Canucks Player Grades: Marco Rossi delivers in 4-3 OT win over Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks were hoping to punch their ticket to the NHL post-season for the first time in seven years Sunday — and keep the Vancouver Canucks from playing playoff spoiler — but they’ll have to wait for another night.

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When Marco Rossi picked the short side on an overtime power play with 10 seconds left in the skills show, the Canucks collected a 4-3 win in the second half of back-to-back tests and sealed their first two-game win streak since December. And in a season gone so horribly sideways to sink to the bottom of the league standings, it said something about not quitting and providing some hope for the future.

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The Canucks, however, have seldom found the easy way to victory — and Sunday was another example.

When Brock Boeser scored a spectacular short-handed goal in the third period to put his club up 3-1 — he knocked a puck loose in his own zone, sped away on a break and went to a forehand deke to roof his 22nd goal of the season — the prospect beating the high-flying Ducks for the third time in four meetings this season seemed possible.

But the Ducks would strike for two goals in less than three minutes to send the struggle to overtime. That’s where Boeser was stopped on a trio of power play shots before the issue was settled.

“It was a good effort,” said Canucks head coach Adam Foote. “It was a playoff atmosphere and we showed up early, especially on a back-to-back and it’s been a great road trip. Good resilience and we regained our emotions and played a good game. You saw us fight for each other tonight. You could feel the energy.”

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Mount Douglas erupts, first NHL goal

It might not make the highlight reels, but the jump for joy certainly should.

When towering Canucks grinder Curtis Douglas got the net in the first period, established position with his imposing 6-foot-9 frame and banged home a rebound, he marked his first NHL career goal in 41 games with a memorable celebratory leap and was then mobbed by teammates.

“I kind of blacked out, to be honest,” said Douglas. “Rats (Aatu Raty) made a good play for a tip and I finally got an open net and almost missed it. It was pretty special. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget that one and seeing the bench excited for me.”

It was almost like Douglas, 26, had just won the Stanley Cup because the waiver-wire claim and unrestricted free agent wanted to show he can be more than a protector and scrapper. And even though he answered that bell in the opening period, he has always thought he could do more with his stick instead of his fists.

What he did Sunday was to remind himself, and his teammates, that you can find joy in a sour season gone sideways. Especially when Teddy Blueger fought Radko Gudas after his heavy first-period hit on Liam Ohgren.

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“When Teddy stepped up and answered the bell, we made a decision to stay with each other the whole game and make sure we put our best foot forward,” added Douglas. “We’ve been trying to adjust a lot of things and you’re seeing our character in the last few games with unity. Fun to be part of.”

Said Foote: “He gave us energy. On a short back-to-back we needed a guy to play a physical game and match their intensity. He drags you into the fight when you feel like you might not have your legs. Happy for him. Coachable. Fun to be around.”

For his part, Blueger liked what he saw about the resolve to respond in what often became a chippy affair.

“It was really good,” said Blueger. “We’re doing a lot good things and sticking together and supporting each other and the results come when you do that consistently. We’re in a position where it’s easy to quit and stop playing and we’re not doing that. We have to finish the year like that. We’re building good habits.”

DeBrusk’s deft touch strikes again

Streaky scorer Jake DeBrusk is not happy with his season, but has six goals in his last nine games.

The opportunistic winger is up to 21 on the season — and 18 goals on the power play which ranks fourth in the NHL — because he did what he does best Sunday. He got into position in the slot and put a deft stick deflection home by angling his blade in perfect position to find the top part of the net. It’s a craft and he’s very good at it.

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However, with the Canucks ranked second last in scoring, but making progression with a vastly-improved power play, it begs the question as the Canucks start to think about next season: Who is going to score?

DeBrusk, 29, who hit a career high 28 goals last season, should be part of the solution but has several prolonged scoring droughts this campaign including a 10-game funk to put him in a funk. He was a healthy scratch for one game and that didn’t sit well.

He’s on the books for five more seasons at US$5.5 million annually, so in an increasing cap ceiling world, he makes sense to retain, even in a roster rebuild commitment if he doesn’t want to be moved.

Ducks building the better beast

The Ducks knew the only way to return to the post-season was to draft better, rapidly develop prime prospects, and support them with veterans to help lead the way back to the second season.

And with a current roster that features 10 draft picks, and six who are 23 years of age or younger, the Ducks are on the fast track to becoming an annual playoff fixture and problem for the opposition. It’s what the Canucks hope to become some day.

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Anaheim’s roster includes six free agents and eight players acquired through trades to provide roster balance plus push and pace. Above all, the Ducks realized that youth is being served much younger with today’s highest skilled and willed players. They also know you can’t miss on first-round picks and they’ve hit on Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov and Beckett Sennecke.

Those numbers are numbing

Let’s put it this way: The numbers are numbing in what the Ducks have in their young players.

Anaheim’s 124 goals by players 22-or-younger are the most in a season through 79 games since the 2021-22 New Jersey Devils.

The Ducks also lead with 137 goals by players 23-or-younger and is the first club with three forwards 22-or-younger with 60 or more points in a season since 2017-18 — Carlsson (27-37-64), Cutter Gauthier (40-27-67), Sennecke (23-37-60) — joining Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and Willam Nylander that season.

Gauthier scored twice Sunday and Carlsson sent the game into overtime.

Anaheim is also the only team this season with three players 22 or younger with 20 goals apiece. It’s also the only club with multiple players 24-or-younger with 20 goals and 60 points apiece this season.

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REPORT CARDS

Forwards

Jake DeBrusk (C+)

Great goal, but his line should have generated more than four shots.

Elias Pettersson (C-)

Another quiet night. No zip. No shots, just 5-for-15 on draws (33%).

Nils Hoglander (C)

Lots of try and hustle, good tip chance in first, but four giveaways.

Liam Ohgren (C+)

Speed caught Ducks’ attention, fed Blueger tip chance off rush.

Teddy Blueger (C+)

Challenged Gudas to scrap after big hit on Ohgren. Culture carrier.

Brock Boeser (B)

Gamer. Scored short-handed beauty on breakaway, three OT shots.

Drew O’Connor (C)

Drove net hard in overtime to draw penalty and PP finally struck

Marco Rossi (C+)

Little line chemistry but pulled trigger in OT to salvage his day.

Linus Karlsson (C)

Good pursuit chance at side of net in first period, that was it.

Curtis Douglas (C+)

Big guy scored big goal, dropped the mitts, did his job well.

Ty Mueller (C)

Read game well and moxy in face-off dot, won five of six.

Aatu Raty (C+)

His game is winning draws at both end and went 9-for-16.

Defence

Zeev Buium (C+)

Had that quickness to transition pucks, three shots, two blocks.

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Filip Hronek (B)

Had assist to equal career high of 48 points in season. Six shots.

Marcus Pettersson (C)

Simple is the solution for veteran. Effective when not indecisive.

Tom Willander (C)

Great wheels but needs better awareness with trio of giveaways.

Elias Pettersson (C+)

Plus-2, five hits made good impression. Learning to pick his spots.

Kirill Kudryavtsev (C)

First NHL game of season, third overall, two shots, three attempts.

Goal

Nikita Tolopilo (B)

Series of solid back-to-back saves off rush in second. Kept club in it.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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