CANUCKS BANTER     By Andrew Chernoff    FEBRUARY 6, 2016

The Vancouver Canucks (20-20-12) hosted division opponent Calgary Flames (23-25-3) tonight at Rogers Place, in a key divisional game; the final game of a three game home stand.

Calgary visited Vancouver for their second game in consecutive nights after losing 2-1 at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

Vancouver was looking for a better finish against Calgary tonight and end their 3 game losing streak, and salvage a victory on their three game home stand.

Coach Willie Desjardins told reporters after the  morning skate, that the Canucks, “have to find ways to win games or we will not stay in the playoff hunt.”

Desjardins added it was time for his players “to really focus on our game”, and not the games of the teams ahead of them or behind them, in their division.

So, how would they do?

Vancouver could not find a way to win, and dealt themselves a serious blow to their playoff chances, as they lost their 4rth consecutive game; including all three games on their brief home stand, as the Calgary Flames out battled and out worked the Canucks to win 4-1.

Emerson Etem had the lone Vancouver goal; Linden Vey had an assist; Alex Burrows had a helper; Ryan Miller stopped 26 of 28 shots for a .929 Sv%.

The first 7:38 of the game had a good pace to it, as their was only been two whistles, with 5:40 between them,and both teams created scoring chances and shots on net, with Calgary having a 5 to 2 advantage.

The Flames would draw a penalty in the Canuck end, with a scoring attempt, to get the first power play of the game. Alex Edler for tripping David Jones at 10:21.

Brandon Sutter got a good scoring attempt shorthanded but was unable to finish the play to put Vancouver up by a goal. Canucks would be successful in killing the penalty.

With 6:55 left in the opening period Calgary was out shooting Vancouver 6-4; out hitting the Canucks 7-3 and leading on face-off wins, 4-2.

With 4:34 left in the period, Luca Sbisa of the Canucks and Micheal Ferland of Calgary would draw offsetting fighting majors.

The Flames were winning all the key battles in the period, as it was nearing an end. Vancouver was trying but Calgary continued to dominate shots, face-offs and the physical side of the game. Canucks were kept wide to the outside, along the boards for the most part, unable to get in front of Hiller.

Game scoreless after the opening period.

After one period:

• Team Shots On Net: Calgary-7; Canucks-5;  Team Hits: Flames-9; Canucks-6
• Team Face-offs: Flames-7/13; Canucks-6/13;  Team Blocked Shots: Canucks-5; Flames-3
• Team Takeaways: Flames-1; Canucks-0;  Team Giveaways: Flames-2; Canucks-1
• Power Play: Flames:0/1;  Penalty Kill: Canucks: 1/1
• Individual Shots: 5 Canucks with 1 shot each;   Individual Hits: D. Dorsett: 2 hits
• Individual Face-offs: H. Sedin: 3/5; B.Horvat: 2/5; B. Sutter: 1/2
• Teams Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—>Flames-13; Canucks-12
  • All Strengths—>Flames-15; Canucks-13
• Canucks Individual Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—>A.Edler +3; A.Burrows –1; B.Hutton -1
  • All Strengths—>A.Edler +3; B.Sutter +3; J.Virtanen +2

The second period started with more of the same of the first period, with Calgary having an edge on the play over Vancouver.

Approaching the first five minutes, Canucks were just out shooting Calgary 5-4, but Calgary continued to out hit, and dominate the face-off circle, and take their game to the Canucks.

And it would pay off.

The Flames would score the opening goal of the game to take a 1-0 lead. Michael Frolik, his 9th of the season, on a tip-in, assisted by TJ Brodie (23) and Mikael Backlund (18), at 6:25.

After the Calgary goal, Vancouver made an more aggressive effort to get puck action in front of the Calgary net,unlike the opening period, and were succeeding, but the Flames did a great job of boxing out the front of the net and the middle of the slot, frustrating the Canucks as Hiller and the Flames were able to withstand Vancouver swarming the net.

