In a moment of hope for Vancouver Canucks fans, Max Sasson gave the team a second period lead, but it did not last. The Canucks ultimately lost 2–1 to the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena, with Cole Smith scoring the winner midway through the third. The Canucks also came up empty late on the power play due to the goalie being pulled.
Vegas extended its winning streak to four games and remains unbeaten under new coach John Tortorella. ESPN's recap noted that the win also completed a three-game season sweep of the Canucks, something most fans would like to forget.
Despite the result, it was not a complete walkover. The game was on edge, spaced out and didn't look very clean in any way. When a team is struggling, these are the nights where a mistake, a fumble, or a lost puck in the neutral zone can ruin the game. And that's pretty much what happened here with the Canucks.
game flow
At 12:50 of the second period, Sasson finally broke through for the Canucks, beating Carter Hart with a wrist shot over the glove for his 13th goal of the season. It felt like the Canucks earned something for sticking with the slower, tighter game.
However, less than three minutes later, Braden McNabb answered for Vegas with a shot through traffic, and before the Canucks could really regain the lead, everything was reset.
Then the Golden Knights took the lead. Smith scored with 12:13 left in the third minute after a neutral-zone takeaway and a pass from Nick Dowd put him in high position.
The Golden Knights' defense did the rest, including killing penalties in the final two minutes. The Canucks got the chances you wanted late, with Rasmus Andersen called for interference and Nikita Tolopilo pulling the extra attacker, but the push never ended.
the statue that stands out
A number is more important than anything else in this game. The Golden Knights held the Canucks to just 11 shots. This is the fewest shots allowed in its short franchise history.
In comparison, Tolopillo made 26 saves at the other end. That contradiction speaks volumes.
The Canucks got enough goals to go around, but they didn't generate enough aggression to generate pressure.
For the Canucks, it felt familiar in the worst way. There was effort, there was a brief lead, and there was even a real chance to force overtime late. But the attack remained weak.
The Canucks head to Los Angeles for the start of a three-game road trip, while the Golden Knights head to Seattle with a little more life than a week ago.
