A late power play goal was the difference as the Vancouver Canucks fell 4-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday afternoon. Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood found the back of the net, while Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves on 31 shots in the loss. With the defeat, the Canucks dropped to 4-7-3 and have yet to win back-to-back games at Rogers Arena this season.
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One of the main reasons Vancouver lost this game was the penalty kill. The Lightning went 2/4, including the game-winner with the man advantage and finished the game with 11 shots on net during their power plays. While the penalty kill has been strong as of late, the group really struggled in this game, as they were unable to get sticks in passing and shooting lanes.
Post-game, Sherwood spoke about special teams, saying, “I thought our five-on-five play and out start was a lot better. Obviously, their power play has been good for so many years. Down the stretch, it’s a game of inches, and it came down to special teams. I keep saying it, but I think there is a lot to keep building on, and we just got to continue to improve night in and night out.
Rick Tocchet was also asked about the penalty kill during post-game availabilities. He said, “We’ve been doing pretty good. I think a couple of guys there are certain situations. You gotta take back ice on the play. It happened twice. You got to learn under pressure what you want to give them. That last goal there, I know that it was a fluke but you got to take back ice. You can’t let that puck get to Kucherov.”
The Canucks second period was also very problematic. They were outshot 18-5 and outscored 2-0. Yes, Tampa Bay did have three power plays, but Vancouver also had one, recording only one shot with the man advantage. In the end, the Lightning’s ability to control the second period shifted the momentum in their favour, eventually leading to a win.
The biggest positive from this game was Lankinen’s play. The Canucks goaltender made multiple highlight-reel saves and did everything he could to keep Vancouver in this game during the second period. It is hard to imagine where the Canucks would be without Lankinen as he adds to his impressive collection of performances from this season.
Ultimately, it felt like Tampa Bay wanted this game more than Vancouver. Although the Canucks did make a push in the third, the Lightning just kept pressing and eventually found the game-winner thanks to a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty. While the game itself was entertaining, like most nights this year, fans in Vancouver left the arena disappointed after witnessing another loss.
Facts and Stats:
– Quinn Hughes becomes the tenth defenceman in franchise history to score 50 goals
– Kevin Lankinen has made 25 saves in 15 of his 20 games this season
– Kiefer Sherwood records at least seven hits for the tenth time this season
– The Canucks record under 25 shots on goal for the tenth time this season
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
16:06- VAN: Quinn Hughes (7) from Pius Suter
2nd Period:
4:40- TBL: Nikita Kucherov (13) from Ryan McDonagh and Brayden Point
6:29- TBL: Brayden Point (17) from Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman (PPG)
3rd Period:
4:42- VAN: Kiefer Sherwood (8) from Tyler Myers and Aatu Räty
16:04- TBL: Jake Guentzel (12) from Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point (PPG)
19:42- Brayden Point (18) (ENG)
Up Next:
The Canucks hit the mid-way mark of their six-game road trip on Tuesday when they face the St. Louis Blues. Last season, Vancouver went 1-1-1 against St. Louis, with their only win coming at home. Game time is set for 7:00 pm PT.
