The NHL is officially underway for Vancouver! Unfortunately, the Canucks fall to the Oilers 5-3 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta thanks to going 1/8 on the Powerplay and Connor McDavid being really really ridiculously good!
What if I told you the Vancouver Canucks at one point in this game, had a 3-0 lead? You would most likely say, piss off Joshua we watched the game. Which is why you are here to relieve the pain. I doubt I’ll be doing a post-game article after every single game this season. Probably like 6? Which means they are going to be really good. Unlike the Vancouver Canucks Powerplay.
Okay, okay, I’ll probably have more than 6 but less than 82 so ballpark it somewhere in between there. If you are looking for a deep dive into analytics, full game recaps, quotes from the players and coaches, and in-depth analysis… Then this is probably where you should just click out of the article. I may be a poor writer but I am not a lair!
However, If you are still reading here is what you will get from my post-game recaps. If enough of you click on it I get money, Jokes (See what I did there), Self-deprivation about how little I know about analytics, all the basic stuff (Who scored, how did they score, why did they score, who played good, who played bad?), and of course The Unnamed Moments Of The Game.
A Relatively Poor Recap Of The Game
With formalities out of the way, let’s drop the puck on the season and get to the game… After I rant shortly about how cringy I find it when people say “The NHL kicks off” or “The Canucks kick off the season”. No, it doesn’t! The puck drops to start a game in hockey. Okay, that’s it.
Canucks Jump Out To A Hot Start
Their start was hotter than Hansel after winning “Male Model Of The Year”. Elias Pettersson, Nils Hoglander, and Andrei Kuzmenko were flying, and just 1:49 into the game Petey was able to pick off a pass at the blue line. His initial shot was stopped by Jack Campbell but trickled through his legs and the Swede would stay with it and knocked it over the line for the Canucks first goal of the season.
What a great start! J.T. Miller would strike just 51 seconds later. After some nice work along the boards by Quinn Hughes to steal the puck from his man, he was able to find Brock Boeser who quickly moved it to JT Miller down the wing. He wired it past Campbell and to quiet the crowd. I don’t actually know if it did because I watched it on mute at work instead of making wraps. The Boss is gonna be pissed!
That was all the action in the 1st period as it ended 2-0 for the Canucks. I mean other stuff did happen, Vancouver had 3 powerplays and both teams constantly skated back and forth down the ice unless the referee blew the whistle, then they stopped momentarily. Then this was exciting, after every 5 minutes when they blow the whistle and it isn’t icing they have a commercial.
The hot start would continue in the second period as the Canucks would start on the powerplay. It only took JT Miller 43 seconds to find Kuzmenko with the tap-in at the side of the net for his first NHL goal. Kuzmenko is my favorite player.
You might want to scroll through this next section unless you like hats and Connor McDavid. Oh, wait I should plug this into other markets too!
The Second Half Of The Game Was Special… Teams
The difference in the game was special teams as the Canucks powerplay struggled mightly while the Oiler’s powerplay went 3/4. Starting with an interesting missed call on Quinn Hughes who was cut with a high stick from Evander Kane. Leon Draisaitl would get one back for the home side beating Thatcher Demko. I’m not going to include every other team’s goals don’t worry. Just ones that are really good.
The Canucks would play well for about 10 minutes in the second, maybe a bit more, but got sloppy. They would take a too-many-men penalty and Connor McDavid would make it 3-2. Vancouver would get two more chances on the powerplay to end the period but they would give up a short-handed goal instead. Edmonton would block a pass and Draisaitl and Darnell “Kind of a dirty player” Nurse was off on a 2-on-1. Nurse would fire the one-timer past Demko and we were all tied up at 3 going into the 3rd.
It looked like Vancouver would get a chance to retake the lead on the powerplay but a high-sticking penalty to Tanner Pearson would take them right off it. Edmonton was the much better team in the 2nd half of the game and Connor McDavid would do well Connor McDavid things. He used his speed and caused a turnover and looked to bank his first shot off Demko’s outstretched pad right back to himself and buried the rebound.
