Assume that’s for injuring Crosby at the Olympics.<\/p>\n
In Canada, we have a tradition of chasing after geese as children, only to find out that it has consequences when they turn around and square up with you. Suddenly, the funny-looking bird has five of their friends standing behind it, and even though you don\u2019t speak Geeseanese, you understand you\u2019ve messed up.<\/p>\n
This was honoured nicely by Elias Pettersson when he chased down Ryan Poehling on a breakaway to start the game, and took a penalty as a result of his efforts:<\/p>\n
The Ducks are a bit of a feast and famine team, so you\u2019re never quite sure when they\u2019re going to score five goals on you, and with Vancouver being the worst team in the league last I checked, it felt like the perfect scenario to open up the scoring on the night.<\/p>\n
But you know who doesn\u2019t care for your negative thoughts about last place teams? Mr. Kevin Lankinen. He sees a long line at Starbucks and patiently waits his turn; he doesn\u2019t get filled with pessimism. More time in line? More time to meet new folks and\/or wonder why a coffee cup at Starbucks costs $55 to purchase.<\/p>\n
And no, he doesn\u2019t want to order ahead on the app; he prefers the human experience of ordering at the till, because Kevin is a man of the people. An app can\u2019t tell you how their day is going, but you know who can? Stephanie the barista, that\u2019s who.<\/p>\n
So when Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish had chances with the man advantage, Lankinen almost made it look too easy in turning them aside, because a shot on net is just a friend you haven\u2019t met yet:<\/p>\n
You know who I bet storms out of a Starbucks when the line is too long? Quinn Hughes, that\u2019s who.<\/p>\n
Either that or he demands to be traded to a Blenz.<\/p>\n
Best run home Jake<\/p>\n
Can\u2019t believe debrusk remembered how to score<\/p>\n
Jake DeBrusk has been making good coin off of his Cameos this season, mostly showing up once a game to wish you a happy birthday while he digs at a loose puck in the crease.<\/p>\n
On this night, however, he drew upon his powers as a power play specialist and realized sometimes the best way to score a goal is just to drag the puck towards the net:<\/p>\n
Elias Pettersson got the primary assist on the goal, and there is nothing fancy about this effort; it\u2019s simply Jake utilizing \u201ceff this\u201d energy and slamming the puck on net. It\u2019s the equivalent of when a door gets stuck, and you try to finesse your way getting the lock open before you give into your primal urges and simply kick it open while informing said door that this is Sparta, all while your confused partner watches from afar.<\/p>\n
All of which is to say I am a big fan of this type of goal because sometimes simple is better, simple is good. Bar down goals may get the views, but honest, hard-working efforts get you blue jean-based metaphors, which help increase your trade value and future contracts.<\/p>\n
Best of the rest<\/p>\n
After the Canucks lone goal of the period, the rest of the opening 20 minutes was uneventful in that it didn\u2019t experience a lot of high danger chances from either team. As a result, it was rather like me in grade 12, finishing with no goals and generally looking unamused about it all.<\/p>\n
With that being said, there were a few highlights worth mentioning, even if they didn\u2019t set the world on fire.<\/p>\n
The Ducks almost lit the lamp when Zeev Buium turned the puck over in the middle of the ice, leading to Beckett Sennecke dancing around Fil Hronek like a young Jiri Slegr, forcing Lankinen into making a tough save:<\/p>\n
The Canucks responded with Tom Willander throwing the puck on net in the general area of Drew O\u2019Connor, and in true Vancouver service industry fashion, hoping for a tip:<\/p>\n
And when that failed, Tom Willander showcased his speed when he attempted an end-to-end rush that resulted in an intercepted pass in the middle:<\/p>\n
That to me is the quintessential play from Tom Willander this season. You can see the skill set he has, and you can see why some hockey pundits love what they see. A big, right-handed D-man is a prized commodity in the NHL for a reason.<\/p>\n
