By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
November 22, 2023
The Vancouver Canucks (13-6-0-1), 2nd in the Pacific Division, visited the Colorado Avalanche (12-6-0-0), 3rd in the Central Division, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
It was the Canucks first away game of a 3-game road trip that includes the Seattle Kraken on Friday and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Canucks entered the game with the 2nd best record in the Western Conference and 3rd best record in the NHL.
Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and J.T. Miller are amongst the top scorers in the NHL.
Starting Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko came into the game in NHL All-Star form and is arguably the top goalie at this stage of the season in the NHL.
Winners of 3 of their last 4-games, the Avalanche were looking to leap frog Winnipeg into 2nd place in the Central Division.
Meanwhile, Vancouver was looking to continue their winning ways and reach the top spot in the Pacific Division over Vegas.
Vancouver goals came from: Nils Höglander and J.T. Miller.
Helpers from: Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Anthony Beauvillier, and Sam Lafferty.
Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko stopped 20 shots and picked up his 4th loss of the season. He has a 2.26 GAA and a .923 SV%.
He is 9-5-0 with 2 shutouts in 14 game starts.
GAME REVIEW
Both teams answered the horn and from the opening face-off both teams came to play but five minutes of play resulted in few shots by either team.
The play was anything but dull, as both teams skated up and down the ice with few whistles, trying to get that important opening goal of the game.
While face-offs were few in the period, penalties were just as scarce with none as the opening period approached the 13- minute mark.
With 6:31 left in the first period, Vancouver received an interference penalty to Ian Cole, and the 7th best power play in the NHL at home was eager to open the scoring in the game.
The Avalanche had two shots on Demko but were unable to convert.
Fifty-four seconds after the Avalanche power play ended, Nils Hoglander would score a great goal against Colorado goalie Alexander Georgiev.
Hoglander (6) assists Anthony Beauvillier (6) at 16:23, at even strength to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead.
That goal, and another Canucks penalty, to Conor Garland for cross-checking, would wake up Colorado and they would score two goals in 2:20 to take a 2-1 lead into the first period intermission.
Valerie Nichushkin (8) from Mikko Rantanen (13) and Johnathan Drouin (3) at 17:37 on the power play to even the game at 1-1.
Then, 66 seconds later, Johnathan Drouin (2) scores from Cale Makar (24) and Bowen Byram (2) at 18:43, and the Avalanche on top after a period.
In the middle period, the Canucks best scoring period of their season, Vancouver was looking to respond to their deficit on the scoreboard, sooner than later, or risk falling further behind.
Early in the 2nd period, Dakota Joshua drew a penalty, and the Canucks received their first power play of the game and a great opportunity even the game at 2-2.
The Canucks received a two-man advantage and Colorado became two men short for 17 seconds, after Avalanche got another penalty.
Canucks were getting good looks and good chances for their next goal but Avalanches’ goalie Georgiev continued to be spectacular in net.
After being unsuccessful with their first man advantages, Vancouver was blessed with a third consecutive power play when goalie Thatcher Demko was interfered with.
With 7 seconds left on the power play, Brock Boeser and Josh Manson dueled in front of the Colorado net, resulting in Manson getting a 5 minute major and a game misconduct and Boeser two minutes for cross-checking.
The Canucks pulled even when J.T. Miller scored at 9:04 assists Quinn Hughes (23) and Filip Hronek (18), and it’s 2-2.
Anthony Beauvillier took a penalty for Vancouver, putting Colorado eventually on the power play, and then Tyler Myers got a minor penalty for slashing Nathan MacKinnon.
After the penalty revolving door finished, both teams looked to be getting back to the ‘Ole hockey game when Canucks Mark Friedman got hit by Avalanche Nichushkin in front of the Canucks net and went down to the ice and eventually to the chalnge room.
Canucks continued to get shots, outshooting Avalanche 22-17 with 3:50 left in the period, but Georgiev was having none of it and continued to stymie Vancouver chances.
With seconds left in the period, the Avalanche were all over Demko trying to get their third goal of the game before the period ended, but Demko stopped multiple shots to leave the score tied at 2-2 at the end of two periods.
Both teams came out for the final period skating hard, getting some good scoring chances at both ends when Colorado opened up the scoring to make it 3-2.
Riley Tufte (1) from Myles Wood (4) and Ross Colton (3) at 1:24 at even strength.
The Avalanche took a two goal lead at 4-2, on a breakaway goal when Canucks Miller lost control of the puck in the Colorado end.
Makar (5) unassisted at 12:38.
With 3:57 left the Canucks pulled Demko for a six man advantage, and Rantanan (12) would score into an empty net assisted by MacKinnon (17) and Nichushkin (9) at 16:38 to make it 5-2 and take the game.
Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet Speaks:
Captain Hughes Speaks:
Canucks Game Notes
- Face-offs
- VAN: 32/56: 57% COL: 24/56: 43%
- Power Play
- VAN: 0-3 COL: 1-4
- Penalty Kill
- VAN: 3-4 COL: 3-3
- Shots
- VAN: 29 COL: 25
- Hits
- VAN: 9 COL: 10
- Blocked Shots
- VAN: 23 COL: 13
Canucks Highlights
Game Reports
- Game Summary
- Event Summary
- Faceoff Comparison
- Faceoff Summary
- Time On Ice: COL
- Time On Ice: VAN
- Roster Report
- Shot Report
Hockey Analytics Reports
Source: nhl.com
