Canucks vs Canadiens: Lessons learned from 2-5 loss

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MONTREAL — Thatcher Demko got angry and tried to get it back on Wednesday.

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The frustrated Vancouver Canucks starter is known for his calm demeanor, but he can’t find a game with inflated numbers after just one win in 10 games this season. is enough.

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And when Demko spotted an annoyed Brendan Gallagher fishing for a crease rebound and holding a stick under his arm in the second period, the ensuing sprawl was rife with Demko. It led to a feisty Montreal Canadiens winger on the tag team of Oliver Ekman-Larson.

Demko took some good punches and was rated underage. So did Ekman Larson.

It was a sidebar to the larger story.

Demko conceded 3 goals on 10 shots in the opening minutes, which laid the groundwork for a 5-2 defeat.

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“Thatcher owes us nothing,” said Canucks captain Beau Horvat. “He has stolen so many games for us and we have to play well in front of him. He is an elite goalkeeper and has done this for a long time. He’s clearly showing his emotions when he’s hit with a .”

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Saturday

Vancouver Canucks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

4 pm, Scotiabank Arena, tv set: TSN, wireless: AM730

The Canucks showed some 3rd period life on Luke Shen’s floater, from the point of finding the short side through the maze. He scored his first goal of the season before hitting the post. So did Quinn Hughes.

“If you’re looking for something positive, we never quit,” Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau said. They probably gave up in the third period and we won a little bit.You want to keep the accelerator on for 60 minutes.That’s the goal.”

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Here’s what we learned when the Canucks fell to 4-7-3 and there may be a crease conundrum.

Martin makes sense for HNIC

There have always been sentimental suggestions for Martin, who hails from Oakville, Ontario, to make Saturday’s start in Toronto his hometown. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve the credit.

Martin is still unbeaten in regulation in 10 career appearances with the Canucks. His 37 saves in his 6-4 big win over the Ottawa Senators show that Bruce Boudreau is worth more than an occasional option to his coach.

But Wednesday’s plan is for Demko, who showed strong play here last season – making 33 saves in a 2-1 win over the Canadiens on November 29 – to head off against the Maple Leafs. It was intended to be used as a point.

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A better suggestion is for Demko to work with goaltending coach Ian Clarke to “clean up those little things,” the starter keeps referring to.

Of course, Demko has the ability to get out of this situation after a slow start last season. But the problem is, the Canucks need a goalkeeper to steal the game in this tough and decisive outing.

That goalkeeper might be Martin, but Demko didn’t get much defensive support either.

“We know we didn’t get off to a good start and there’s no excuse,” said Horvat. “There were parts I really liked when they established the forecheck and solidified their defense, but they were a fast team and overall they just didn’t do enough.”

Large dent in Demko’s armor

Nick Suzuki ripped a power play shot just 55 seconds into the first period after Tanner Pearson committed a hooking violation in the offensive zone.

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Demko then turned enough to escape the point shot turn Arbor Zekai defection his gloves. And when Miller intercepted his pass with cross-ice at the top of the slot and Kirby’s attempt to clear went off the stick of his duck, it was the Canucks before his tricky man got between Demko’s pads. It was the kind of hole that would be hard for a man to dig. .

“All turnovers hurt, especially when they end behind the net,” says Boudreau. “Whether it was JT or Beau or Peaty, there were a lot of other plays that we didn’t make.”

The hook did not come out after the first period, as it was a lack of faith in the franchise’s lack of faith in the stopper, called the goaltender.

But he doesn’t play like that. In the second period, Mike Hoffmann was pushed to the stick side with a rush, and Duck was grabbed in the third period. — And his numbers entering Wednesday were paralyzed.

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879 save percentage ranked 55th, and the 3.90 goals-versus-average ranked 57th.They pale in comparison to the career numbers he established last season Appearances (64), Wins (33), Average Points Conceded (2.72).

“I have to keep him there and he has to fight these things,” Boudreau stressed. And any good goalie I’ve had, I want to stay there and find it.

“And he made some good saves in the second. I thought it was going to happen, but the information still leaked out.”

Parade to the box is toxic

With a league-worst 60.5% penalty kills, getting penalized is like slitting your wrists.

That early hooking minor by Pearson led to a goal for Suzuki and he took a crosscheck minor in second, increasing his minor count to eight. That’s one less than his total for the entire 2020-21 season. He later left the game and didn’t come back, resulting in daily injuries.

“We’ve cut a lot of penalties, but we’ve kept them. Certainly we have to be more disciplined,” said Horbatt.

Boudreau got even better knowing that his veterans contingent wasn’t setting the right example. Especially Pearson, a maximum of 8 minors. He took nine overall last season.

“It’s not good. It’s going to be dealt with,” said the coach. should not happen.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com
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