Canucks SixPack: What do you do with a 2-0 third-period lead?

Nikita Tryamkin played the last two minutes of the game. Vancouver was shorthanded, and it was overtime. And he was solid.

In the days before he arrived, half the city hyped him up while the other half said he was being set up for failure.

Turns out the hype wasn’t close to enough. He’s played five games. He played over 20 minutes in the last two and over 19 against the Preds. And he’s been solid.

I’ll get back to the Bear, first a quick recap of the game:

Surprising: the Canucks were up 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining.

Not surprising: the Canucks lost the lead and lost the game 3-2 in the shootout.

Surprising: the Canucks scored, ending their goal-scoring drought at 234 minutes and 52 seconds.

Not surprising: many fans were happy about the loss.

Canucks collapsing faster than a cheap tent in a windstorm. Play For Matthews. Play For Laine. Play for #teamtank.

— Cameron J. Teamtank (@offersheet) March 25, 2016

Surprising: Vancouver scored on the power play after an 0-for-26 stretch.

Not suprising: Jannik Hansen cannot cure all of this team’s problems with his mere presence.

@stevebfazed @TronArmy
I told you “All be bawwk! pic.twitter.com/NHA19USfJG

— CoppeR (@copperleaf22) March 25, 2016

Entertaining game, though.

1. How to make Miller mad

Want to make Ryan Miller mad?

Skate in on him in the shootout, slow down to a crawl, and pick your corner…

That’s what Johansen did. That’ll put him on the verge of exploding.

Two shots later, do it again and watch the results…

(Apologies for the choppy gifs – my computer was in a Miller-like revolt while I made them)

Miller being angry about losing the game the way they did? Understandable. Upset about players slowing down on their way to the net? Doesn’t make sense.

To be fair, Miller played a hell of a game stopping 30 of 32 shots. He was 10 minutes away from a shutout he deserved, so if his frustration was because Vancouver threw away yet another third period lead, it makes sense.

 

2. Bartkowski helped

Here’s the Preds’ first goal.

Think you have a good view of it? Bart’s was better.

 

3. Tryamkin time

Willie on Tryamkin:

WD on Tryamkin “I didn’t expect him to be this good”

— Blake Price (@BlakePriceTSN) March 25, 2016

Tryamkin on the rush (wouldn’t mind seeing him do more of this):

Lidster talking about Superman vs. Batman with Tryamkin on the bench:

OK, maybe that’s not what they were talking about. I’ll poll the audience, Regis.

@omarcanuck “how the hell did you hit your head on the jumbo-tron?”

— Jake Virtanen (@Virtanen_18) March 25, 2016

Tall joke – saw that coming.

@omarcanuck “hey when you shower and the shower head is at your shoulders, how do you clean your face?”

— Dean Skead (@DJSkead) March 25, 2016

More tall jokes.

@omarcanuck dude, I have no idea what you’re saying…

— BB Lee (@steelhead_bum) March 25, 2016

This one’s probably right.

 

4. Sedin toughness

Earlier Thursday, we heard Daniel left Wednesday’s practice because his back seized up. We also know Henrik’s been playing half-injured since the end of December.

Is it just me or does Hank look stiff and unwilling to bend down off this faceoff?

No surprise the Sedins have cooled off lately when you consider the injuries. It makes shifts like this, where they’re still cycling, winning forecheck battles, dominating the boards, even more remarkable.

 

5. Sparking McCann

Check out McCann’s move on this rush.

Just imagine if he was given more offensive opportunities – better assigments when top-six forwards were injured, more minutes when Linden Vey was playing 20-plus.

Chances are he’d be playing with more confidence and making more plays like these.

 

6. McKenzie has bad news

Bob McKenzie spoke about the Canucks’ rebuild on the radio Thursday, and you might not like what he had to say:

“This is closer to the beginning of the process than in a lot of the other places. I mean, God help Edmonton, look how long it’s been going on there, that’s not a good one to use as an example. Toronto, the teardown happened, they’re now rebuilding, they do see some hope, but it still may be a lot longer than they realize to be where they want to be…

“It’s so early in the process that the pain they talked about that’s palpable in Toronto is maybe even more palpable in Vancouver… this might be a longer slower process than Canucks fans would like it to be.”

But you guys are ready for this, right?

@omarcanuck needs to happen so I’m fine with that

— Do_you_even_Tank_bro (@Van_city_Nucks) March 24, 2016

Thought so.

@omarcanuck Maybe just do it right rather than the beat around the bush rebuild

— Cody Lajeunesse (@CFL88) March 24, 2016

Huh?

@omarcanuck pissed off because us fans knew this was way to go couple years ago, ownership still in denial. #AccidentalRebuild

— Avi Chatha (@LegendofLindros) March 24, 2016

Oh.

@omarcanuck The Canucks haven’t had a top 3 pick since the Sedin twins… Cup winners have top picks and always suck before glory.

— Brody Monroe (@BrodyMonroe) March 24, 2016

There’s the level-headed approach we need.

 

7. The captain of all hooks

John Garrett: “That is one of the best hooks I’ve seen.”

Hansen went down harder than Jim Benning’s dreams of a 100 point season.