It was too good to be true. The last game against the Lightning might have been fluke; The Canucks played the panthers on Monday and ended the game with an 8-5 loss. Even though the effort on the offensive end was apparent, the effort on the defensive end was not enough to go through a win.

The Canucks actually started out with an early lead in the game, where Jake DeBrusk scored in the first period to make it 2-0, but almost immediately, Florida responded with a goal on their own. A.J. Greer and Seth Jones both put up a goal in the first period, while it was all Panthers goals in the second period, by Luke Kunin, Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell. With three consecutive goals in just the second period alone, the momentum was riding with the Panthers, almost ending the game right there.

Even though Elias Pettersson tried to mount a comeback in the final period, scoring two more goals to show his scoring touch is real, the Panthers climb back and one upping the Canucks to hand them this tough loss on the road.

The Canucks were out-shot and out-played in key moments in this game, Florida didn’t just score goals, they flipped the momentum. The Canucks defense failed to stop the bleeding during the five-goal surge from the Panthers, this showed in the first and second periods alone. On top of that, the Canucks were playing in back-to-back games, while the Panthers were at home and were well-rested.

This loss stings a lot, but it is a good effort for the Canucks. Showing some flashes from Pettersson’s finish, Hughes’s vision, but in the NHL, these flashes aren’t enough. They need defense, consistent goaltending and the ability to hold down even when the momentum swings. The good news is that the talent is there, the challenge is to turn it into reality and stability, if the Canucks can tighten up their play and build more on their offensive highlights, this game could stand out as a wake-up call for the rest of the season. The Canucks are heading back home in their next game against the conference rivals, the Dallas Stars. Let’s hope that a few days rest and the home advantage will get them motivated and focus on game at hand.

Ben Chan kchan467@my.bcit.ca