Could Canucks’ Late Goal Be the Start of Something?

The Vancouver Canucks are running short on good news. Ten straight losses will do that to a team, and there isn't much point pretending otherwise. But sometimes, even in a rough season, a small development is worth watching.

Late in Sunday's 4–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser combined for a goal that offered a glimpse of what the Canucks could build on.

Pettersson found Boeser in the high slot, and the winger buried a one-timer. It was a good-looking play at a time when Vancouver needed something to go right. More importantly, it came after Manny Malhotra put the two forwards together and challenged them to help lead the team. That's worth paying attention to.

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A Little Chemistry Could Go a Long Way

Boeser acknowledged after the game that the two haven't played together much recently. He described the goal as the result of a clean breakout, good separation, and a strong play from Pettersson to find him in the slot. Nothing complicated there. Two skilled players made a play, and one of them finished it.

Of course, one goal doesn't tell us whether this combination should stick. For much of the game, Pettersson and Boeser struggled against a Minnesota team that has been playing well. They also faced a difficult assignment against Quinn Hughes and the Wild's top forward line.

Still, Vancouver has to find ways to generate offence, and getting two important forwards working together would be a useful development. When a team is losing, it's easy to focus on everything that's going wrong. Coaches also have to look for combinations that might make something go right.

What Does Malhotra Try Next?

The question is whether Pettersson and Boeser can carry that late-game connection into their next outing. Can they create chances earlier? Can they help Vancouver spend less time defending and more time attacking?

Those are reasonable questions, not demands for an instant turnaround.

The Canucks have bigger issues than finding one productive forward pairing. Their defensive mistakes and struggling penalty kill won't disappear because two players connect on a nice goal. But the team needs more dependable offence, and this is one possible starting point.

Fans have watched enough losses to know that a promising moment isn't the same as real progress. The next step is seeing whether it happens again. If Pettersson and Boeser can build some chemistry, Malhotra may have found a combination worth keeping together. Right now, the Canucks will take any genuine sign of progress they can get.

Related: The Canucks Have a Bigger Problem Than Losing