Canucks: Three takeaways from frustrating 2-1 loss to Oilers

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In Green Day’s nine minute epic Jesus of Suburbia there is a section that goes, “The motto was just a lie. It says home is where your heart is, but what a shame, Cause everyone’s heart doesn’t beat the same. It’s beating out of time.” The Vancouver Canucks are still without a win and home isn’t where the heart is for them. Their hearts aren’t beating the same and are all beating out of time as they suffered another frustrating defeat.

Ok, that might not have been the best reference to use but you get the idea, or maybe you don’t. The Canucks weren’t clicking and played like they were all on autopilot.

Once again, the Canucks were giving up odd-man rushes, turning the puck over, and failed to create many opportunities. It really feels like Groundhog Day.

Vancouver looked slow and played without much energy or fight in them. Things did get a bit better in the second and late in the third but once again, it wasn’t enough to gas to get the car up and running.

“We’re still trying to get our 200-foot game together, and when we do, we’re going to win a lot more games than we’re losing,” said head coach Travis Green after the game per Sportsnet 650’s Brendan Batchelor.

That is three straight losses for the Canucks and all have been very unsatisfactory performances. The frustration is mounting among the fanbase and rightfully so. The crowd at Rogers Arena was lifeless and there was even a loud “Let’s Go Oilers” chant from the Oilers fans in attendance at some point. Ouch.

Here are three takeaways from the Canucks frustrating loss to the Oilers

Oct 30, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) moves the puck past Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi (13) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /

Canucks couldn’t solve Oilers power play

The Canucks penalty kill isn’t good. (ranked 28th in the NHL) The Oilers also have a very good power play ranking first in the NHL.

The Oilers showed why their power play is scary.

With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the way, both of Edmonton’s goals came on the power play.

Warren Foegele got on the Oilers on the board as he put in the loose puck and got behind Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1454638532312535050

Draisaitl got the second goal in the second period.

The Oilers were moving the puck very well and the Canucks penalty killers couldn’t do much but watch.

They couldn’t get ahold of the puck and the Oilers made them pay.

The best way to stop the number one ranked power play is to not take penalties. The Canucks took two and let in power play goals on both of them.

Offence still dry

It looked like Vancouver was going to get shutout by Edmonton and go five periods without scoring a goal but Brock Boeser broke Mikko Koskinen’s shutout bid at 19:53 in the third period.

It was Boeser’s 100th career goal but it was too little and way too late.

Just like last game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Canucks were even gifted a power play late and pulled the goalie but there wasn’t anything to show for it. (That was the Canucks only power play of the night.)

Just like last game, the top players weren’t scoring and it looked like they decided to dress up as ghosts for Halloween.

Sure, there was some offensive pressure in the second but they couldn’t beat Koskinen. Elias Pettersson once again couldn’t get on the scoresheet. He did show some improvement from the last game but he still couldn’t end his drought.

“I think we’ve been doing some really good things defensively but at the end of the day, we got to put the puck on net and bear down and bury our chances,” said Bo Horvat.

The Canucks finished with 46.67% High Danger Corsi for (including 28.57% in the third) and a 44.17% expected goals for per NaturalStatTrick.

Other than some points in the second and late in the third, (The Lotto Line even came to life.) There wasn’t much offensive pressure, shots on goal, or offensive creativity.

The forechecking was weak and the breakouts were very dreadful.

It’s been nine games in and the offence has been very frustrating and jarring to see players like Pettersson not producing.

Oct 30, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian (44) checks Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (57) as goalie Thatcher Demko (35) makes a save in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /

Thatcher Demko kept them in the game.

The biggest positive of Saturday’s game was none other than the play of Thatcher Demko.

Demko once again kept the Canucks in the game just like he has been doing all season so far.

The San Diego California native had McDavid’s number all night. The Oilers’ superstar had nine shots on goal and Demko stopped them all.

Some of his saves included stopping McDavid’s one-timer in the first and stopping him while he was flying down the ice in the third period.

Demko was making big saves and small saves to bail out the Canucks but unfortunately, the team in front of him couldn’t help him out.

That’s already a recurring theme this season.

Other notes

Conor Garland showed some energy in the game. He was spinning around like a pinwheel and had six shots on goal which was the most on the Canucks. Garland also led the Canucks in Corsi for with 62.96%.
Justin Bailey made another strong case of wanting to stay with the big club. He was one of the better penalty killers and showcased speed and went hard on the forecheck
The Abbotsford Canucks were also playing at the Abbotsford Centre on Saturday night. They lost 3-2 to the Ontario Reign in overtime. Spencer Martin made 33 saves and Phil Di Giuseppe and Sheldon Dries scored the two goals for the Abby Canucks.

Next. Canucks: Is Travis Green to blame for the recent struggles?. dark

The Vancouver Canucks homestand continues as they welcome the New York Rangers to Rogers Arena. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM.

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