At 15:35 Sam Bennett of the Flames would receive a penalty for slashing Bo Horvat, putting the Canucks on their first power play of the game. Canucks had two shots on the power play but were unable to score.

The middle frame ended with Calgary up in the score, 1-0.

After two periods:

• Team Shots On Net: Canucks-23; Flames-16;  Team Hits: Flames-14; Canucks-11
• Team Face-offs: Flames: 14/23; Canucks: 9/23;  Team Blocked Shots: Canucks-9; Flames-8
• Team Takeaways: Flames-2; Canucks-0;   Team Giveaways: Flames-7; Canucks-2
• Power Play: Flames-0/1; Canucks-0/1;    Penalty Kill: Flames-1/1; Canucks-1/1
• Individual Shots: J.Hansen & E.Etem-3 each;   Individual Hits: D.Dorsett-3; B.Sutter-2
• Individual Face-offs: H.Sedin: 5/10; B.Horvat: 2/6; B.Sutter: 2/5
• Teams Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—> Canucks-39; Flames-27
  • All Strengths—> Canucks-44; Flames-30
• Canucks Individual Corsi For:
  • EV 5v5—> D.Hamhuis +10; H.Sedin +6; J.Virtanen +6; B.Sutter, D.Sedin, J.Hansen: +5 each
  • All Strengths—> B.Sutter +10; D.Hamhuis, H.Sedin, D. Sedin; A.Edler: +9 each

Vancouver entered the final period of the game with a poor record trailing after two periods, and needed to finish around the Calgary net, to pull out a win to keep pace with Arizona, Anaheim and San Jose.

The Canucks needed to dig down deep and find a way to win and that was not evident the  last three previous games.

Calgary made it three periods in a row that they took the play to the Canucks off the period face-off, using their speed to get some offensive zone time and generate some shots on Ryan Miller and around the Canucks net, to give themselves an early two goal lead.

As the Canucks made it to the eight minute mark, Calgary had the edge in shots on net 5-2, while Vancouver had a number of chances that they could not get on net.

Just under 12 minutes left, Calgary scored a goal but it was ruled that their was a glove pass on the play and it was disallowed.

Henrik Sedin was due for a goal, as he came into the game, scoreless in his last 16 games played.

At 10:01, Radim Vrbata of Vancouver received a penalty for hooking Ladislav Smid, putting the Flames on the power play with a great chance to go up by two goals, with the man advantage. Vancouver would kill the penalty giving themselves a chance to work at tying the game.

Calgary was out shooting Vancouver with 6:41 left, being aggressive to keep Vancouver to the outside and keep them from penetrating in front of the net. Very similar to the Columbus and Nashville games.

With less than five minutes left in the game, the Flames would add their second goal of the game when Sean Monahan would score, giving the Canucks a tough set back to overcome to force overtime, with Calgary now leading 2-0.

Monahan, his 16th of the season, on a wrist shot, assisted by Jiri Hudler (21) and Sam Bennett(10) at 15:07.

Soon after getting the two goal lead, Calgary would almost make it 3-0, but the puck would not cross the goal line, and Alex Edler would come to the rescue.

Vancouver would pull Miller for the extra attacker in an effort to make a comeback, and get within a goal, but the Flames would score an empty net goal to disappoint Canuck fans.

Mikael Backland, his 6th, on a wrist shot, at 17:45, unassisted.

Canuck’s Emerson Etem would break Hiller’s shutout, pulling the Canucks within two goals at 3-1 at 18:26.

Etem, his 1rst goal of the season, assisted by Linden Vey (6) and Alex Burrows (8).

With the Canuck net empty a second time for an extra attacker, the Flames would score another empty net goal, at 19:24.

Sam Bennett, his 14th goal, on a wrist shot, assisted by Michael Frolik (11) and TJ Brodie (24).

Canucks on the losing end by a score of 4-1.