The trilogy is complete. The Canucks closed out a three-game set at Rogers Arena Thursday night with a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks -- the same score by which they lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Wild in games one and two of this homestand. And you people said Vancouver lacked consistency.
To be honest, as trilogies go, I've seen worse. The Hobbit movies come to mind. These three home losses were disappointing, sure, but at least they had a clear plot (local hockey team is bad at hockey), likable characters (that Ben Hutton is a stud), and most importantly, a tight, economical, 60-minute running time. You could watch all three of these losses in the time it takes to endure The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Although, to be fair, you really only need to watch one. It's been the same game on repeat all week. I know because after I watched this game on Saturday, and then again on Monday, I watched this game.
- Watching the Canucks these past few weeks has severely lowered my expectations. Midway through the first period, I marvelled to myself that they were really hanging in there with Anaheim. Then I checked, and they were being outshot 10 to 5. At the end of the scoreless first period, I thought to myself, why, that's the best first period I've seen Vancouver play in some time, and then I checked. Turns out they were only slightly outplayed in the first period. It just seemed like such a triumph after how crappy the last few outings were, kind of like the new Star Wars.
- Things went south in the second period, however, as the Canucks gave up the game's opening goal a little over two minutes in, then allowed Anaheim to double the lead on a powerplay. Both goals were scored on blasts that went right through Ryan Miller, who didn't look quite as bodily as one would hope tonight. Pucks were going right through him, like coffee. Seems to me that $6 million a year is too much to pay a noncorporeal goaltender.
- Ryan Kesler plays for the Ducks, in case you've forgotten, but I'm gonna infer from the chorus of boos that rang out every time he touched the puck that no one has forgotten. Frankly, I'd say it's time we do that. Kesler referred to this situation as a "bad breakup", and I couldn't agree more. We're just being petty at this point. Rather than being rude to Kesler every time we run into Kesler, we need to start making him jealous by getting cozy with his replacement. Next time out, I say we show a little chll, refrain from booing him, and show a little love for Bo Horvat instead. And then when a jealous Kesler tries to cut in for a dance, we tell him, "You had your chance. We'ved moved on. We're with Bo now."
- The booing wasn't tonight's most troubling sound, though. That award goes to the guy with the duck whistle, who could be heard so clearly during the telecast you'd have thought he was in the broadcast booth. It was obnoxious, to say the least. But it was also completely ineffective. Those things are for marsh birds. If you want to summon an Anaheim Duck, you tap your stick on the ice while shouting, "Bro! Bro! Right here, bro!"
- I know this fanbase isn't particularly high on Alex Edler these days, but since his injury, the Canucks have struggled with their breakout and their defensive coverage, produced next to no offence, been handily outplayed, and lost three straight games 5-2. Now, I'm not saying that Alex Edler is a game-changing defenceman that's been wildly underappreciated in this market, and the last three games have demonstrated what the Canucks lack without him in the lineup. But you're totally welcome to infer it.
- Not that the Canucks ever looked like a serious threat to win this game, but there was a moment early in the third period where they looked a little dangerous. During a stretch of 4-on-4, they even produced a two-on-one that would have cut Anaheim's lead in half. Unfortunately, they failed to score, and then Luca Sbisa inexplicably overskated the puck, taking him out of the play and giving the Ducks an odd-man rush the other way. Ryan Getzlaf keep the puck the whole way and then sealed the win by scoring Anaheim's third goal. And then he Sealed the win by singing Kiss From a Rose.
- The Canucks didn't quit, though. (Like, on the game. They quit on the season, but that happened last week.) After a fourth Anaheim goal, almost immediately following the Getzlaf marker, Jannik Hansen created a turnover at the Anaheim line, poking the puck to Daniel Sedin, who turned and then sent the puck right back to a streaking Hansen for the goal. It was a perfect pass from Daniel, and an equally perfect deflection from Hansen, but apparently it wasn't worth celebrating. The goal was Hansen's 17th, a career high -- but he skated back to the bench like he'd just finished watching The Hobbit trilogy.
- The goal was also the first time ever that the Canucks have scored on John Gibson, who's 3-0 versus Vancouver. He seems to have the book on them, which is A) always be in the way, and B) play for the better team. My concern is that other teams are going to figure this out very soon.
- The Canucks added a second midway through the third on a powerplay, and the most notable thing, to my mind, is who didn't score it: Radim Vrbata, who wasreplaced on the first unit by Sven Baertschi. What a telling adjustment to make 11 days before the trade deadline -- although I guess it's subtler than making Vrbata wear a "For Sale" sign around his neck all game. Baertschi shoots left, which is a little less convenient for one-timers, but Baertschi made it very clear on the goal that his wrist shot will suffice. What a release. Baertschi let it rip like the temple veil.
- Did anyone else notice Willie Desjardins's deployment adjustment? The Sedins started 75% of their shifts tonight in the offensive zone. Henrik took 13 O-zone faceoffs, as opposed to just six elsewhere. Meanwhile, Bo Horvat was banished to the defensive zone, where he took 16 of the game's 23 defensive-zone draws. He didn't do well, either in the circle or in terms of possession, and perhaps as a result of all the defending he was doing, he didn't look particularly dangerous offensively. This strikes me as an overcorrection. More offensive-zone starts for the Sedins is a good thing, but if it comes at the expense of your only other real offensive weapon, what are you doing? I get that Brandon Sutter's hurt and that limits the options, but Linden Vey or Adam Cracknell could probably be asked to help a little. I mean, it's not like they're doing anything else.
- It wasn't all bad, though. At one point, Ryan Kesler tried to hit Jake Virtanen, only to bounce off the 19-year-old and fall right on his dumb butt. Canucks win!