But the next step Willander has to take is to turn these rushes into legitimate scoring chances. And this isn\u2019t to begrudge his rookie season or look down upon it in any way. It\u2019s just when plotting his potential to move up in the lineup, the next evolution for him is using that speed to back defenders off and then using that time and space to find an open teammate or find a shooting lane on net. The jump from Lukas Krajicek to legit top-four d-man is harnessing that power to consistently create dangerous offensive chances.<\/p>\n
Now, something we haven\u2019t seen much of from Vancouver this year has been quick, confident puck movement in the offensive zone, the kind of passing that makes Connor McDavid question everything from his life to his head coach. And in one sequence in the first period, Vancouver showcased a bit of razzle dazzle we aren\u2019t used to, moving the puck around efficiently, and were it not for Marcus Pettersson being chosen as the one to feather the final pass, it might have resulted in a goal:<\/p>\n
As I said, it was an entertaining game to watch. It might be impossible to have a boring game against the Ducks, given the way they play hockey. They are either scoring goals or doing a Pavel Bure homage by kicking the puck up to their sticks to get a scoring chance on Lankinen:<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re watching these highlights and thinking Anaheim looked more dangerous, you would be correct. Vancouver was generating offensive zone time and countering well, which you have to do against a 1980\u2019s modded team like the Anaheim Ducks. They can generate scary offence, but they are very generous if you can cause a turnover. Anaheim commits to their offensive zone adventures to the point of almost begging the other team to counterpunch them.<\/p>\n
Best veteran skills<\/p>\n
John Carlson fooled everybody in the building with that no look pass to Alex Killorn. That’s why the Ducks traded for him. #Canucks<\/a><\/p>\n The Canucks have struggled mightily in second periods this season, mostly due to what I assume is a combination of arrogance and shame. Not from the Canucks, mind you, but from the opposition; I imagine the other teams think they are in for an easy night (which, to be fair, they are), but they almost go too easy to start the game. As a result, Vancouver usually has what we in the industry call a \u201csolid period of hockey,\u201d which usually means the media press row meal was quite good. You\u2019d be surprised how many descriptors of a period of hockey are actually related to food quality.<\/p>\n But once that first period ends, the shame settles in on the other team as they realize they might actually lose against Vancouver if they take things too lightly, so they buckle down and come out hard in the second, which sounds dirtier than it is.<\/p>\n And Anaheim followed the script, as they started the middle frame by outshooting the Canucks 6-0, before Alex Killorn converted on a pair of perfect passes from Beckett Sennecke and John Carlson:<\/p>\n Things to note on this goal:<\/p>\n That is a tremendous spinning pass from Sennecke that sets this all in motion. He gets closed in on by three Canucks (thirsty boys hunting down a turnover), but spins his way into finding John Carlsson across and up the ice.John Carlson does a good job of cutting to the middle of the ice to try to draw in a Canucks defender to open up room for Killorn.That being said, I don\u2019t think Carlson realized how hard the Canucks would bite, as Fil Hronek releases Killorn and follows Carlson, while Aatu R\u00e4ty goes full Leroy Jenkins and just sprints at the puck like it\u2019s an ice cream truck on a hot day at Jericho beach.Kevin Lankinen then hits his save animation way too early, as he slides too far to his right and gets about as small in the net as is humanly possible, giving a lane for Killorn to go top shelf where Mom keeps the letters from \u201cUncle Jim\u201d, the guy who used to fix your fridge while Dad was at work.<\/p>\n This is the kind of goal where I think the Canucks both fully believe in their defensive system and are clearly terrified that none of it is real, all at the same time.<\/p>\n Hronek essentially plays it like he\u2019s facing down a three-on-one, and he\u2019s just trying to stay close to the puck. Aatu R\u00e4ty should be skating harder so he can take the middle of the ice and try to play Carlson like it\u2019s a two-on-one with Mikael Granlund, but instead, he glides in and then just bull-rushes the puck, which leaves Granlund open behind him.