The Canucks held a lead in this game for longer than they have all season. I mean that quite literally. They didn’t just hold a lead for longer than any other single game; they held the lead for longer than their entire season combined up until this point.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Blackhawks, the Canucks had held the lead for for a grand total of 31 minutes and 9 seconds. That is a stunning number. It would seem nearly impossible to hold a lead for just half an hour through 18 games.
On Saturday night, Loui Eriksson opened the scoring 13:49 into the first period and held the lead going into the first intermission for the first time all season. They added to the lead in the second period, and didn’t allow the Blackhawks to tie things up until there was 4:14 remaining in the third period.
That means they held the lead for 41 minutes and 57 seconds. Sure, it would have been nice if they held the lead for 46 minutes and 11 seconds, but beggars can’t be choosers. I watched all 60 minutes of this game.
- For 40 minutes, the Canucks held the Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks, the top-scoring team in the West, to just 11 shots on goal. For 20 minutes, the Canucks got out-shot 17-3. But weirdly, the third period didn’t feel that different from the first two: the Blackhawks had the bulk of the possession all game, but the Canucks lost a bit of their defensive structure in the third, chasing the puck in their own end, creating gaps in their coverage that the Blackhawks exploited like Donald Trump exploits tax loopholes.
- Jacob Markstrom flashed more leather than a shoe catalogue photographer, making a number of sterling glove saves. Despite the lower shot totals in the first two periods, Markstrom had to be sharp as the shots that got through were generally good scoring chances. While he could have been better—like, one more save in regulation better—he was not at fault for the loss.
- Loui Eriksson opened the scoring with his first power play goal of the season, backhanding a Sven Baertschi rebound past Scott Darling. That’s the Loui Eriksson we expected to see this season, which must mean Wayne Gretzky has defeated the tiny alien who stole Eriksson’s hockey-playing ability.
- The Canucks went up by two while they were shorthanded because of a truly awful call on Michael Chaput. Alex Burrows picked Jonathan Toews’ pocket at the blue line, then sprung Bo Horvat for a breakaway. He did a little head fake, then made like Philippe Petit and wired it high, beating Darling over the blocker.
- Shortly after, the Sedins set up Sutter to put the Canucks up by three. Ben Hutton snagged the puck in the neutral zone and played it across to Daniel, who tipped it over the blue line, where Michael Kempny accidentally over-skated it. Henrik took advantage, sending a lovely backhand saucer pass to Brandon Sutter for the one-timer. Henrik’s like a Deadhead sharing live bootlegs in the 70’s: he distributes tape-to-tape.
- It may seem weird to have Sutter on the wing with the Sedins, but the Canucks are paying him like a top-six forward and he clearly isn’t a second-line centre, so if he can be a competent first-line winger, I’ll take it.
- Things unraveled in a hurry in the third period, starting with Daniel Sedin taking a hooking penalty on the opening shift. The Blackhawks pressed the Canucks like a cheap suit, exposing all sorts of wrinkles and shoddy material, finally getting on the board right after Daniel’s penalty expired.
- Alex Edler was mostly very good in this game, but he was mostly very bad on the Blackhawks’ second and third goals. On the second, he momentarily became a table hockey player with no one controlling his rod, just standing there with his stick out while Vinnie Hinostroza cut inside for a shot, then tapped in his own rebound for his first NHL goal.
- The Blackhawks tied the game on a broken play that only broke further when Edler tried to make a play on the puck, had his stick lifted, and went tumbling to the ice. That gave the Blackhawks a 3-on-2 that Bo Horvat played poorly, chasing a Blackhawk to the net instead of finding the trailer. To be fair, most trailers give away the entire plot of the movie these days, so Horvat’s made a habit of avoiding them.
- That set up an overtime that looked to be over on the first shift when Jonathan Toews snuck a wrist shot through both Daniel Sedin and Jacob Markstrom’s legs. But since all overtime goals are reviewed, the goal was overturned as it was offside. It’s the nicest thing Toronto has done for us in years and I’ll never badmouth them again for at least 24 hours.
- Thank goodness the goal was overturned, as the subsequent overtime period was thrilling, with back and forth breakaways and chances. Granlund, Henrik, Eriksson, Sutter, and Horvat all had golden opportunities to win the game, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Next practice: back of the net identification lessons. With flash cards. Holds up picture of a bowl of grapes. “Is this the back of the net?”
- The most frustrating missed chance came from Brandon Sutter, as he picked up a puck in front of the net with time to spare and failed to notice that Darling had lost his glove and was holding his bare hand behind his back to keep from breaking it trying to make a save. But instead of going glove side, Sutter didn’t even look up and flung it blindly into Darling’s pads.
- That means Scott Darling made a crucial, game-saving stop with literally one hand behind his back. If he’s not a legend in Chicago by noon tomorrow, there’s something wrong with Chicago sports fans.
- Not long after, Marian Hossa ended the game for real, once again making Edler look bad in the process. Hossa made it look easy, skating over the blue line, dragging the puck into his body to change the angle, which forced Edler to screen Markstrom, then casually slinging the puck past Markstrom’s blocker. Heck, I’m not even mad. Of all the Blackhawks players that could have scored, Hossa is the one I dislike the least.
