The Vancouver Canucks suffered another embarrassing loss on Tuesday night, putting forth a listless performance in a 3-1 loss to the Pacific Division-rival Calgary Flames. By virtue, the Canucks have now lost five of their last six and are on the outside looking in when it comes to a wildcard playoff spot.
With captain Quinn Hughes and star center Elias Pettersson both out due to injury, this game represented a golden opportunity for the Canucks to prove that they were greater than the sum of their parts. Instead, the Canucks only proved that they were still worse than the sum of their parts.
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin called out his star players, and Pettersson in particular, remarking that he needs more from them. He also acknowledged that the Canucks' depth players have gotten the team to where it is today in the first place.
Well, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser combined for a third-period power play goal, which gave Miller an assist in four straight games and Boeser a goal in four straight games. The Canucks have lost three of those four, including two in overtime, where players like Miller and Boeser should take over and shine the brightest.
From a coach's perspective, Rick Tocchet can say that it was hard for him and his players to find a rhythm against Calgary; in the second period, there were three fights in the span of six minutes, not including two other instances of offsetting penalties.
Still, in all instances of even strength play, the Canucks were out-attempted 60-42 by the Flames and were out-scored 3-0. The Canucks were out-chanced 27-16, and high-danger chances were 11-7, per Natural Stat Trick. The Flames, too, had to deal with all the circumstances the penalties provided.
At the end of the day, the Canucks' failures come down to two simple facts: the coaching has not been good enough, and the players have not been good enough.
If Miller and Boeser, for example, cannot find another gear between now and the end of the season, Vancouver will be asking Quinn Hughes to drag them to the postseason. And with all the talk about buying at the deadline and being aggressive and being Stanley Cup contenders, that is not fair to Hughes or the Canucks fans.
Time is ticking for Allvin, Tocchet, or someone else to come up with some answers or solutions.