Canucks 3 Stars from Young Stars

The Vancouver Canucks jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead on Friday in Penticton and didn't look back torching the Calgary Flames 7-1 at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Seven different goal scorers contributed to a total team effort in which the Canucks outshot the Flames 36-13.

Here are The Hockey News 3 Stars of the game:

1) Aidan McDonough: the big winger drew a first period penalty and then scored on the ensuing power play to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead. The goal ultimately stood up as the game winner. McDonough used his size effectively throughout the night to win puck battles and retain possession. But it was the goal that had people in Penticton talking. The 23-year-old who played six games for the Vancouver Canucks late last season grabbed the puck to the left of the Calgary net. He waited for his defender to drop down to the ice, walked around him and then fired the puck past Flames netminder Matt Rodomsky. It was a nice goal and a terrific way for McDonough to start the weekend showcase.

2) Cole McWard: McWard started the night on the Canucks third defensive pair alongside Sawyer Mynio, but he certainly did not look like part of a depth defender. McWard scored once and set up Vilmer Arliksson for the game's first goal. He also had a dangerous-looking dash into the Calgary zone in the third period. Throughout the game, he was calm and collected in the defensive zone and a big part of the collective team effort holding the Flames in check all night long

3) Max Sasson: Sasson showed well in his first Young Stars appearance. He had a pair of primary assists on goals by McDonough and McWard. On McWard's goal, Sasson won an offensive zone face-off cleanly and then headed to the net to provide a screen for the shot from the point that found its way through. On top of all that, he wore an alternate captain's A for the showcase opener. He plays a mature game with plenty of poise with the puck and has a knack for being in the right spots on the ice. Friday was a solid showing from the 23-year-old from Birmingham, Michigan.

Honourable mention: Nikita Tolopilo wasn't busy in the Canuck net facing just 11 shots on the night. But his best save was easily a post-to-post stop moving from his left to his right in the second period with the score at 2-1. A goal there and the Flames tie things despite being outplayed badly. but the big netminder got across his crease to make a spectacular stop and on the ensuing rush up ice the Canucks scored to extend their lead to 3-1 and didn't look back.

Players we would have liked to see a little more from: Danila Klimovich had an aggressive first shift to the game and was noticeable early on, then faded. He did hit a post off right wing early in the third period, but overall wasn't terribly dangerous on the team's top line with Sasson and McDonough.

Aatu Raty: there wasn't a whole lot to his game on Friday night. He had a scoring chance in tight late in the first period that he couldn't convert and he fired a slap shot just wide of the far post on a third period power play. In between, however, his game left plenty of room for improvement. He did pick up the final assist of the night on Karel Plasek's 7-1 goal, but it's hard to get terribly excited about that. Hopefully there will be more to come as the weekend progresses.

Josh Bloom: it was a quiet night all around for Bloom who came into the weekend as a player to watch. He played on a line with Raty and Arshdeep Bains, but wasn't able to make the most of his opportunity. It appeared, at times, as though he struggled with some of his reads and took ill-advised routes to pucks. He wasn't able to showcase his speed in this game. And with only two Calgary power plays in the one-sided affair, Bloom really didn't have much opportunity to showcase his penalty killing skills. 

Filip Johansson: there wasn't much to Johansson's first game until he scored a late goal to put the Canucks up 6-1. A right-handed defender, Johansson unloaded from the left face-off dot and blew the puck past Radomsky. That made up for a poor play on the Flames lone goal when Johansson lost the puck and then lost his man and eventually was left watching as a pair of Calgary forwards got the puck to the front of the net. Lucas Ciona was able to put the puck past Tolopilo from the blue paint as Johansson looked on from he knees.

 The Canucks have Saturday off from game action. They face Winnipeg on Sunday and Edmonton on Monday.