Canucks Players Grade: Wild effort for a fun 4-3 win over Blue Jackets

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The Vancouver Canucks are a .500 hockey team again.

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They’re a team that’s going to have to fight hard to make the playoffs. They must win games against opponents like the Columbus Blue Jackets to even have a smidgen of a chance to make the big dance at the end of the season.

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And beat the Blue Jackets they did on Saturday at Rogers Arenacoming back from 2-1 down in the second period for a 4-3 win.

The doom and gloom take is that a performance like this won’t work against a team like the Colorado Avalanche, which they face Sunday. The Avs are the first of six true cup contenders in a row the Canucks will face over the coming two weeks.

The Avs beat the Oilers 9-1 on Saturday, a statement win if ever there were one.

But that’s tomorrow and this is today and the Canucks proved something to themselves anyway: they found a way to win in a game they had to win.

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The fans went home happy. The Canucks got big performances from their best players and some good performances from their role players, too.

That power play

The five minute man advantage could have made such a difference in the second period but the zone entries were a mess. It took more than a minute for the Canucks to get set up on that power play and it was the second unit that did so.

And at that point, I was thinking how rough a night Quinn Hughes was having. He’s the quarterback. He drives the bus there. He was massively better in the final frame but on the power play, he was like the rest of his linemates, too listless.

The power play has to be better.

Hughes vs. Werenski

Zach Werenski is perhaps the most underrated high-end defenceman in the NHL.

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HIs skills are subtle. He ate minutes and he drove play the right way, finishing +9 in shot attempts at 5 on 5.

Hughes was even better in the end. He played two mintues more than Werenski did at even strength. And he was +10 in shot attempts.

Does Myers need a break?

The Chaos Giraffe has had a tough week. He’s got a lot of miles on his body. You wonder when the Canucks get a little healthier on the blue line if the coaching staff might start looking for games to give him a rest.

Victor Mancini could be back soon. He’ll surely need some time back in the AHL to get back in shape, but once he is, can you find a spot for Myers to sit and get Mancini in?

Forwards

Elias Pettersson A: Can’t find puck on a poor centring pass by Conor Garland. A nice support rush of Kiefe Sherwood. Confident on the puck — except for a rush on the power play when he should have driven the net. Big on faceoffs. Nice feed to Tyler Myers, which led to a Garland goal. Two late blocks in the scramble.

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Evander KaneB: On puck early. Too slow to the puck in the second. He’s had better games. Glorious chance in the third but can’t finish.

Conor Garland A: Great work on the goal. Huge effort late to close off the game.

Lukas Reichel C-: Took a penalty in the first.  Brutal night for his shift as a whole.

Brock Boeser B-: Didn’t get puck out under pressure in first. Missed Kirill Marchenko on the back check on the first goal. Tough night but what a goal to put his team ahead.

Kiefer Sherwood C+: Like the rest of his line, tough night until his great pass to spring Brock Boeser.

Aatu Raty B: Great play on the zone entry to create the chance for Jale DeBrusk’s goal.

Drew O’Connor A: Lots of good work with the puck early. Outstanding support and then pass to DeBrusk. Huge night. Great goal.

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Jake DeBrusk A: Nice little forechecking moment winning the puck on the end boards in the first. Lovely goal. And great backing up of O’Connor after he was cross-checked by Columbus’ Dante Fabbro.

Max Sasson D: Tried to skate the puck out of the corner but let the puck run away from him. Was a sign of things to come: bad night for the Calder Cup Line.

Arshdeep Bains D: Beat off the boards in his own end by Kent Johnson. Tough shift by the line.

Linus Karlsson D: Rough night for the line but a good shift in the third where Hughes almost scored.

Defence

Quinn Hughes B: Skating hard. Looking frustrated early. Power play was not good. Is that on him? He’s the quarterback. But he raised his game in the third.

Filip Hronek B-: Bad gap on second Marchenko goal. Some vintage swashbuckling with the puck though.

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Marcus Pettersson C: Really rough night for him and Myers. Was run roughshod by the very impressive Fantilli-Marchenko-Voronkov line, which caused them all kinds of fits.

Tyler Myers C: Having a really, really rough go lately. Been on ice for five goals against last two games. But also made the great rush that became Garland’s goal.

Tom Willander C+: Decent night. Playing with lots of competence, which is what you want from the rookie.

Elias Pettersson C+: Really nice work on an early PK. Quiet night though.

GOAL

Kevin Lankinen B: You wanted a save from him on the second Marchenko goal, but otherwise he was very, very solid. Also thankful to his posts a couple of times.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

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