The Vancouver Canucks found themselves in Detroit on the second leg of a back-to-back Saturday night. Coming off their first win of the season the night before against the Flyers, the Canucks expressed post game how important it is to keep the momentum going and build some early success in the season as they look to make the post season after missing it the year prior.
This game showed a much better start for the Canucks as they were all over the Red Wings early in the first frame but could not solve goaltender Tomas Greiss. The Wings would eventually open the scoring in the contest as Robby Fabbri would get the Detroit ice breaker just halfway through the first period off a deflection in front of the net.
This would be the third game in a row where the Canucks would give up the game’s first goal, and with a team that has so many new faces, early chemistry issues are not to be unexpected. But in a season with so much on the line there are no more acceptable excuses for this franchise.
Newly acquired forward Conor Garland would answer the bell for the Canucks as he was around the center of attention for the whole game, but most importantly would score the tying goal of the game for Vancouver on a beautiful and deceptive snapshot from just above the goal line to make the contest 1-1.
But that’s not the whole story of what Garland did this game. Late in the third, Detroit forward Fillip Zadina would get into a puck battle with the Canucks forward, but Zadina got the worst of it as he would hit his head into Galand’s back which would cause a melee. That was the height of the emotion for the night as the Canucks would surrender another goal along with an empty netter to fall to the Wings 3-1.
“I didn’t hear an explanation about the play, I hit the brakes just trying to create space that’s it. I knew there was a guy behind me and he just kind of skated into my back.”
“It’s not my job to comment on the officials, I grabbed the puck and stopped, he hit his head and I hope that he is doing well, I’ve taken many hits to the head in my career, and some end up being nothing and some end up being something. I wish him nothing but the best.”
The Canucks have a couple of days off until their next stop in Buffalo on Tuesday which will be their 4th game on a 6 game road trip to start the season.