Coach Travis Green was not happy with his team after the Calgary 4-1 loss Saturday night and his team underachieving 1-2 record in preseason play.
“I don’t think we played very well tonight,” Green said. “I just didn’t think we had a very good game. We didn’t have a lot of very good hockey players. We deserved to lose tonight.”
While Green is aware of the lineup shortcomings with his team, his focus has been evaluating the team he has to work with and he is concerned by what he sees.
“We’re also watching individual play and how guys perform under the pressure, how far up they can play if they’re on the team, and whether or not they can play in the league at all. Sometimes you’re going to lose and that’s fine in an exhibition, but I didn’t think we played sharp enough tonight.”
But Friday was also a reminder that the Canucks have operated since training camp began without five players expected to be lineup regulars: stars Pettersson and Hughes, injured fourth-line penalty-killers Tyler Motte and Brandon Sutter, and top-four defenceman Travis Hamonic, who remains home in Manitoba on a personal leave as he tries to decide if or how he might play the NHL’s third season with COVID-19 restrictions.
And now the team is also without first-line winger Brock Boeser, whom Green confirmed will miss about a week with an undisclosed injury. Pettersson and Hughes can’t get to Vancouver soon enough.
Iain MacIntyreCanucks notebook: Coach Travis Green not impressed with team in Calgary
Everybody needs to take a deep breath and chill out.
The Vancouver Canucks have been, and continue to be, under extreme stress, both as an organization and individuals; whether hockey players or supporting employees and staff.
They are the Vancouver Canucks. They are also, first and foremost, human beings, with health and wellness priorities, that are more important than the game.
As human beings, can we not recognize the Vancouver Canucks personal needs as we do ours, and put them ahead of the game, as we do ours?
The Canucks open their 2021-2022 season on September 13 in Edmonton, the start of a 6 game road trip to begin their season.
Until the season begins, as true, long suffering, dedicated, Vancouver Canucks fans: Breathe, Believe, Balance.
Breathe to calm yourself, believe in yourself, and Balance in life to keep going through all the ups and downs.
Brandon Sutter #20 of the Vancouver Canucks scores the game winning goal against goaltender Chad Johnson #31 of Calgary Flames during a shootout of their NHL game at Rogers Arena on October 15, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Oct. 14, 2016 – Source: Ben Nelms/Getty Images North America)
Vancouver (19-18-3=41 pts) play the final game of their 3 game homestand tonight at Rogers Arena against Pacific division rivals, Calgary Flames(21-17-2=44 pts).
The Canucks have won five straight games, and have the best record in the NHL since Dec 28th, including the NHL best faceoff winning percentage, 56.7 percent, in that span; and the NHL best goals against average, 1.4 GAA, in their five game win streak.
The Canucks play the Flames in their third of five meetings this season; the Canucks visit the Scotiabank Saddledome tomorrow night (Jan. 7) while the season series concludes with the Canucks hosting the Flames at Rogers Arena on Feb. 18.
Vancouver is 3-6-1 in their last 10 games versus Calgary (1-3-1 in their last 5 meetings).
“Big two games for us. We’ve felt good with how we’re playing, we’re making up ground and we want to keep this momentum going.” – Sutter
Ryan Miller gets the start tonight against the Flames.
Miller is 11-10-1 this season, with a 2.65 GAA, and .912 Sv%, with 1 shut out overall; and, 9-4-1 at Rogers Arena, with a 2.18 GAA, and a .921 Sv% and 1 shut out.
Willie Desjardins discusses his lineup, Sven Baertschi’s hot streak and the gold medal final at the World Juniors. pic.twitter.com/fBpJ1ScvXs
In the Canucks last game, Vancouver extended their win streak to five games, with a 3-0 regulation win over the Arizona Coyotes at Rogers Arena.
Sven Baertschi (11) scored at 9:51 of the first period to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead; Brandon Sutter (10) scored at 6:53 in the third period on a penalty shot, to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead; and then Bo Horvat (12) scored the final Canucks goal on a breakaway, at 13:43 of the third period.
Alex Burrows picked up his 9th assist of the season, and Chris Tanev with his 4th assist, helped the Canucks stay undefeated in their last five games.
Ryan Miller stopped all 22 Arizona shots for his 37th shutout of his NHL career to give Vancouver its 5th straight win. His shutouts rank him tied for 45 overall, and 8th among active goalies in the NHL.
Vancouver is 14-6-2 at home, 7th best in the NHL; and 8-2-1 in their last 11 games at Rogers Arena, tied for 2nd in the NHL since Nov 24th.
Horvat, Baertschi, Sutter Extend Point Streaks Against Arizona
Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi extended their point streaks: BO HORVAT (2-4=6 pts / 5 Games); SVEN BAERTSCHI (4-2=6 pts / 4 Games); BRANDON SUTTER (1-1=2 pts / 2 Games).
The Canucks will be trying to extend their win streak tonight, against the Flames, who are currently 4th in the Pacific division, 3 points ahead of 6th place Vancouver.
