New-look Canucks show promising signs in OT loss to Red Wings
As restarts go, everything was great for the Canucks except the finish. This is the point of recalibration for the Canucks, the chance to re-launch their season and set a new course unencumbered by the mental cargo they carried since last fall.
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VANCOUVER – As restarts go, everything was great for the Vancouver Canucks Sunday night except the finish.
They lost their seventh straight overtime decision on another OT rush as Alex DeBrincat scored 4:18 into three-on-three to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory at Rogers Arena in the first game of the rest of the season for the Canucks.
Vancouver outshot Detroit 26-15 in regulation time. New centre Filip Chytil took J.T. Miller’s spot in the dressing room and, more or less, on the ice and scored the tying goal in the third period in his Canucks debut.
New defenceman Marcus Pettersson, the centrepiece return from Friday night’s trades of Miller to the New York Rangers and a first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins, logged 25:57 of ice time in his first game for Vancouver and posted expected-goals-for of 74 per cent at five on five.
Part of the reason the new Pettersson on the team played more in his first game in Vancouver than in any of his 46 for Pittsburgh this season is that Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes was unable to play – a late scratch due to an apparent lower-body injury sustained Friday in Dallas.
Even without the most dynamic defenceman in the National Hockey League, there was a lively energy about the Canucks that has been missing in many games this winter.
After two months of bleak murkiness and turmoil, Sunday’s game felt like the start of something new – something better, the Canucks hope.
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They have 30 games to save their season, to build momentum and positivity and earn their way back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“A lot of new guys since last game,” senior defenceman Tyler Myers said. “I thought they did an unbelievable job stepping in. They look very comfortable. Our room was really good tonight. We stuck with it, even though we were down for most of the game and Cheats (editor’s note: we are unsure at this time how to spell Filip Chytil’s nickname) made a great play to tie it up. We did a lot of good things tonight and had a lot of good energy.
“Guys did a great job of trying not to let that other stuff get to them. But, you know, there’s always thoughts about what’s going to happen with all that was being talked about. I think everyone’s excited to move forward and move forward as a group and find ways to be competitive. It was a good start tonight.”
“Probably there’s just a sense of relief a little bit,” Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood said. “I think there was a lot that was probably hanging over the whole team for a long time. So definitely a spark (with the trades). Good character guys and good hockey players, so we’re excited to have them.”
Sunday’s lineup also included ex-Penguin winger Drew O’Connor, but prospect-defenceman Victor Mancini was scratched by coach Rick Tocchet after travelling with Chytil from the Rangers.
Chytil, a third-line centre the Canucks will try to elevate with the departure of Miller, was noticeable for his speed and eagerness to attack with the puck.
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He scored the tying goal at 10:46 of the third period, scooping up the puck after linemate Conor Garland was hooked on a rush, veering past Detroit defenceman Ben Chiarot and shooting short-side between goalie Alex Lyon’s arm and chest.
“In that moment, it was so many emotions in my head,” Chytil said.
He later added: “It was a huge for myself. This first game, you go into the game with not many expectations. Just go in with instincts, playing the game (the way) I know I can play. I was very happy that I scored.”
The 25-year-old Czech centred Garland and Dakota Joshua on the second line and finished with 20:03 of ice time, three shots and a 9-3 record on faceoffs.
He was also on the ice for the Red Wings’ overtime goal, trapped on the winning three-on-two rush after he was unable to handle Garland’s difficult pass.
“I was not even nervous; that was weird,” Chytil said of his pre-game preparation. “It was more, like, I didn’t even know that I’m playing a game. When you are seven-and-a-half years on one team and you’re traded for the first time, it’s very hard. It’s a lot of emotions, emotions in the head. But right away, when I jump on (the ice) for warmup and I saw the fans in the building, and I saw how everybody was pumped up for a game, I started to feel like this is the team where I want to be.”
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The Canucks need him. Just like they need the new Pettersson on defence, and a lot more from the old Pettersson, Elias, up front. But their immediate need, heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break next week, is more of the positive energy and play-driving directness they had on Sunday.
“Just meeting the kids, the players today.. . a lot of smiling, a lot of excitement,” Tocchet said. “I thought (Marcus Pettersson) was terrific. It’s a nice trade for us; he could really stabilize our D. But there was a freshness today just from the guys excited to be here.”
This is the point of recalibration for the Canucks, the chance to re-launch their season and set a new course unencumbered by the mental cargo they carried since last fall.
“There’s some guys that have not had . . . the year that they want,” Tocchet said. “There’s plenty of games to turn the page and refresh. So as much as for the whole team to refresh, other guys can, too. ‘OK, we’ve got the trades and stuff over for now, and this is our team. So . . . we start at zero.’ I think sometimes if you do that, you reset.”
“There was a lot of noise with all that stuff going on,” Myers said. “I know Millsy is excited for a fresh start, and for us to get a fresh start as well in the room. I think it was good for everybody. You just push forward and keep working hard.”
ICE CHIPS
Tocchet said Hughes wanted to play but the team decided to keep him out and see how he is for Tuesday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche. . . Pius Suter also scored for Vancouver, which did not get a power play. The Red Wings had one. Since Garland got away with a last-minute hold on Connor McDavid two weeks ago, the Canucks have had 13 power plays in seven games. . . Their record in overtime this season is 3-10-1. . . Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen allowed three goals on 18 shots.
