11/24/2021 – Page 6 – CanucksBanter

Pittsburgh scores three in second period to hand Vancouver seventh loss in eight games

Canucks J.T. Miller (9) and Tyler Myers (57) dig for puck.

by Wes Crosby / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

PITTSBURGH — Tristan Jarry made 36 saves to help the Pittsburgh Penguins to their fourth straight win, 4-1 against the Vancouver Canucks at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

Jarry has allowed two goals on 121 shots since Buffalo Sabres forward Kyle Okposo scored against him at 8:54 of the second period in a 2-1 loss Nov. 16. He has two shutouts in four starts since that loss.

Brock McGinn had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (9-6-4), and Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues and Zach Aston-Reese scored in the second period.

Bo Horvat scored to end his seven-game point drought, and Thatcher Demko made 33 saves for the Canucks (6-12-2), who have been outscored 33-14 while losing seven of their past eight.

Thatcher Demko covers up with Sidney Crosby looking for puck.

Rust put the Penguins ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal 49 seconds into the second. After taking a pass from Kris Letang, Rust dropped to one knee in the left face-off circle for one-timer to the blocker side.

Rodrigues made it 2-0 with his 100th NHL point at 7:29. Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes sent a pass above the crease to the opposite wall, where Rodrigues collected it for a snap shot from the left circle.

Rodrigues has 41 goals and 59 assists in 253 games.

Aston-Reese scored his first goal of the season, extending the lead to 3-0 at 15:20. After passing to McGinn on a 2-on-1, Aston-Reese took a return pass for a wrist shot from the slot.

Bo Horvat celebrates goal with teammates.

Horvat cut it to 3-1 by driving to the net around Letang for a backhand at 14:52 of the third period. He hadn’t scored a point since he had two goals and an assist in a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 7.

McGinn scored an empty-net goal for the 4-1 final with 1:00 remaining.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wUWAE5maZ3NyipS7OYjlf?si=3OWYZUdnQ9GxbkvNKJOgjA&utm_source=copy-link

Jeff Paterson joined the show right off the top as we kicked off with pregame ahead of Canucks in Pittsburgh. We find out who JPat’s Do Something is.

Darren Dreger of the Ray and Dregs Podcast joined Matt and Blake for the latest on what he is hearing with the Canucks. Dregs is hearing more of the same, it’s quiet. We can assume if Jim Benning remains as GM, he will continue to make and receive calls. Time will tell if he has the rope to do anything. Things have calmed a little bit from a media and fan perspective. Doesn’t mean the appetite has subsided. When there is weakness and trouble brewing you have other GM’s circling. Still at a point where it is dollar in and dollar out, which is problematic for most teams in the NHL. Talked about firing the coach and absorbing the bullet. Questions firing the GM when it won’t change much now. Says that it’s likely the roster doesn’t change between now and the trade deadline. Talked about a potential trade of J.T. Miller. Doesn’t believe there has been any dialect between VAN and MIN. Despite how attractive a player he is. Talked about Benning as a GM. Talked about how hot Travis Green’s seat is. Feels if Benning had the authority to fire him, he would have by now.

We heard the Welcome Matt later in the show. It addressed the clash that may exist in the Canucks dressing room with their leaders.

Another Hot Take Wednesday addition, with Blake’s turn to sizzle. Could he do it?