Vancouver’s goaltender tandem of Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom are21st in the NHL, with a 2.83 GAA and a .906 SV%:
Jacob Markstrom is 8-8-2, with a 2.60 GAA (14th), and a .913 Sv% (t-12th)* * At least 20 GP
Ryan Miller is 11-10-1, with a 2.65 GAA (16th), and a .912 Sv% (13th)*
Leading scorers:
Bo Horvat (12-15=27 pts)
Henrik Sedin (9-17=26 pts)
Sven Baertschi (11-12=23)
Daniel Sedin (10-13=23 pts)
Brandon Sutter (10-10=20 pts)
Loui Eriksson (8-10=18 pts)
Canucks injured:
Derek Dorsett; 22 games missed
Philip Larsen; 14 games missed
Erik Gudbranson; 10 games missed
Jannik Hansen; 6 games missed
Total Man Games Lost: 172
Points streaks:
BO HORVAT (2-4=6 pts / 5 Games)
SVEN BAERTSCHI (4-2=6 pts / 4 Games)
BRANDON SUTTER (1-1=2 pts / 2 Games)
Vancouver Special Teams:
17 for 122: 13.9 percent on the power play overall (27th in the NHL)
22 for 112: 80.3 percent on the penalty kill overall (21st in NHL)
Canucks have allowed 115 goals against (t-24th in NHL), and have scored 96 goals for (t-21st in NHL).
Canucks Notables:
The Canucks have opened the scoring 14 times this season and are 9-4-1 when scoring first. They are 10-14-2 when the opposition scores first.
The Canucks have earned at least one point in 11 of their last 14 home games (9-3-2).
The Canucks have earned 30 points at home which ranks them 7th in the NHL.
Chris Tanev is expected to play his 11th game since returning from injury and the Canucks are 7-2-1 with Tanev in the lineup since his return.
After 39 games last season, the Canucks were 15-15-9, for 39 pts, good for a share of 3rd place in the Pacific division with Anaheim.
Faceoff win percentage was the worst in the NHL at 45.2 percent
This season, it is 52.3 percent, 5th best in the NHL
Power play was 16 percent successful, 28th in the NHL
This season, it is 14.2 percent, 26th in the NHL
Penalty kill was 78.9 percent successful, 22nd in the NHL
This season, it is 80 percent, t-21st in the NHL
The last 43 games of the season, Vancouver was 16-23-4, for 36 points, and finished out of the playoffs.
Through 40 games, Bo Horvat currently leads the team in goals (12) and points (27) and is second in assists (15). He is also on a 5-game point streak (2-4-6), his second scoring streak of 5 or more games this season. During the 2016 calendar year, Horvat registered 55 points in 82 games.
Through 40 games, Sven Baertschi has registered 11 goals, 12 assists and 23 points. He has reached the 11 goal mark 15 games faster than last season (11th goal in the 55th game) and 23 points 24 games quicker than in the 2015.16 season (23rd point in the 64th game).
Nikita Tryamkin ranks t-5th among NHL rookies in hits per game with 2.4 (min. 10 games played) and t-8th in total rookie hits (73).
Troy Stecher ranks 5th in rookie TOI/game with 20:50, 10th in rookie shots on goal with 74 and t-5th in rookie defencemen assists with 9.
Brandon Sutter ranks 11th in the NHL in faceoff wins with 399 while Bo Horvat ranks 15th with 363.
Henrik Sedin leads the team in assists with 17. Since entering the League in 2000.01, Henrik has the second most assists with 765 (only Joe Thornton has more).
Daniel Sedin recorded his 600th career assist on Jan. 2 vs COL. He became the 7th Swedish-born player to reach the milestone and just the 2nd in Canucks history.
Among active goaltenders, Ryan Miller ranks 4th in wins with 350. This also ranks him 21st all-time in wins in NHL history and 3rd alltime
among American-born goaltenders. With a shutout against Arizona on Jan. 4/17, Miller moved in to a 3-way tie with Johnny Bower and Tommy Salo for 45th for most shutouts in League history (37). He ranks 5th among American born goaltenders and 8th among active goaltenders in this category as well.
Vancouver is t-2nd in the League with 13 wins in 1 goal games.
The Canucks are 2nd with 7 wins when trailing after the first period. They are t-2nd with 5 wins when trailing after the second period.
The Canucks rank 3rd with 1,271 total faceoff wins and 3rd with 1024 even-strength faceoff wins. Vancouver ranks 5th in faceoff win
percentage at 52.4% and 3rd in OZ faceoff win percentage at 54.8%; in 2015.16, the Canucks’ 45.4% faceoff win percentage ranked 30th.
Flames In Brief:
Calgary in their last game, Mikael Backlund scored in his fifth straight game to help the Calgary Flames to a 4-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.
Kris Versteeg, Alex Chiasson and Johnny Gaudreau also scored, and Brian Elliott made 17 saves for the Flames (21-17-2), who have won four of the past five games and 11 of the past 15. Elliott has won five straight starts.
Flames have 44 points and are in 4th place in the Pacific division 3 points ahead of Vancouver.
Calgary have the 18th best goaltending in the NHL, with Chad Johnson, Brian Elliott, with a 2.75 GAA, and .903 SV%.
Johnson is 13-8-1, with a 2.34 GAA, and a .920 SV%. Elliott is 8-9-1, with a 2.90 GAA, and a .894 SV%.
By Andrew Chernoff