Canucks Player Grades: Adversity arrives in telling 5-1 loss to Penguins

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Conor Garland’s sense of rational calm before this five-game road trip set the right reflective tone.

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The Vancouver Canucks’ veteran right-winger reasoned it was too early to take stock of a slow 1-2-0 start and that five games crammed into eight days away from Rogers Arena would be a better barometer to measure handling pressure.

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And so would how they dealt with considerable adversity.

Three straight victories spoke to resolve and resiliency, but Tuesday in Pittsburgh was the litmus test of doing more with less while not getting enough rest and recovery in a condensed schedule.

In the absence of injured veterans Filip Chytil, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Teddy Blueger, and Brock Boeser away for personal reasons, the Canucks rallied to the cause and started strong for the second-straight game. Garland loaded up a slapper and zipped the first shot of the night past Arturs Silovs on the stick side at 1:18.

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And five straight shots by the visitors seemed to suggest a fourth-straight triumph was in the cards. But it became a house of cards.

Three goals in a span of 3:08 in the second period not only gave the Penguins a 4-1 lead en route to a 5-1 decision, it drove home the point that winning without battle-tested players is hard. And so is fatigue. The longer it went, the more it showed.

“We could have been up 3-0 or 4-0 in the first 10 minutes, and a lot of good things early, but it didn’t happen,” said Canucks head coach Adam Foote. “You run out of gas and put yourselves in situations where you take penalties that you wouldn’t normally take. You give them (Penguins) five power plays and they score on two.

“I don’t know if it’s emotions as much as the schedule. Three games in that (four-day period) but we were flying today and if we got that next goal it could have been a different story. We can’t overthink it.”

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The Canucks had 24 shots, but another 20 were blocked and 25 missed the net. They should think about that.

“We have to keep shooting to keep the play alive for the next play,” stressed Foote. “Let our forwards have a chance to get rebounds. It’s to a lack of trying. We’ll sort it out.”

There was no Chytil taking dominant strong strides through the neutral zone, easily gaining the offensive zone, and not only presenting a playmaking presence, but driving the net to score three times in his first six games. The heavy blindside hit he absorbed Sunday after dishing off a pass in the neutral zone, and needing help to the locker room for further evaluation, was a sorry sight.

Chytil continues to be evaluated in Vancouver and a history of concussions could put his season, and perhaps his career, in jeopardy. The quest for a support centre has been going on for months and Tuesday was another indication of how badly the Canucks need help.

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Blueger was also not there to help steady the penalty kill that would be tested by the Penguins’ penchant for pushing pucks down low and scoring off set plays and rebounds. And there was no Boeser to pull the trigger and build on three goals in his first five outings.

What there was included too much choppy play, clutching and grabbing, and allowing the Penguins to have their way.

“I liked our start, but in the second period we gave them too much,” said Elias Pettersson. “We can’t let it continue, we can’t let games slip like this and it doesn’t come easy. We need to bring it every night.”

The power play struggled with from a lack of face-off success for puck possession to trigger the flow and rotations. It went 0-for-3 with seven shots.

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“It starts with me,” added Pettersson. “If I win more draws, we start with the puck. I think I was 1-for-5 and that’s not good enough.”

The Canucks allowed Thomas Novak to come off the sideboards and pick the power play corner on Kevin Lankinen to snap a 1-1 tie. Sidney Crosby was uncontested to snap home a wrist shot from the slot and Anthony Mantha raced to the net to jam a rebound off an Evgeni Malkin foray.

The Canucks could have clawed their way back into the game with an early third-period power play, but were ineffective. However, Evander Kane was noticeable for the right reasons. The veteran winger is finding his game with a better stride and presence. He was stopped on a short-handed breakaway, drew a penalty, and had three shots and seven attempts.

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It’s not that the Canucks didn’t know what to expect Tuesday. If anybody had the right read it was former Penguins winger Drew O’Connor. He played on a line with Crosby and knew moving the Pittsburgh captain off the puck was like moving a mountain.

“He likes to play close in the offensive zone and move the puck really quickly, work the down-low game,” said O’Connor. “He explains the little details, like how to grab pucks off the wall, and tight turns that he’s really good at. It was awesome playing on a line with him because every time you come to the bench, he shows you different ways of learning new things.”

Playing against Crosby is not so awesome.

He now has 13 points in the last 17 games against the Canucks, and even at age 38, he remains the straw that stirs the drink. No wonder rumours persist of trade interest in the legendary centre, who has a no-movement clause and seems content to stay in Pittsburgh.

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REPORT CARDS

Jake DeBrusk (C)

Was third with 11 high-danger chances. Quiet night. One shot. Two giveaways.

Elias Pettersson (C+)

Set up opening goal, two shots, six attempts, won only 27 per cent of draws.

Conor Garland (B+)

First shot of game beats Silovs stick side, six points (2-4) on trip, strong on PK.

Arshdeep Bains (C)

Forced neutral-zone turnover with good read, positioning, but no shots.

Max Sasson (C)

Late on backcheck to negate Mantha goal, just one shot, lost six of seven draws.

Linus Karlsson (B-)

Nearly PP wraparound goal, two shots, nine attempts, net-front presence.

Evander Kane (B+)

Stopped on breakaway, drew penalty, three shots, seven attempts. Noticeable.

Aatu Raty (C)

Started 4-for-5 in faceoffs, won draws on penalty kill, and finished 9-for-18.

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Kiefer Sherwood (B-)

Becoming playmaker, scorer, but grit fuels game. Four hits, but three giveaways.

Drew O’Connor (C+)

Good wheels. Sprung on short-handed break by Sherwood, took bad penalty.

Nils Aman (C+)

Recalled pivot centred fourth line, played 10:28, one-timer chance high slot.

Joseph LaBate (B-)

Dropped defenceman Wotherspoon with heavy O-zone check, two shots, six hits.

Quinn Hughes (B)

Grade A looks at top of slot, chance down low, two shots, eight attempts, 25:41.

Filip Hronek (C)

Like other blueliners, was challenged to deny pressing Pens down low.

Marcus Pettersson (C+)

Early slot chance off rush, better at denying Penguins crease presence.

Tyler Myers (C+)

Played big, simple. Hard on opposition. Won board battles. Moved pucks.

Elias (D-Petey) Pettersson (C)

Early shot block but trying to hold off Malkin driving net was tall task.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph (C+)

Recovered from first-period shot block on inside of leg, three shots, two blocks.

Kevin Lankinen (C)

Lots of mosh-pits, Grade A chances, lack of support, vulnerable on stick side.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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