SportsHockeyCanucks

"We weren't invested": Tocchet unimpressed with Canucks' lacklustre loss to Flyers

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Dec 29 2023, 7:02 am
"We weren't invested": Tocchet unimpressed with Canucks' lacklustre loss to Flyers
Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks have discovered their kryptonite for the 2023-24 season: the John Tortorella-led Philadelphia Flyers.

Vancouver allowed three goals in 2:06 late in the second period, losing 4-1 against the Flyers at Rogers Arena Thursday night.

Philadelphia is the first team that has beat the Canucks more than once this season, with the other victory coming in Vancouver’s third game of the season.

In hindsight, that was a pivotal moment in Vancouver’s season. Rick Tocchet ripped his team after a lacklustre performance, and fans wouldn’t be blamed for thinking “here we go again.”

Thankfully that wasn’t the case, as the Canucks went on an 8-1-1 run after that defeat en route to posting one of the best records in the NHL so far.

However post-game, Tocchet sounded a lot like he did back in October when talking about his team’s performance against Philadelphia.

“We weren’t invested,” Tocchet told reporters. “They came at us, and we didn’t have any push.”

“It’s gonna get harder and harder. This is a learning lesson, you know, we just gotta be more invested and we weren’t invested. It’s not even about the loss because… there were some parts of our game that wasn’t good obviously.”

When asked about why Tocchet elevated Pius Suter to the second line, the Canucks head coach had a pretty blunt response.

“I didn’t see anything from anybody,” Tocchet said. “I was just trying to get people going.”

It’s a good thing they don’t play the Flyers more often, because Philadelphia has played the Canucks better than anybody else this season.

Thankfully, these two teams won’t meet again this season, barring a fever dream-like matchup between these two teams in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Here are some takeaways from tonight’s game.

Flyers near-anemic power play scored

Philadelphia didn’t just have the worst power play in the league heading into this game, their power play is currently on pace to be one of the worst of all time.

So of course, their power play ended up scoring against the Canucks.

Zamula only scores against Canucks

Flyers defenceman Egor Zamula scored the Flyers’ power-play marker, which stands as his second-career NHL goal.

His first and only other NHL goal also came against the Canucks.

The Russian defenceman now has two goals in 51 career NHL games.

Canucks went into the third period trailing

This hasn’t happened often.

The Canucks went into the third period trailing for just the eighth time this season. That’s the lowest total in the NHL.

Canucks allow shorthanded goal

There was a moment in the third period where it looked like the Canucks might make a push.

Teddy Blueger scored just 25 seconds into the final frame, yet another goal from the Vancouver’s impressive third line.

The Canucks were then awarded a power play with a chance to cut the lead to one. Instead, they gave up a shorthanded goal to Garnet Hathaway.

With the goal, the Canucks became the last team in the league to allow a shorthanded goal against. The goal also sucked any momentum the Canucks had built up right out of the building.

Rare Canucks regulation loss

The Canucks lead the league with 22 regulation wins. They’ve only lost 10 in regulation.

This team also hadn’t lost in regulation for nine straight games, prior to tonight.

Zadorov’s night

Tyler Myers might be rubbing off on Nikita Zadorov, and not in a good way.

The Russian defenceman had an ugly-looking gaffe on the Flyers’ third goal. His turnover late in the second period led directly to Philadelphia’s third goal.

It was a back-breaker.

“I need to have a better shift, that’s on me for sure,” Zadorov told reporters.

The 28-year-old was on the ice for 18 shot attempts against and he had a 35.1% shot attempt differential at even-strength. Both were worst among all Canucks players on Thursday night.

Standings check

The Canucks no longer lead the overall NHL standings (the New York Rangers hold the tiebreaker), but they are on top of the Pacific Division.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Los Angeles Kings in regulation time this evening. It was Vegas’ first win in five games.

The Canucks and Golden Knights are tied with 49 points, but the Canucks have a game in hand. The Kings are five points back, but have four games in hand on Vancouver, and actually have the best points percentage in the division.

Trevor BeggsTrevor Beggs
+ Offside
+ Hockey
+ Canucks

SUBSCRIBE TO THE HIVE

Get the latest news sent to your inbox and stay in the loop