Canucks outshoot Blackhawks 45-28, lose 5-2

First Period

This game began with some high-flying action as the teams traded chances early on. The Pettersson line generated some solid rush chances early, and Kevin Lankinen made some sharp saves at the other end.

Through 10 minutes, the shots were 11-10 in favour of the Canucks. Talk about entertainment! Connor Bedard must have had at least seven solid scoring chances in the first 15 minutes of tonight’s game. According to Natural Stat Trick, the number was actually five.

Even with all that action, there weren’t many “highlights” to report. The Canucks did come close to opening the scoring in the dying moments of the first however, when Quinn Hughes walked the line, fired a shot through traffic, creating a bounce off the boards that Elias Pettersson managed to be the first to, getting a good backhand chance off on Spencer Knight. Knight sprawled with his glove extended and robbed Pettersson on what might have been goaltender intereference if it beat him anyway.

One other noteworthy thing that happened in the first. Aatu Räty went down awkwardly into the boards in front of the Canucks’ bench and headed down the tunnel, using his stick for support. Thankfully, Räty returned shortly after. That would have been a disaster, given the Canucks’ already-depleted forward group.

Scoreless after 20.

Some takeaways from the first period:
-Tom Willander is looking more and more comfortable. Some really sharp decisions with and without the puck early in this one.
-I know Elias Pettersson (D) struggled against the Predators, but I was a little surprised to see him taken out of the Canucks’ lineup in favour of PO Joseph tonight.

Second Period

The Canucks’ top line began the second period with a strong effort:

On the next shift, Lukas Reichel found himself on a breakaway, but Spencer Knight turned his attempt aside:

The Canucks began stacking shifts on Chicago, and anytime they lost the puck, the Canucks’ forwards were applying tremendous back pressure and getting the puck right back. Connor Bedard took the first penalty of the game five minutes into the second when he was called for holding Tyler Myers’ sitck. The Canucks’ power play, once again featuring Conor Garland, got their first opportunity of the night to get to work. And sure enough, it was Garland who made a beautiful passing play followed by a sharp read to pick off a Chicago clearing attempt to create the Canucks’ two best chances of the power play. Despite that, the Canucks couldn’t convert.

The home didn’t let that slow their momentum, as upon the penalty ending, the Canucks kept pouring on the pressure in the Chicago end. Drew O’Connor appeared to score the first goal of the game just under nine minutes into the second, but Chicago challenged the play for goaltender interference and were successful. As always, you be the judge:

Quinn Hughes sure seems to have his step back. With just over six minutes left in the second, Hughes made a smart cut into the slot, causing Tyler Bertuzzi to trip him up and send the Canucks back to the power play.

The Canucks once again had no problem gaining the zone and snapping the puck around, but that was only true of the first minute of the power play.

This one was still scoreless after 40 minutes of play, with the shots reading 34-20 in favour of the Canucks.

Some takeaways from the second:
-That was a dominant second period from the Canucks, and was building off of what they did to the Predators on Monday night.
-This game being scoreless despite that makes me think the Canucks are going to give up the game’s first goal in the third…

Third Period

Not to steal Mike Liu’s flow, but this heat map after 40 minutes of play was… something.

And sure enough, the Hawks opened the scoring in short order.

I think I would have challenged that one for a kicking motion… no?

1-0 Hawks.

Tyler Myers took an interference penalty, but it was the Canucks’ PK who had the game’s next great chance. Elias Pettersson applied pressure on the forecheck and created a turnover, but instead of shooting, he dished off to Conor Garland, and the play died.

Chicago went the other way and once again, found the perfect seam to find Tyler Bertuzzi for a back-door tap-in.

2-0 Chicago.

The Chicago comeback didn’t stop there. Next was old friend Ilya Mikheyev, who benefitted from a whole lot of standing around and puck watching:

3-0 Chicago. 

Tyler Bertuzzi added another one, as he completed the hat trick.

4-0.

Aatu Räty didn’t let Spencer Knight’s shutout stand, as he ripped home a chance off the rush to make it 4-1. 

Don’t go anywhere just yet…

Evander Kane blasted home a point shot through traffic with two minutes left on the clock, with the assists going to Quinn Hughes and Tom Willander.

4-2. 

With the Canucks’ net empty, Connor Bedard scored to put the icing on the cake.

5-2 Hawks.

Some takeaways from the third:
-Spencer Knight is a very good goalie. I don’t think his start to this season is a fluke.
-I don’t think Lukas Reichel will be centring the second line when Teddy Blueger returns. There was a heated debate on this site yesterday about who should fill that role. It might be Aatu Räty. It might be Blueger. But I don’t think it will be Reichel.
-Liked Willander’s game tonight.

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game?