest with 77 CF %. Pearson had a 66.77 CF%.