<\/p>\n Obviously, on an odd-man rush and with the benefit of watching on tape, it\u2019s easy to critique such events. I know in real time it is a lot harder and more complicated than saying \u201cx should do z\u201d, etc.<\/p>\n But the Canucks are last place in the league in goal differential for a reason, and it\u2019s breakdowns like this, with constantly blown assignments, that often lead to goals against.<\/p>\n Best case of the second period sads<\/p>\n 20th time this season the #Canucks<\/a> have allowed multiple goals in the second period. They have allowed at least one in 49 of 70 games this season.<\/p>\n The Ducks quickly took the lead after scoring their first goal, when Granlund batted in a rebound out of the air off a Leo Carlsson shot:<\/p>\n Clearly, some luck is involved in this, but you also see the dreaded \u201cshift length clock\u201d at the start of the clip, so you know the Ducks had Vancouver hemmed in their own zone for quite a while. Good teams generate their own luck and all that.<\/p>\n Best marriage made in heaven<\/p>\n Nearly 70 games in and the Canucks still have no idea how to defend in their own zone. #Canucks<\/a><\/p>\n Leo Carlsson continued his reign of terror in the second, this time by almost walking right around Kevin Lankinen after causing a Max Sasson turnover:<\/p>\n And then Jackson LaCombe, no relation to Timothy LaBrush, sent Zeev Buium\u2019s jockstrap into space, where it will be studied by future generations:<\/p>\n A bit of filth from LaCombe, which is kind of the theme throughout the Ducks lineup; they excel at making you look stupid, and the Canucks are a team that struggles at the best of times against, well, pretty much everything.<\/p>\n Best so anyways, I started blasting<\/p>\n Honestly did not think I would ever say this again , but… #canucks<\/a> Boeser is en fuego.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re a bad team, fans appreciate the simple things in life: throw big body checks, shoot the puck, and don\u2019t raise season ticket prices as the last place team in the league.<\/p>\n So at the very least, Vancouver shot the puck in this game, highlighted best by Fil Hronek. Not only did Fil the Pill break the blade off Ryan Poehling\u2019s skate, but he also scared him into closing his eyes and diving to block a shot on a fake shortly thereafter. The end result? Brock Boeser scoring his 17th of the season, and Elias Pettersson bagging his 500th career point:<\/p>\n I absolutely love watching this clip because, at the end of the day, I respect the hell out of Poehling. Dude just ate a shot, has no skate blade, and is still trying to kill a penalty. It\u2019s just the road weary \u201chere we go again\u201d body language of him slumping to the ice to try and block the second goal that gets me howling. Just sort of melts to the ice and prays the puck will hit him, only to watch Hronek skate right around him to find Boeser open on the far side.<\/p>\n And kudos to Brock, that\u2019s a great finish on the shot. I thought he took too long to collect the pass and get his shot off, but he placed it perfectly behind Lukas Dostal.<\/p>\n Best they were this close<\/p>\n Darn I really wanted the big man to score on that play. #Canucks<\/a><\/p>\n Ser Douglas the Tall, on his next shift, almost blew the roof off of the building when determined board work from Teddy Blueger led to a breakaway chance for Curtis Douglas:<\/p>\n See, this is a perfect example of the Anaheim Ducks way of life. Jackson LaCombe is so confident he can get the puck out that he just tries to beat his man along the boards, and the rest of his teammates are already cheating up the ice, assuming he\u2019s got this under control. And to Teddy Blueger\u2019s credit, that is a very determined shift from him to track the puck down and to secure it.<\/p>\n But this is how you can keep up with Anaheim: just work hard, and you will get your chances due to the Ducks ridiculously high belief in themselves. And in this case, Ser Douglas almost flipped the puck into the net, cutting back against the grain, but Dostal robbed us of getting to experience true joy. We deserved to watch a man almost seven feet tall score a goal in a Canucks uniform this season, and it\u2019s unfair that it didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for Ser Douglas, his night took a turn for the worse when he took a penalty after attempting a diving poke check. The problem with being almost seven feet tall is when you dive to the ice, you take up almost the entire zone, which can lead to tripping.