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Canucks fight, hit, but lose measuring-stick game to Jets

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Feb 18 2024, 5:43 am
Canucks fight, hit, but lose measuring-stick game to Jets
Adam Lowry and the Winnipeg Jets beat Phil Di Giuseppe and the Canucks in a feisty, playoff-like contest. (Bob Frid | USA Today Sports)

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have yet to begin, but you could have been fooled by watching this game. In a contest between two of the best teams in the Western Conference, it was the Winnipeg Jets that prevailed with a hard-fought, 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks outplayed the Jets, but Winnipeg got nine points combined from their top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi.

None of the Canucks star players were able to register a point. That, coupled with Connor Hellebuyck outdueling Thatcher Demko, was the difference.

Regardless of the loss, this was a gritty, physical, and nasty affair that looked exactly like a playoff matchup.

Juulsen blames himself

On a night where Surrey native Arshdeep Bains took the pre-game skate, it was fitting that another Surrey-born Canuck was able to hit the scoresheet.

Juulsen scored his first as a Canuck to open the scoring, burying a loose puck past an unsuspecting Hellebuyck.

No player was more deserving of a goal than Juulsen. His value has skyrocketed with the Canucks, as he’s provided a steady defensive game while emerging as the team’s top penalty killing option on the right side.

“This is the best I’ve seen from him since he’s been here,ā€ Myers told reporters. “He’s just gotta keep doing what he’s doing.”

Entering this contest, Quinn Hughes was the only Canucks defenceman with a better expected goals differential than Juulsen since January 1.

Unfortunately, Juulsen factored into the game for the wrong reason in the third period. He laid a thunderous hit on Scheifele, which led directly to the game-winning goal by Vilardi.

Because of that, he was pretty hard on himself post-game.

“The goal doesn’t matter at all obviously,” Juulsen said. “The third one, I went for the hit and the fourth one is on me as well.”

“That game is a loss because of me.”

Juulsen’s emotional response wasn’t indicative of his performance. Aside from the goal, he had a couple of big blocks and break ups on the penalty kill. And, the biggest culprits on the fourth Jets goal was Elias Pettersson and Elias Lindholm, who collided at centre ice.

Myers calls out the refs

No offence to his highlight-reel marker against the New York Rangers earlier this season, but Myers undoubtedly scored his prettiest goal as a Canuck on Saturday night.

Late in the the second period, Myers intercepted an errant pass at the blue line. He danced through the slot scored on the backhand past a screened Hellebuyck.

Unfortunately, his game-tying goal was dampened with the loss.

After the game, Myers wasn’t too happy with the refs.

“It felt like we were battling two teams tonight,” Myers said. “It’s unfortunate.”

Although Juulsen blamed himself for the eventual game-winner, Myers saw the play differently.

“Well, that play never would have happened if they called the penalty on [Garland] in the corner.”

Myers also wasn’t happy with the first penalty of the game, which was called against him for elbowing Alex Iafollo.

“The first hit of the game was not a penalty, and he calls it a penalty because I’m a bigger guy.”

Canucks and Jets get physical

For Canucks fans who forgot was playoff hockey was like, it looks a little something like this.

The game was littered with hits and physical moments for both sides. Jets captain Adam Lowry embodied that in the second period, laying a huge hit on Nils Aman and pummeling Phil Di Giuseppe in a scrap shortly thereafter.

Myers might have had a point about the refs, as Di Giuseppe was called for an instigator on this play despite Lowry dropping his gloves first.

The Jets went on to score on the power play.

Nils Hƶglander threw a big hit late in the second period, while J.T. Miller dropped Scheifele with seconds left in the frame.

The Canucks and Jets will play each other twice before the end of the campaign. That includes the final game of the season for both teams on April 18.

Trevor BeggsTrevor Beggs
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