Canucks: 3 takeaways from 5-3 loss to Edmonton (October 12th)
Strong debut for Kuzmenko
There weren’t too many players that excelled for the Canucks on Wednesday night, but it’s safe to say that Andrei Kuzmenko was definitely one of them.
The 26-year-old was one of the best forwards on either side of the ice, consistently showcasing his size, speed and slick hands.
Kuzmenko, who signed a one-year contract with the Canucks back in June, started the game on the second line with Pettersson and Nils Höglander, and did not look out of place at all.
The Höglander-Pettersson-Kuzmenko trio has played 11 seconds shy of 5 minutes as a trio at 5-on-5 tonight.
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) October 13, 2022
Shot totals in that nearly five minutes: 7-1 in favour of the #Canucks. #InstantChemistry.
Kuzmenko was even rewarded for his impressive play early in the second period, burying a back-door pass from Miller to mark his first-career NHL goal.
FIRST GAME ✅
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 13, 2022
FIRST GOAL ✅ pic.twitter.com/RongXxBBin
Kuzmenko finished the evening with one goal, four shots and a Corsi For percentage of 81% in just over 18 minutes of ice time. The Russian rookie also logged 7:10 on the first powerplay unit, replacing Brock Boeser who previously held that role.
Andrey Kuzmenko played 18:04 in his NHL debut.
— 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 Faber 🔥🎙 (@ChrisFaber39) October 13, 2022
The shot totals during his 18:04 were 20 for the Canucks and two for the Oilers.
I repeat, 20-2 was the shot count with Kuzmenko on the ice.
DAWG/60 through the roof.
The Canucks are back in action on Saturday afternoon, taking on the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Centre. Puck drop is set for 1:00pm PST.
Next. What to expect from newly acquired defenceman Riley Stillman. dark
What are your thoughts from Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to Edmonton? Let us know in the comments below!