<\/p>\n And on that penalty kill, Defensive Minded Elias Pettersson gave us the reaction of the night when he air-mailed a puck into space, putting the Canucks down two men:<\/p>\n All of which led to Granlund scoring on the ensuing power play early in the third period:<\/p>\n Kevin Lankinen kind of fumbles at the puck like he\u2019s back in grade 8 at his first dance again, punting the puck back into the slot for Granlund to put home.<\/p>\n Again, a bit of bad luck, but also the kind of goal that happens when you are able to generate 30+ shots on the night.<\/p>\n Best fighting the good fight<\/p>\n the vibes of the #canucks<\/a> is kinda awesome<\/p>\n But as we said earlier, the Canucks did a solid job of keeping pace with the Ducks, even if it felt like an inevitable \u201con your left\u201d night of power disparity. Even down a goal in the third, the Canucks rallied to tie the game up once again, this time after Drew O\u2019Connor nabbed his 17th of the season:<\/p>\n DOC does a good job of knocking down the pass to the point, which Evander very adroitly pokes up the ice and turns into a semi-breakaway chance, leading to DOC smashing in the rebound and looking pretty excited about how everything played out.<\/p>\n I also want to point out a chart that @Hamalytics posted on X today, which showcases that you know what, this Evander Kane\/Elias Pettersson\/Drew O\u2019Connor line is pretty solid, all things considered:<\/p>\n I think Drew O\u2019Connor\u2019s motor and Elias Pettersson\u2019s defensive acumen kind of balance out the worst of Planet Ice\u2019s defensive issues. To Evander Kane\u2019s credit, I truly think he will be better and better as he recovers from major surgery from last season. You see it in sports more and more: players taking a year to fully recover from major injuries. While time is not on Evander\u2019s side, I do think he has played better as this season has worn on.<\/p>\n Will he ever be an elite defensive player? Clearly not, that will always be an issue for him. But during a terrible season such as this, Evander Kane\u2019s ability to generate offence has stood out over his fellow teammates. Which again, low bar, I get that, but as you see on this play, he does have the ability to generate counterattacks with his hockey IQ and skill. While he doesn\u2019t always generate high danger chances, there is something to be said about the positives of a volume shooter.<\/p>\n Best legal loopholes<\/p>\n imagine thinking you can score on lankinen on a breakaway which is basically just a surprise shootout attempt<\/p>\n Cutter Gauthier turned a blocked Marcus Pettersson shot into a breakaway, but as others have pointed out, that\u2019s also known as a glorified shootout attempt, something Lankinen is elite at stopping:<\/p>\n The problem is normal shots can beat Kevin out of nowhere, which kind of deflates things a bit:<\/p>\n To me, this goal highlights the issues I think Adam Foote has with Aatu R\u00e4ty in the defensive zone. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I think Kevin Lankinen wants this shot back, but you also watch Aatu R\u00e4ty skate back, and he\u2019s just sort of gliding. He\u2019s all vibes there. If he takes one stride, he can probably tie up Mason McTavish or at least hurry his shot, or maybe hit his stick. Sometimes in hockey, it\u2019s simply about giving yourself a chance to make a play. Even on a breakaway, maybe it seems like it\u2019s up to the goalie to solve the issue, but how many times do you see a save being made, then a guy follows up and bangs in the rebound? Skating hard and putting in effort is a cliche, but it\u2019s also a cliche for a reason. You have to give yourself as many chances to make a play on the puck in this league.<\/p>\n Yet we see at other times Aatu R\u00e4ty rush at the puck and go full effort, but it\u2019s just the wrong call to make at the time because it leaves a man open. That\u2019s where you wonder about his hockey IQ at the NHL level.<\/p>\n I know the Adam Foote Era is probably hard one to learn structure in, so you do wonder how much of it is on the way the team plays vs Aatu R\u00e4ty himself, but when I watch him, I just see how much he struggles in the defensive zone and it makes it hard to envision him locking down a bottom six role if things continue like this.<\/p>\n Best finish hard<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774441396_410_image.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n