They smashed the alarm clock to the same song for the second day in a row as the Canucks fall to the Flyers 3-2 in what seemed like “Groundhog Day”. I think I might have Deja vu but I’ll have to double-check with the kitchen as the Canucks gave up a multi-goal lead for the second straight game. It wasn’t just giving up a lead but how they gave up the lead.
Special teams once again sunk them and like living the same day over and over again it will be curious when they stop trying to learn piano and just live out the day. As the great Sonny and Cher once sang…
“They say we’re young, and we don’t know
We won’t find out until we grow
Well, I don’t know if all that’s true
‘Cause you got me, and baby, I got you”
Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cooooold out there today. *Smashes Alarm clock again in a rage.
I guess we should get to the game despite my not really wanting to. If you missed what I am talking about then either read on or take a look at the Canucks first game of the season.
A Relatively Poor Recap Of The Game
If I copy and pasted my last article’s poor recap would anyone really notice? I would change the names of the players and switch Edmonton Oilers to Philadelphia Flyers and all that. Fine I will write about how the Canucks fall to the Flyers 3-2 after jumping out to a hot start and then giving up a multiple-goal lead.
Canucks Jump Out To A Hot Start
Vancouver jumped out to a hot start thanks to Kyle Burroughs? Yeah I fact-checked it on the NHL website, it was Burroughs who fired a shot past Carter Hart just 1:34 into the game and the Canucks once again had an early lead. They were being seriously outplayed by Philly but Thatcher Demko was sharp as always making 14 saves.
Vancouver would add to their lead before the period was over thanks to some great work from Vasily Podkolzin who is really coming into his own in the NHL. There was a play later in the game when Luke Schenn got an elbowing penalty and was rushed by some players from Philly and Podkolzin was first back to defend Schenn and grabbed to Flyers.
Back to the game, Podkolzin would find Garland and he was able to beat Hart. Vancouver had 2 goals on just 4 shots in the first period and just like the last game against Edmonton it looked like they would run away with things.
With a 2-0 lead, it looked like the Canucks had chased their demons as they were able to kill off some penalties in the 1st period. The teams basically played back-and-forth hockey for the final 9 minutes of the period and the visiting side would take a 2 goal lead to the locker room after the 1st period.
Vancouver was able to kill off a 4th straight penalty after Nils Hoglander was called for an outrageous high-sticking call. He took a butt end of Kevin Hayes’s stick to his face and while falling down and bleeding he hit Hayes in the face with his stick…Didn’t this just happen Wednesday? We will get to this later.
Despite me knocking on wood, one of the Johns jinxed them on the broadcast by mentioning they had killed off the first 4 penalties… Cue Scott Laughton, who took a beautiful bank pass from Travis Konecny, would walk in alone on Demko and go bar down to tie the game at 2 at 17:49 of the second period. JT Miller did his best Tyler Myers impression but in the opposing neutral zone. PS: It didn’t work well.
Bar down on the breakaway from Loughton
The Canucks would get a powerplay at the end of the second period but they were probably as nervous as I was about it. I know that because they used 2 defensemen for the final 29 seconds of the period.
The Second Half Of The Game Was Special… Teams
Yes, I used the exact same headings as last game. Was it because I am lazy, that adds to it a bit, but more of the credit goes to this BEING THE EXACT SAME GAME AS WEDNESDAY! The Canucks gave up a multiple-goal lead once again and were chasing the home side down 3-2.
The Canucks didn’t really press for the tieing goal. They had a couple of powerplays I think but Philly, like Edmonton, never looked stressed on the defensive side after taking the lead.
That was it. I guess on the plus side the Flyers didn’t score an empty net goal. Thatcher Demko made 28 saves on 31 shots for the Canucks while Carter Hart struggled early but found his game and ended up making 28 saves on 30 shots. Kuzmenko looked good as the Canucks fall to the Flyers 3-2 but the stellar performances were few and far between.
Demko was Demko again and made some great saves but can’t be called upon to do everything. The only thing I will fault him for was the shorthanded goal. I felt he could have been a bit farther out to cut out the angle (Ducks for cover for thrown items from Quads and Woodley). Brendan Batchelor was on the postgame show and had a quote to sum up the game and it was perfect!
The Unnamed Moments Of The Game As The Canucks Fall 3-2 To The Flyers
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
Are we really going to do this again? Another stupid non-call on Nils Hoglander, (I could do the Umulat but that requires me to send a message from my phone to my Twitter, maybe if they win I will take that effort) as he was but ended in the face and while falling to the ice bleeding hit Kevin Hayes with his stick and was called for a penalty… Don’t swear in your articles, it’s only game two.
This was the play in question. You be the judge and let me know what you think so I don’t have to call out the blatantly obvious and can leave it to the readers.
The Unnamed Game Analytics Of An Idiot
Welcome back to stats for idiots. That big green mark and a G mean a goal for the Philadelphia Flyers. Normally this would be fine but the Vancouver Canucks had the man advantage so this is not fine. Actually, this is really bad. We discussed special teams as being a problem in the last game and it was once again a problem Saturday afternoon.
This was the second game the Canucks have given up a shorthanded goal. They only gave up 6 last season but have already seen poor passing lead to a couple of pucks getting past Demko.
I really hope I have a better dumb analytic take next game. Wait I have more stats, 8/8! That’s how many of the goals JT Miller has been on the ice for this season after two games. That is not good if you were wondering. He spoke about it after the game…
I don’t have quotes, I told you that after the first game. Listen better than JT defends and you will be fine.
The Unnamed Reaction To The Game
I did say that Star Wars GIFs might take it every week but I think it might be Becka that takes it every week. Playing on my Groundhog Day theme she absolutely nailed it with what Canucks fans are now attributing their nightmares to.
I am going to give some reaction to the game as the * denotes JT Miller being on the ice for all 8 of the Canucks goals in 2 games. You are lucky we had another stupid penalty call or you would have been the Huh this week with whatever you were trying to do with your crazy passes.
Sports Talk Line And The Vancouver Canucks
The road trip continues for the Vancouver Canucks after the 3-2 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers. Next up will be a trip to the nation’s Capital, Not our nation’s Capital, but the Merican one. Then Vancouver will have no rest as they move right on to Columbus and the Blue Jackets.
Make sure to follow the Sports Talk Line network for all the latest sports news. Van has you covered for your NFL news while I will continue to recap the Canucks games, 4 more to hit my quota of 6. For more Canucks coverage make sure to follow me on Twitter at JoshuaGriffith0.
Check out the Sports Talk Line Network as the NFL season continues and the NHL and NBA get underway. The Vancouver Canucks will look to finally move on to the next day, just like Phil was able to finally do!
