By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
November 24, 2023
The Vancouver Canucks (14-6-0-1), 2nd in the Pacific Division, visited the Seattle Kraken (8-9-0-5), 4rth in the Pacific Division, at Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington, on Friday night.
After struggling to find their offensive game from their top two lines and an ineffective power play, the bottom six forwards came to the aid of Thatcher Demko, who made outstanding saves, to lead the team to a 5-1 road win over Seattle.
The Canucks losers of 3 of their last 4-games were taking on a Kraken team 3-0-0-2 in their last five games, including a 4-3 road win against Vancouver on November 18, 2023.
Canucks Andrei Kuzmenko did not play, suspected of being in Head Coach Rick Tocchet’s dog house.
Elias Pettersson, prior to tonight, had 1 goal and 3 assists in the last 7 games, and his strong 200-foot game had all but disappeared.
This game was the first of back to back games for Vancouver as San Jose Sharks welcome the Canucks on Saturday night.
- Vancouver goals came from: Teddy Blueger, Dakota Joshua, Sam Lafferty, Nils Höglander, and Ilya Mikheyev.
- Helpers from: Nils Aman (2), Conor Garland (2), Filip Hronek, Quinn Hughes, and Tyler Myers.
- Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko stopped 23 shots and picked up his 10th win of the season. He has a 2.18 GAA and a .925 SV%.
- Demko: 10-5-0 with 2 shutouts in 15 game starts.
- Quinn Hughes has registered 24 points (5-19-24) in his last 13 games, totaling 32 points overall (8-24-32). He is 2nd place in NHL scoring. Hughes is also on a 10-game point streak (4-12-16).
- J.T. Miller had his 9-game point streak (7-7-14) end tonight. He is tied for 3rd spot in NHL scoring (13-17-30).
GAME REVIEW
The Canucks started out with doing a good job of pressuring the Kraken in their own end trying to get the opening goal.
Canucks Nils Hoglander unfortunately received a penalty for holding Tye Kartye.
During the Kraken power play, Vancouver’s Dakota Joshua had a breakaway on Seattle goalie Joey Daccord but was denied.
Shortly after Joshua failed to score shorthanded, Teddy Blueger scored his first goal as Canuck shorthanded at 5:05, unassisted and Vancouver had a 1-0 lead.
Seattle would score with J.T. Miller in the penalty box for tripping, but a successful challenge by Vancouver verified an offside on the goal, disallowing it.
The game continued at 1-0 Canucks, and Seattle was an early 0 for 2 on their power play.
Didn’t take long for the Kraken to get another man advantage as Canucks Tyler Myers received a 4 minute penalty for high-sticking at 11:33. Previous power plays Seattle registered one shot on net.
The first half of the double-minor was unsuccessful, with the Kraken getting 4 shots on the net, and they registered no shots on the last half of the double-minor.
The penalties were cramping the Canucks offensive momentum with the only goal being shorthanded and little even strength opportunities registered, and the period nearing an end.
Canucks up a goal after one period and they had a bucket of 4-leaf clovers on the bench I think.
Four leaf clovers aside, the Canucks needed a better showing in the second period, and their better players giving starting goalie Thatcher Demko some even strength goal support and staying out of the penalty box.
The second period did not start well offensively as they hadn’t registered a shot on the Kraken goalie in the first 6:48, outshot 9-0, with Demko making outstanding saves.
Their forechecking on Seattle was virtually non-existent.
The last half of the middle frame started out well for Vancouver as the Canucks started getting their offense set up and passing it around with movement from the players.
Finally, Dakota Joshua (3), after missing out on a breakaway opportunity in the opening period, finally scores at even strength to put Vancouver up by two goals at 2-0. Assists Conor Garland (4) and Nils Aman (1) at 12:07, for a 2-0 game.
As the period was coming to an end , the Canucks had tied Seattle in shots at 9-9.
But….yes, but….the Kraken were down but not out as the Canucks continued to give up the puck and Seattle capitalized to come within a goal of Vancouver at 2-1.
Kartye (3) assists Vince Dunn (16) at even strength 17:29.
Vancouver was in for a hell of a 3rd period against Seattle as a one goal lead probably was not going to do it for the Canucks against the Kraken team that was riding at 5 game undefeated streak in regulation play.
Seattle carried the play early in the 3rd period with the Canucks, as they just couldn’t get the time they needed to get that two goal lead.
To the Canucks credit the players were doing everything they could defensively to help Demko by back checking hard and blocking shots in their end.
Finally, all the hard work by Vancouver to stave off Seattle was rewarded as Sam Lafferty (5) scores, assists Filip Hronek (19) and Quinn Hughes (24) at 9:43, and it’s 3-1 Canucks.
Nils Höglander (7) scores at even strength, less than 3 minutes later, to put Vancouver up by three goals at 4-1 assist to Nils Aman (2) at 12:38.
The bottom six of the lineup was continuing to bring it and reward Demko with their goal support.
At the time of Höglanders’ goal, Kraken was outshot 9-0 in the final period.
After a power play opportunity for Vancouver was fruitless, Ilya Mikheyev (7) scored the Canucks 5th goal at 17:30 assists Conor Garland (5) and Tyler Myers (8), for a 4-goal, 5-1 advantage and Canucks 14th season win.
Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet Speaks:
Canucks Teddy Blueger Speaks:
Canucks Game Notes
- Face-offs
- VAN: 29/57:51%; SEA: 28/57:49 %
- Power Play
- VAN: 0-2; SEA: 0-4
- Penalty Kill
- VAN: 4-4; SEA: 2-2
- Shots
- VAN: 27; SEA: 24
- Hits
- VAN: 14; SEA: 16
- Blocked Shots
- VAN: 21; SEA: 13
Canucks Highlights
Game Reports
- Game Summary
- Event Summary
- Faceoff Comparison
- Faceoff Summary
- Time On Ice: SEA
- Time On Ice: VAN
- Roster Report
- Shot Report
Hockey Analytics Reports
Source: nhl.com