The night started with promise for the Canucks. Where they started the game from Kiefer Sherwood, who broke out the scoreboard open with the team leading 11th goal. Not long after in the first period, Jake DeBrusk extended the lead with a power play, giving the Canucks a 2-1 lead heading into the break.
Momentum shifts towards the Jets not long after where Josh Morrissey plows through a power play, tying the game at 2-2. And not long after, Nino Niederreiter deflected a rebound to give the Jets the lead. The Jets with the impressive period have continued to seize control throughout the whole game. Cracking down the Canucks defense and made the score from 2-2 to 4-2 in an early power play. Brock Boeser for the Canucks got one later in the game, but unfortunately shy away from the win with the defensive effort from the Jets ending the game with a 5-3.
The Canucks penalty kill remains a major issue, where they have surrendered 10 goals in the last seven games and came in ranked 31st in the league, adding on tonight’s power-play goals against underscored that vulnerability. Other than the defensive liability, the Canucks are riddled with injuries, starter Thatcher Demko excited the game after giving up three goals on eight shots in the first period. Even though backup Kevin Lankinen came in and try to hold the fort down, the timing of the game has hurt the momentum for the team, making it difficult for the rest of the team to step up. The bright spot of this game is that our captain, Quinn Hughes logged three assists and Elias Pettersson with two, shows that the offense can still work. But because of the weak defense, it made the Jets crack down our side of the rink much easier thus leading to a comeback.
For the Canucks, it is another home loss and another night where our momentum got derailed. The season is still not over but it requires the whole team to step up even if any one of our starters is out, we need to tighten up the penalty kills and hold onto the leads that we can do and give more effort and stability on the defensive end. The next game we’re heading into Carolina to face the Hurricanes to see whether we can stand on guard and fix the problems we have on the road.
Ben Chan kchan467@mybcit.ca