Canucks: Three takeaways from lackluster 2-1 loss to Flyers
The team lacked energy and urgency
John Shorthouse said it on the broadcast. The Flyers were playing the second half of a back-to-back but given how the game was going it seemed like the Canucks were the tired team.
From puck drop, it felt like Vancouver was chasing the game.
They weren’t testing Martin Jones with good scoring chances. There were odd-man rushes given up, turnovers, and overall, the team looked tired and lost.
“Everyone in the room wanted that one,” said Hughes after the game. ” It was an important game. It’s still a young season, but that was frustrating. We get another chance Saturday.”
The Canucks didn’t look like they were giving much of an effort again.
Justin Bailey and Juho Lammikko probably gave the most effort on the night. Brock Boeser had some good looks late in the third but the rest of the team looked flat.
There were glimpses of hope in the second and third (particularly on the power play) but it wasn’t enough.
The Canucks top players in particular had nothing to show for.
“They’re smart guys,” said head coach Travis Green on the top players’ lack of production per Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650. “They know they need to score and need to produce. I thought tonight was a little bit of a step in the right direction. Those guys have scored in the past, and they’ll score again.”
Will the real Elias Pettersson please stand up?
Speaking of top players, Elias Pettersson’s struggles continue.
The Canucks centre didn’t look like himself at all.
He was bobbling the puck, fanning on his one-timers, easily getting checked, and even took a bad penalty in the third.
Pettersson finished the night with a 46.67 Corsi for percentage and a 30.20 goals for percentage (the second-lowest on the team in the game.) per NaturalStatTrick.
Just like last game, it was like he lost his superpowers.
Pettersson looks like the NBA stars in Space Jam once they have their talent stolen #Canucks
— Tyler Bennett (@TBennz) October 29, 2021
From the way he has played, it seems there isn’t much confidence in his game. Like the rest of the team, the effort isn’t there. There could be something going on with him that we don’t know about or maybe not.
Maybe the real Pettersson has been kidnapped and the one we are seeing on the ice is an imposter?
All jokes aside, we all know Pettersson can be a game-changer. In Thursday night’s game and this season so far, he hasn’t been the player we all know he is.
If you weren’t worried before, I can’t blame you for being worried now.
The Canucks need Pettersson to be that bonafide playmaker and goalscorer and I’m sure he’ll get out of this funk soon. Lots of young players go through slumps and sooner or later, Pettersson will silence the doubters. But it would be better if he awakes from his slumber sooner rather than later.
The power play was powerless
The Canucks power play has the personnel to be a good one.
However, they have looked predictable and stagnant, unlike the Flyers power play which made some creative plays.
The Canucks entries weren’t that great. There wasn’t enough movement and it seemed like they were trying to make the same play over again.
Vancouver went zero for five on the power play against Philadelphia. They even got one late in the third and with Halak on the bench, it was six-on-four. But like the Matrix sequels and the other power play attempts, fans were left disappointed.
The man advantage did get some shots on Jones but they couldn’t beat him.
The Canucks were getting gifts from the Flyers but couldn’t unwrap them. Going zero for five is simply unacceptable.
Other Notes
- Matthew Highmore wasn’t on the bench to start the third and did not return. Green did not provide an update in his post-game presser.
- Conor Garland only played 10:37 of ice time. It does seems kind of odd to guy who is tied for the team in lead in points (Tied with Miller with eight.) Maybe it was because he shaved off the beard. Garland looks like a totally different person without it.
- Despite looking shaky in the first, Halak didn’t have too bad of a game.
dark. Next. Canucks: Brock Boeser should be on the first power play unit
The Canucks will look to get back on track during this homestand when the Edmonton Oilers come to Vancouver on Saturday. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM.