Three takeaways from Canucks 2-1 shootout loss to LA Kings

As the old saying goes: All good things must come to an end. The Vancouver Canucks winning streak has ended at seven games.

After a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, the Canucks travelled up the freeway to the recently renamed Crypto.Com Arena (Which is a horrible name and it will always be called the Staples Center to me.) in Downtown Los Angeles to take on the LA Kings.

Before the game, it was announced Justin Dowling entered the COVID-19 protocol and he joins Brock Boeser, Phil Di Giuseppe, and one staff member on the protocol. As a result, Matthew Highmore suited up for his first game since October 28 against the Philadelphia Flyers and he has been dealing with a lower-body injury since then.

Dan Murphy of Sportsnet reported that the Canucks will fly back to Vancouver after the game against LA and fly to Seattle on Saturday. That way, if a player tests positive he can isolate at home instead of a hotel. That is a smart move by the organization.

The game started off with hardly any whistles and not a lot of scoring chances from both sides. However, the Kings turned on the gas pedal and were the much better team and they opened the scoring thanks to Brendan Lemieux deflecting Christian Wolanin’s shot past Jaroslav Halak after some relentless forecheck on Quinn Hughes and Luke Schenn losing the puck in his skates.

You have to give the Canucks credit for finding a way to get back in the game but unfortunately, overtime solved nothing and they couldn’t get it done in the shootout. The good news is that the Canucks have yet to lose in regulation under Boudreau.

Here are three takeaways from the Canucks 2-1 shootout loss in LA.