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Canucks Post-Game SixPack - Chelsea Dagger in the Back

DH Vancouver Staff
DH Vancouver Staff
|
Dec 19 2017, 10:39 pm
Canucks Post-Game SixPack - Chelsea Dagger in the Back

With a playoff berth almost secured, the Vancouver Canucks battled the Chicago Blackhawks but ultimately fell 3-1 on Thursday night.

It’s hard to be too disappointed with the Canucks after this game. Facing one of the toughest road trips of the year, Vancouver had excelled in beating both the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators in a back-to-back situation.

An emotional letdown was bound to happen. Although it’s rather unfortunate that the letdown had to occur against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Canucks still have a chance to secure an excellent record on this road trip. All they have to do is beat the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon.

So with that optimistic outlook in mind, let’s get this SixPack over with.

 

Final score: Blackhawks 3 – Canucks 1

Canucks goals:

  1. Derek Dorsett (7th goal) – Assisted by NONE

 

Blackhawks goals:

  1. Teuvo Teravainen (4th goal) – Assisted by Marcus Kruger and Andrew Desjardins
  2. Jonathan Toews (26th goal) – Assisted by Johnny Oduya and Kris Versteeg
  3. Marcus Kruger (7th goal) – Assisted by NONE

 

1. Still Not a Terrible Night for Vancouver

Despite the Canucks losing to one of their biggest rivals, the night wasn’t terrible for Vancouver as they weren’t the only ones to lose a big game.

The biggest loss probably belongs to the Calgary Flames who fell 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues.

The loss leaves Calgary only one point up on the Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division with the Kings also having a game in hand. This of course assumes that the Kings continue to demolish the Edmonton Oilers who, at the time of writing, were wilting to the tune of 3-0 in the first period.

Those games against the Kings next week are going to be huge.

 

2. The Stars Didn’t Star

Other than a fluky goal from Captain Serious, the stars from both teams definitely took the night off from their usual amazing displays of hockey skill.

The twins especially struggled in this one:

Tonight was not a memorable chapter in the ongoing saga of the Canucks vs Blackhawks feud.

So what was missing?

Bingo.

 

3. Where’s the Beef?

Although it’s nice that my heart palpitations have cleared up since the rivalry has cooled off, you still have to miss those games where the heat gets turned up to boiling in about 3 seconds.

Some of the usual suspects are still around like Duncan Keith, Alex Burrows, Kevin Bieksa, and Brent Seabrook, but most of the disturbers (Andrew Ladd, Ryan Kesler ect.) have made their way to other National Hockey League franchises.

Unfortunately, the rivalry is worse for it.

 

4. You Can Go Ahead and Re-Sign Dorsett Now

Shades of 2011 but maybe not as dramatic.

Note: No Dragons were slayed.

Unlike Bo Horvat, Derek Dorsett is a fourth liner on the Vancouver Canucks. But he is also arguably the best fourth liner the Canucks have had in years.

No offence, Victor Oreskovich.

If he’s not defending the entire team from extracurricular shenanigans, Dorsett can be found adding to his career best 7 goals and 25 points.

Players like Derek Dorsett don’t come around all too often and should be a staple in the bottom-six for years to come.

 

5. Injury Update and Miller Getting Closer

There was a faint glimmer of hope that one or two of the Vancouver Canucks’ fallen forwards would be back in the lineup as soon as Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, it turns out that won’t be the case as Zack Kassian and Brad Richardson are still back in Vancouver and won’t be making the trip to Winnipeg.

However, Ryan Miller will:

I’m not really sure why Ryan Miller is rushing himself (or are the Canucks rushing him?) back to practice when the Canucks are on the final leg of their road trip. If he is trying to get himself back in time to play the last couple of regular season games, I am going to be very worried.

Lack, of course, is being his usual self about the situation:

You can spend an entire day debating which goalie is better. Personally, I would probably lean a little bit towards Miller being the better goaltender. But as we are only four games away from the start of the playoffs, there is no doubt in my mind that Eddie Lack should be starting.

Lack has played exceptionally well through the toughest stretch of the season and is in a solid rhythm. I just don’t see what good could come from starting a goalie that MAY get one or two games in before starting the playoffs.

It’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There isn’t time for a rusty goalie to find his groove.

 

6. Omar Does Chicago

Since Rob the Hockey Guy was kind enough to let Omar off of his SixPack leash for a couple of days, how would Omar take advantage of his new-found freedom?

By travelling to Chicago to watch the Canucks take on the Blackhawks, of course.

And he wasn’t afraid to brag about it…

So with Omar deep in the trenches of the United Center, how did the game go for a Vancouver Canucks fan?

I find the cheering annoying but that may be because I’m jealous that the United Center allows their fans to be jovial.

But what happened when something good happened to the Canucks?

Going into the third period, the Canucks and Blackhawks were tied meaning there was some nervous energy in the air. Things started to get a little sketchy.

Unfortunately for the Canucks, but good for Omar’s safety, the Blackhawks took the lead in the third period with two goals from Jonathan Toews and Marcus Kruger. I thought we had all recovered from Chelsea Dagger but it appears that some scars never heal.

However, as bad as the end result of the game was, Omar got to meet Mr. and Mrs. Horvat.

How can that not be considered a win?

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff
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