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Canucks Sixpack: Anze Kopitar destroys Canucks (HIGHLIGHTS)

DH Vancouver Staff
DH Vancouver Staff
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Dec 20 2017, 3:22 am
Canucks Sixpack: Anze Kopitar destroys Canucks (HIGHLIGHTS)

It was the final game of the year for the Vancouver Canucks and they played like they wanted to forget 2015 ever happened, losing 5-0 to the Los Angeles Kings.

In what has become a tradition between these two teams, there was a lot of feeling in this one and it started early.

More on that in a moment…

Unfortunately, the Canucks’ lack of talent and healthy bodies reared it’s ugly head once again making the last couple of wins against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers a distant memory.

Oh yeah, and Anze Kopitar had himself a game…

https://twitter.com/dannewton2/status/681713903819083776

We’re through the looking glass people…

I need a Sixpack.

 

Final score: Kings 5  – Canucks 0

Canucks goals: NONE

Kings goals:

  1. Tyler Toffoli (15th goal) – Assisted by Anze Kopitar and Milan Lucic
  2. Derek Forbort (1st goal) – Assisted by Trevor Lewis
  3. Braydon McNabb (2nd goal) – Assisted by Anze Kopitar
  4. Tyler Toffoli (16th goal) – Assisted by Alex Martinez and Anze Kopitar
  5. Tyler Toffoli (17th goal) – Assisted by Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty

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1. Forever a Canuck

I have to admit that I completely forgot about tonight’s Canucks game starting with a tribute to five Canucks that have passed away over the past 20 years.

Here’s the video if you missed it:

The video tribute is incredibly well done and extremely emotional. It was especially hard watching it and remembering how much joy Rick Rypien brought to the fans and what Luc Bourdon could have done for this franchise on defence.

It’s probably because the tribute caught me off-guard, but I did almost well-up a little seeing the highlights of all five former Canucks.

At least I’m not the only one.

2. The Refs Just Don’t Get It

The feelings in this game didn’t take too long to get going as Kings defenceman Braydon McNabb decked Henrik Sedin with an elbow to the head.

Or was it even a head-shot? Because the officials did not see it that way.

Not clear enough for you? Okay here’s a video:

https://twitter.com/ryanbiech/status/681674683196964865

Of course, the headshot by McNabb wasn’t called and Alex Biega received the extra penalty for sticking up for his captain.

Stark

Because of course.

I don’t really understand how the referees missed this. Even borderline hits are given at least two minutes but in this case, the refs had their whistles lodged firmly up their butts.

I could pull a John Garrett, get up onto my soap-box, and go on a rant about the standard of officiating in the NHL (not just against the Canucks), but I think Cheech pretty much covered it for me. There is absolutely no consistency. Probably because the officials are too busy looking for ticky-tac garbage hooking calls (which they never seem to miss) or delay of game penalties.

Because why concentrate on the plays and hits that cause injury?

Upon hearing Biega call Henrik “our best player”, Daniel started to weep silently into the night.

3. Markstrom Needs Goal Support

It’s an older tweet but I can finish it up since I learned addition and subtraction when I was 15 I was in pre-school. Take that analytics!

The Canucks scored one more in Tampa Bay, two in Edmonton, and 0 tonight against the Kings.

That’s not good.

It’s really a shame because although he hasn’t been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, Jacob Markstrom is actually playing very well. He just seems to be the victim of a terrible team in front of him.

Or I could just be comparing him to Ryan Miller who had been gradually getting worse before getting injured.

Sigh…

4. The Bulldog

I honestly can’t remember what a healthy Canucks defence looks like. Oddly enough, I am enjoying it because we are getting to see a lot of different players that we normally wouldn’t have seen. This is one of the benefits of a non-playoff season, even if the Canucks’ brass don’t believe it yet.

But even when a couple of defenceman do make their inevitable return, how can the Canucks possibly send Alex Biega back to the Utica Comets (where he is the captain) with the way that he has played?

As Ian McIntyre said on the Sportsnet first intermission panel with Dan Murphy and emo-glasses Gary Valk, Biega is currently playing almost 18 minutes a night and never gives up on a shift. He is sticking up for his captain and creating opportunities.

Not to mention his competition for ice time isn’t exactly making the most of his opportunities…

 

5. Baertschi got Hurtschi

Just when Baertschi was starting to click with Bo Horvat and Radim Vrbata, he gets hurt.

This is the 2015-2016 Vancouver Canucks season…

So…who is the latest Utica Comet to get an chance?

I can’t wait to see Hunter Shinkaruk back with the Canucks. He’s really going to elevate that fourth line with Adam Cracknell and Brandon Prust.

And speaking of injuries…

6. The Usual

I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but I just can’t understand how being in a playoff spot is still a reality for this franchise. Injuries aside, this team just isn’t good enough.

The worst part about this is that it’s giving the upper management of the Canucks the delusion that Vancouver has a chance to win the Stanley Cup because, as the theory goes, if you make it into the playoffs, you have a chance.

Except if you are the Canucks. You don’t have a chance in hell.

I’m just going to be over here watching Team USA at the World Juniors with Brock Boeser and Auston Matthews developing chemistry.

And dreaming. Lots and lots of dreaming.

[youtube id=”1z32gOBSZ8A”]

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff
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