'Can't Name Anything Good Today': Canucks Drop Their Third-Straight Game With 5-2 Loss To The San Jose Sharks

If you ask the Vancouver Canucks how they felt about tonight’s 5–2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, the reception won't be positive. Not only did both of their goals come from blueliners Tom Willander and Filip Hronek, but Kevin Lankinen was also pulled within the first half of the first period after allowing three goals on six shots faced. Nikita Tolopilo joined the game in relief, stopping 25 of 27 shots faced. 

“I don't think we played good anywhere today. I think pretty much every detail was bad. Can't name anything good today,” Willander, who scored the game’s opening goal, said post-game. “Ultimately, I think at least the last few times we had results like this, I think we did a decent job in many parts of our game. But today, I thought it was awful.” 

Willander isn’t wrong. Despite scoring first, Vancouver quickly surrendered three goals within the span of five minutes, erasing their lead within a matter of seconds. The very thing Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote had called the team out on a week ago had returned — their penchant for getting down on themselves after things don’t go their way. 

“We tried to do too much in the neutral zone [...] kind of got off what we’re all about — getting in deep, fore-checking — and looked like we were just out of sorts for a while there, just chasing.” 

As opposed to previous games, Vancouver’s effort just didn’t seem to be there tonight. They spent a good chunk of the third period hemmed in their own zone, unable to generate even a shot on net until finally being able to fully break the puck out. 

With trade rumours circulating throughout the past few days, all eyes seemed to be on Evander Kane. While not necessarily just there for Kane, there were 17 scouts in Vancouver’s press box tonight, including two from the Anaheim Ducks and two from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane did end up on the scoresheet tonight, dropping the gloves with Timothy Liljegren and taking an extra roughing penalty in this sequence. 

Tonight marks the third time in four games that Vancouver’s penalty kill has surrendered two power play goals against, as they also allowed two against the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals. In a 10-game span, they have surrendered two or more goals while on the penalty kill five times. One of these goals-against came while Vancouver was down two players. 

Vancouver’s power play also capitalized tonight, scoring their second goal of the game a little more than halfway through the third period. However, the man-advantage also got a near-full two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity and was unable to score while on that. This was their first power play goal in six games.  

A shout-out needs to be given to Vancouver-based superstar Macklin Celebrini, who recorded his third multi-point game against the Canucks this season. His quick shot tied the game at one goal apiece for the Sharks, with Vancouver’s lapse in defensive-zone coverage leaving Celebrini all alone at the top of the faceoff dot. On San Jose’s second goal, it was Celebrini who took the puck away, keeping it in at the line and allowing former Canuck Adam Gaudette to score. The forward finished the game with four points against his hometown team. 

1st Period: 

1:15 - VAN: Tom Willander (3) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk 

1:51 - SJS: Macklin Celebrini (27) from Will Smith and Sam Dickinson 

4:43 - SJS: Adam Gaudette (11) from William Eklund and Macklin Celebrini 

5:55 - SJS: Tyler Toffoli (15) from Alexander Wennberg and Sam Dickinson 

2nd Period: 

9:07 - SJS: Will Smith (15) from John Klingberg and Macklin Celebrini (PPG) 

3rd Period: 

0:28 - SJS: John Klingberg (10) from Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini (PPG) 

9:15 - VAN: Filip Hronek (5) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk (PPG) 

Up Next: 

The Canucks continue their home stand with a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Vancouver won their last game against the Ducks by a score of 5–4 in what was a very entertaining offensive battle. Thursday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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