Vancouver did have a chance to get back on even ground when they were gifted a powerplay and pulled the goalie for the 6-on-4 advantage. It summed up the night as their powerplay looked bored standing around at times. Then it summed up the night again as Brock Boeser would take a high sticking penalty and Connor McDavid would make Vancouver wait for the loss as the ice crew scrapped up hats.
That sealed the deal as the Canucks fall to the Oilers 5-3 on what was opening night for both teams. It was a tale of two games, Vancouver ended the night 1 of 8 on the powerplay and gave up a short-handed goal while the Oilers went 3 of 4 when they had the extra man. Campbell was the busier of the two goalies making 33 saves on 36 shots. In the other net Demko only had to face 24 shots (Gave up 4 goals, do the math) but the saves he did make were usually fantastic.
Let’s hope afternoon in Philadelphia we see more first 30-minute Canucks as opposed to the last 30-minute Canucks. Special teams not sucking would also be a big help in the future or this is going to be a long year! Lots hope it’s a long year for a different reason.
The Unnamed Moments Of The Game As Canucks Fall To The Oilers 5-3
If you are familiar with my Vancouver Whitecaps articles you will be familiar with this section. It will be a bit different for the Canucks recaps though…
The Unnamed Huh? Of The Game
I am sure every Canucks fan knows what this one is going to be. The referee was right there!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then it leads to a goal!!!!!!!!!! I get it, it’s a fast game, and referees miss things but what got me was that later in the game EP40 looked to put the puck behind Jack Campbell. Since the referee didn’t see it, he skated over for a quick 15-30 second check on the play as the War Room in Toronto deemed it needed another look…
Just do this for blatant penalties, it’s the hockey version of VAR. And don’t try and tell me that it would make the game too long as that seems like a you problem and not a me problem NHL. I’ll watch 5 extra minutes if you get the calls right.
The Unnamed Game Analytics Of An Idiot
Hi there! My name is Joshua and I know what analytics are:
If you notice the Canucks at 5 on 5 their heat map looks somewhat like a baby stroller with things being dropped by a baby out of it. That’s called an analogy. It doesn’t get any explanation unfortunately as I don’t know what I am looking at.
The Unnamed Reaction To The Game
I asked for your reaction to the game tonight but in a GIF and you didn’t disappoint! Every game, that I don’t forget to post, I am going to ask how you are feeling. I ask for a GIF but I will also take sassy comments as you will see in the Honorable Mentions.
Tonight my love of Star Wars and my hate of the Canucks losing came together perfectly. Don’t think just because I am a huge Star Wars fan I will pick yours though… Actually, I might.
Honorable mention tonight doesn’t go to a GIF but instead a tribute to my poll option.
I have a couple of more categories that I will be rotating in throughout the season depending on how the game goes. Maybe I’ll include something funny that’s caught on the broadcast, or that is said post-game, you’ll only know if you read it.
Sports Talk Line And The Vancouver Canucks
Just like last season I will be following and covering the Canucks for the 2022-23 year so make sure to check out Sports Talk Line. I also will be looking at some of the Canucks prospects and maybe doing some other stuff in regard to the Canucks so stay tuned. You can also check out lots of other sports coverage from me as the Raptors season “Tips Off” (See how easy that shit is!) and the Whitecaps move into off-season mode.
In case you missed it also check out part 1 and part 2 of my 3 part series on all the great local content producers, voices, and options we have here in the Vancouver area.
If you are an NFL fan then Sports Talk Line is for you as Van The Bossman has you covered with wall-to-wall coverage of everything Sunday and amazing stories, fantasy news, and more. Make sure to follow me on Twitter @JoshuaGriffith0 for the latest tweets, updates, and well jokes. Food pictures too, I am a mean chef. If the Canucks win then I’ll do a recap on Saturday but if they lose to the Flyers then nooooo way will I touch that so only 3 people and my editor read it.
