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

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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.

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