Canucks score four in shutout win vs. Panthers in JT Miller’s return

1-0 Canucks. 

The Canucks kept their foot on the gas, continuing to beat Florida to pucks, win their battles along the wall, and move the puck out of their own end quickly.

Really, they looked like the team we got used to watching last season during the first period. And before the opening frame was through, they added another one. This time it was Danton Heinen scoring his fourth goal of the year, with the assist going to Max Sasson.

2-0 Canucks. 

Make that two primary assists for Max Sasson, who was making it look easy in the first period of this one. Sasson was phenomenal to start this game, and more than earned both of those primary assists.

The Canucks kicked off the second period with Miller setting up Brock Boeser for his eighth goal of the season to the sound of JT Miller chants ringing throughout Rogers Arena.

3-0 Canucks, just like we all expected.

The Canucks kept up their pressure on the Panthers and it was almost hard to believe what we were seeing. Not only because the Canucks were taking care of business against the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Not only because they were doing it on home ice.

No, the thing that made it perhaps the most surprising was that the Canucks were doing this on a night where they really weren’t getting much from Miller, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, or Quinn Hughes. Don’t get me wrong, those guys were fine tonight, but they’re the Canucks’ difference-makers, and on nights when at least one of them isn’t necessarily brilliant, it usually means the Canucks struggle.

But tonight, everyone stepped up. After what was arguably their worst game as a collective group on Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay, the bottom four defence group all stepped up. After being basically invisible for some time now, Danton Heinen scored a goal. Max Sasson picked up two well-deserved primary assists. This was a good team win through and through.

We’re foreshadowing a bit here, because we haven’t written anything about the third period just yet, but with how well the Canucks played through 40 minutes, you kind of knew they’d be leaving Rogers Arena with two points.

Things got interesting when the Panthers’ ever-dangerous power play got two chances to get on the board, but the Canucks’ penalty kill did well to limit their time and space and protect the middle of the ice.

One thing the Canucks did very well both on the PK and at 5v5 was put pressure on the Panthers through the neutral zone. The Canucks’ neutral zone pressure and forecheck were on point tonight.

The real highlight of the third period was the flurry of saves Kevin Lankinen made with just about ten minutes left to go, stopping Florida dead in their tracks and essentially putting a bow on this one.

Before that, though, the Canucks got a power play chance of their own, and they made good on it.

4-0 Canucks. 

The power play started putting up better results after Miller took his leave of absence, so it was nice to see them find success with him back on it, especially with him playing such a key role in it all as well.

A complete 60 minute effort from the Canucks ends in a 4-0 final. 

Some more takeaways from tonight:

-Mark Friedman seems to be hurt all the time. Maybe it’s cause he’s always mixing it up and getting under the opposition’s skin, but I always seem to notice him either on the ice or dealing with some sort of post-whistle ailment.
-Friedman did a great job at getting under the Pantthers’ skin tonight. I’d still like to see Erik Brännström back in the lineup soon though.
-Sasson’s two primary assists were great to see. Cutting to the middle of the ice the way he did on Soucy’s opening tally isn’t something you often see from a young player, but Sasson has certainly shown flashes of looking the part of a bottom six NHL winger.
-Florida is one of the heavier forechecking teams in the league, and the Canucks did well to contend with that.
-Boeser scores in career game number 500.
-The Canucks aren’t going to win many games when they get just one power play opportunity, and they’re going to win even fewer when they take two penalties against a top five power play in the league.
-Two assists for Teddy Blueger tonight.
-A nice return for JT Miller, even if he clearly had some rust, as he said this morning he was expecting. The faceoff win and assist on the power play goal was great to see.
-Jake DeBrusk now up to 14 goals after a slow-ish start to his Canucks tenure.
-That’s the first time the Panthers have been shutout this season. Not too shabby.

What are your thoughts on tonight’s game?