The Canucks lost again on Tuesday night. It was their ninth consecutive loss, marking one of the worst losing streaks in franchise history. But I'm not that torn up about this one. As we established Tuesday morning, this home-and-home set with the Sharks is about one thing and one thing only: getting rid of the crap mantle, which the Canucks have, again. And since I don't trust Vancouver to beat San Jose twice in this home-and-home set, it behooved them to save their energies for the second game, when there will be no risk of the Sharks simply returning the crap mantle two days later.
Granted, I didn't see much in this game to suggest the Canucks are capable of beating the Sharks on Thursday. But that's a concern for another game. I watched this game.
- It's hard to get up for these games as a fan right now, but we all have our ways. (One, for instance, is inventing and then investing a great deal of stock in the idea of the crap mantle.) But another is watching the prospects develop -- guys like Jared McCann, Jake Virtanen, and most of all right now, Nikita Tryamkin. Tryamkin's been such an intriguing case since his arrival that I've made these games bearable by fixating on him. I can't be the only one who has cut his shape from a piece of construction paper and is using it to block every other skater in the frame. All of this is to say that, as he sat this one out due after blocking a shot in practice, he was missed.
- I got over Tryamkin's absence by purposing to watch Jake Virtanen. And then Virtanen was plucked from the game too, because this is Hell -- I am in Hell. The 19-year-old was tossed game early in the second for a late hit on Roman Polak. It was the right call. Virtanen was Zach Morris late. By the time he grabbed his books and gave himself a look. he was at the corner just in time to see the bus fly by.
- Will there be supplemental discipline? I doubt it. The call on the ice seems sufficient. But I won't be that upset if Virtanen is suspended, since the Canucks have been eliminated from playoff contention, which means it's impossible for the NHL to overreact to this hit by suspending Virtanen four Stanley Cup Final games for it. They've done that before.
- Incredibly, the only goal in the five minutes that followed was scored by Vancouver's Chris Higgins, who poked a puck out to the neutral zone to start an odd-man rush with Ben Hutton, then looked off the rookie defender to beat James Reimer with a shot so sick it qualified as a vaccine.
- The best thing about Higgins's goal, however, was his personalized goal song. (Remember that idea? From back when the season still seemed like it might be fun?) It's crazy that it took this long for us to hear it (and we still barely could -- turn it up, Rogers), but it was worth it, as the building piped a coupled seconds of Li'l Kim and 50 Cent's "Magic Stick". For the record, this song is a) definitely not about a magic hockey stick, and b) filthy.
- Did you notice that Markus Granlund returned for this game? I didn't. But apparently he was out there, and for 16 whole minutes! Weird. Maybe he should shoot the puck, or wear a sweater that says his name on the back or something, so he's easier to spot.
- With Linden Vey sidelined for this game due to injury -- he was a little banged up, according to Willie Desjardins -- Brendan Gaunce took his place between Alex Burrows and Emerson Etem. Gaunce had a great night in the role, posting an even-strength corsi of plus-12; The Canucks outshot the Sharks 14-2 with Gaunce on the ice. That oughta help Gaunce's bid to make next year's team. Frankly, this is a savvy angle. Several guys have made the Canucks using the "just be better than Linden Vey" approach.
- The Sedins are playing garbage hockey right now. I don't really blame them. There's nothing to play for. The playoffs are a no-go. Their surrounding cast is terrible. And Henrik is still probably hurt. But let's dispel this notion that they're a couple of heroes out there. There was a time this season when the twins were working hard and seemingly no one else was -- that time is past. The notion that they're leaving it all out on the ice anymore is silly. They kept some of it behind in the dressing room; they're only leaving all they brought.
- The good news, if there is any, is that the Canucks are now tied for last place. Could they win the draft lottery? You could use a draft lottery simulator to see. Or you could just close your eyes and whisper "maybe". Both methods are equally accurate.
