On Sunday, the Seattle Kraken got to experience the glory of victory when their veteran-laden team ran roughshod over a largely AHL-caliber Vancouver Canucks team.
On Monday, it was the Canucks’ turn.
In front of a partially full but still boisterous Abbotsford Centre, the Canucks defeated a team that can only charitably be called the Calgary Flames. The victory gave several players a chance to showcase themselves in a way they might not have been able to up to this point, as pretty much everyone played well.
And the fans in Abbotsford were extremely appreciative, roaring in approval at every hit, scoring chance, and blocked shot, let alone the four goals the Canucks scored. Perhaps it’s just the extended time without fans in the arena lowering the bar, but the crowd was impressively loud.
The player that gave the fans the most to cheer about was Mikey DiPietro, who made several acrobatic saves, throwing his body around the crease with reckless abandon. He was particularly stunning late in the game, holding the line with impressive strength in his legs as the Flames jammed away in several goalmouth scrambles.
“I thought he stood tall,” said head coach Travis Green. “Especially in the 6-on-5, they probably had, I don't know, seven or eight shots in the last three minutes there with the goalie out and I thought he looked solid.”
“I thought it was a good game,” said DiPietro. “I felt early to pucks. I felt ahead of the play...I wanted to be quick to position, quick to pucks. That way, it buys me more time, I can be more patient on my feet. Especially with my size, I think it's really crucial for myself just to really wait it out and not fully commit to the drop unless I have to.”
Abbotsford fans will certainly enjoy DiPietro’s acrobatic style as he’ll most likely start the season in the AHL, but they might not want to get too used to him — he looks like he’ll be NHL-bound before too long.
Unlike most of the Flames lineup tonight.
I watched this game.
- The Canucks recognized Truth and Reconciliation Week on Monday, with a land recognition, moment of silence in honour of the victims of the residential school system, and a drum performance by Sto:lo nation drummer Xotxwes. The Canucks have been a strong voice on this topic and haven’t shied away from using the word “genocide,” as other teams and organizations have, and Xotxwes’ performance was a powerful moment ahead of the game.
- Conor Garland got in a groove early in the game and popped in the first goal on the power play. He took a pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and went to work, dragging the puck around Dillon Dube for a shot from the high slot. When it was blocked, Garland stuck with it, putting his weight behind a quick snap shot to open the scoring.
- “Confidence is huge,” said Garland when asked if the goal was a boost so early in the preseason. “I'll take a goal anytime, if it's in the middle of the summer or if it's in the preseason or an NHL playoff game, they all feel good. It's nice to get one but obviously, when the games start, you better keep scoring.”
- Garland always brings three different water bottles with different coloured liquids in them to his post-practice or post-game interviews. When asked about them Monday night, he pointed to one of the three and joked, “I don’t know what that is.”
- Matthew Highmore had a quiet training camp, which isn’t ideal given the battle for the fourth line. He had a stronger game on Monday, flashing some speed and playing with a physical edge. He didn’t even need to make physical contact to send opponents to the ice, taking one opponent out with a quick change in direction.
- It might not be enough for Highmore, who faces tough competition from the likes of Phil Di Giuseppe, Will Lockwood, Zack MacEwen, and Jonah Gadjovich, who had a standout performance with an assist and some strong forechecking with his new-and-improved skating. Maybe it was just the calibre of competition, but Gadjovich certainly looked faster.
- “The Canucks have given me a lot of resources,” said Gadjovich. “I spent a lot of time this summer with [skating coach] MacKenzie Braid, doing a lot of skating in Toronto, so I was working on my stride, working on my quickness and I think it's come a long way.”
- Gadjovich’s assist was impressive. The play started with a neat one-touch pass by Jack Rathbone under pressure to escape the defensive zone, then Will Lockwood sent Gadjovich in down the left wing. Gadjovich patiently outwaited the sliding defenceman and hooked the puck to Chase Wouters, who was wide open in the slot.
- Side note: every time Chase Wouters falls, I get TLC stuck in my head.
- Olli Juolevi looked better on Monday night but, unfortunately for him, so did Jack Rathbone. At this point, Rathbone looks like a lock to be in the Canucks’ opening night lineup and Juolevi is now battling with Brad Hunt to be the team’s seventh defenceman. Juolevi’s passing was on point, with some lovely stretch passes.
- Ekman-Larsson took some big hits in this game, including a late one from Andrew “Eat Bread” Mangiapane that drew a crosschecking call. He gave back as good as he got, however, throwing some solid checks as the game progressed. He’s got some physicality to him, which is good — it’s hard to play defence as a spirit with no physical form.
- “He looks like the Oliver I know,” said Garland. “When he was my captain, anytime he threw a hit, it used to get our team really fired up and in the preseason, to see him play in that way, I think it engaged a lot of guys even more.”
- J.T. Miller gave the Canucks a 3-0 lead in the first period with a power play goal, poking in a loose puck after his initial shot caused a scramble in front. I think this Miller guy has a shot at making the team.
- Vasily Podkolzin certainly looks NHL-ready — “He looks mature beyond his years,” said Garland — but he also looks like someone still not fully confident just yet, trying the extra pass at times he should shoot. Fortunately, he’s a great passer, so it still led to a couple of great chances, but you get the feeling that he just needs a puck to go in for him to let him know that he can score goals at this level.
- After the Flames picked up a couple goals in the second period — “Couple of kinks to work out,” sighed DiPietro — Tanner Pearson put the game away in the third. He took a drop pass from Ekman-Larsson (his second assist of the game) and streaked down the left wing before ripping a shot just under the bar. Like when the cast recording from the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical came out on December 16, 2003, it was a wicked release.
- After Pearson made it 4-2, the Flames pushed hard to come back, but DiPietro was having none of it. He was like a brick wall, if brick walls could lunge, jump, and slide.
- Other players who looked good: Alex Chiasson, who got a great opportunity with Tanner Pearson and Bo Horvat, as well as on the power play. Tucker Poolman showed some aggressiveness in the offensive zone that showed he’s got some added dimensions to his game. Jett Woo looked smooth and comfortable, activating off the point a few times to create some havoc for the Flames’ defence.
