The Vancouver Canucks had been up towards it after they confronted off towards the New York Rangers on Tuesday night time. Lacking two-thirds of their prime line and nonetheless working with out their beginning goalie Thatcher Demko, they impressively saved tempo with the Stanley Cup-contending Rangers and nearly pulled out a victory. They had been step-for-step with all of them recreation lengthy, getting back from three one-goal deficits, solely to lose 4-3 after Chris Kreider notched his ninth halfway by means of the third. Listed below are three takeaways from a recreation that the Canucks in all probability deserved at the least a degree from.
Conor Garland Continues Spectacular Season
Conor Garland was on child watch all day yesterday (Nov. 19). He was questionable for the sport after lacking morning skate, however suited up and had one other sturdy outing, perhaps his better of the season. He was his normal waterbug self dancing across the offensive zone, and scored a purpose, tying the sport at three within the second interval. It was his fifth purpose and 14th level in 18 video games, additional solidifying his place within the top-six ahead group. Lacking J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, he should play this manner for the foreseeable future, and judging by his season thus far, I don’t doubt that he can do it.
“He’s gonna in all probability have a child right here quickly. Was up at 3 within the morning. Was up once more at 7. No sleep, and he was our greatest participant. What are you able to say? You’re keen on the child.”
Garland is likely to be the one to information the Canucks by means of this powerful stretch with out so many key gamers. He has been one of many Canucks’ prime performers all season lengthy and I’ve a sense we might be seeing extra standout video games like this on the upcoming street journey – particularly contemplating he might be using the excessive of getting his first little one. He rushed again to the hospital instantly after the sport to be along with his spouse.
Kiefer Sherwood Has One other Standout Sport Alongside Pettersson
Talking of spectacular video games, Kiefer Sherwood had one other one alongside Elias Pettersson. Like Garland, he has been one of many Canucks prime forwards this season and added one other purpose to his complete when he snapped his fifth by Igor Shesterkin to tie the sport at two. He’s midway to his career-high of 10 that he logged final season with the Nashville Predators and is on tempo for his first 20-goal season.
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Sherwood additionally led the hit parade along with his third 10-hit recreation of the season, and now leads the league with 114, 22 forward of his former teammate Jeremy Lauzon. What a discover for normal supervisor Patrik Allvin, who signed him to a really budget-friendly two-year, $3 million contract within the offseason. I might say he’s in all probability probably the most impactful free-agent signing of the 2024-25 season to this point.
Regardless of the Loss, This Sport Is One to Construct On
The cliche was true on this recreation, the Canucks’ finest gamers had been their finest gamers, which included the aforementioned Garland and Sherwood, and one other sturdy efficiency from Elias Pettersson, who’s now their top-line centre. Regardless of the turnover that led to the game-winner from Kreider, he once more regarded just like the Pettersson who put up 102 factors in 2022-23. He now has eight factors in his final six video games after his two-assist effort and appears able to take the reins because the group’s centrepiece for nevertheless lengthy Miller is out of the lineup.
Sure, the Canucks misplaced this recreation and fell to a disappointing 3-5-3 on dwelling ice, however they put forth in all probability their finest effort of the season towards one of many prime groups within the NHL. Lacking key items of their lineup and icing a second line that in an excellent world can be their third line, they had been better than the sum of their elements and nearly pulled out an unbelievable win. It’s positively one to construct on as they head onto the street for six video games.
Again on the Street
After a couple of days off, the Canucks might be within the nation’s capital to tackle the Ottawa Senators on Saturday for the primary of a six-game street journey that may take them by means of Ottawa, Boston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit and Minnesota. They’re 6-1-0 on the street to begin the season, and is likely to be getting Boeser and Demko again in some unspecified time in the future through the six-game gauntlet. If they will replicate the trouble that they had towards the Rangers, they need to be returning dwelling with a whole lot of constructive momentum heading into the latter half of December.
