CANUCKS BANTER     By Andrew Chernoff    December 1, 2015

CANUCKS IN DISSARY AS LOSING GAMES HAS NO END IN SIGHT

The Los Angeles Kings (15-8-1) entered the game tonight on a 3-game winning streak at home, playing game two of a four game home stand. Kings last game was against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 28. The overcame a two-goal deficit to win the game 3-2 in overtime.

The Vancouver Canucks (9-9-8) entered the game having lost 10 of their last 13 games, playing the last game of a four game road trip. The Canucks last game was against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night, losing 4-0 to their division rivals.

Vancouver has lost 11 of their last 14 games.

OPENING PERIOD

The Canucks took a few minutes getting their legs, and their coach Willie Desjardins got a scare early when Vancouver gave up the puck, and Tyler Toffoli came in on Jacob Markstrom on a breakaway but Markstrom held his ground and turned away the scoring opportunity.

Vancouver settled down, and at 6:55 received a man advantage opportunity when Milan Lucic high sticked Alex Edler and the Canucks went on their first power play of the game. It didn’t long for Vancouver to make the Kings pay, as Daniel Sedin (12) on a slapshot scored on Jonathan Quick, assisted by Henrik Sedin (16) and Yannick Weber (4), at 7:39, and the Canucks were up 1-0. That would be the score at the end of the 1rst period.

Markstrom was outstanding in the period with timely saves. The Kings out shot Vancouver 12-6 in the opening period. Canucks were 1-2 on the power play. Kings 0-1 on their power play. Vancouver out hit the Kings, 16-12 but were pathetic on face-offs, winning only 5 of 20. Henrik Sedin was 0 for 8 on face-offs while Bo Horvat was barely better, at 2 for 7.

Alex Burrows took a bad retaliation penalty at the 20 minute mark of the first period for slashing Brayden McNabb, taking the Canucks off of a power play opportunity that Vancouver was on when Marian Gaborik took a penalty at 19:46 for holding Dan Hamhuis.

SECOND PERIOD

The teams started the middle period 4 on 4 for 1:46 thanks to the Burrows penalty at the end of the 1rst period that prematurely ended a Canuck power play.

The second period had no goals. Canucks were 0-2 on the power play. Kings, 0-2 on the power play.

Kings out shot Vancouver 10-9. Vancouver out hit the Kings, 13-7 and were better on face-offs this period, winning 10 of 20. Henrik Sedin was 3 for 8 on face-offs; Bo Horvat, 3 for 3.

Markstrom was outstanding in the period again, stopping at least half a dozen quality scoring chances.

THIRD PERIOD

The Canucks came into the final period with a record of 7-1-4  when leading after two periods.

Drew Doughty tied the game at 1-1, when he scored a power play goal at 6:54, assisted by Marian Gaborik (3) and Nick Shore (3). It was his 2nd goal against Vancouver in 30 career game.

And that is the way the 3rd period would end.

The Kings out shot Vancouver 15-1 in the final period, completely dominating Vancouver, with Jacob Markstrom outstanding in the Canuck net.

Los Angeles was 1-2 on the power play.

OVERTIME

The Kings carried a power play into overtime that started late in the 3rd period, which the Canucks successfully killed.

With Markstrom at 39 shots faced in the game, Alex Edler gave away the puck, and Jeff Carter took the puck, passing it off to Anze Kopitar, who made not mistake, burying the puck past Markstrom, giving the Kings a 2-1 victory at 2:02 of overtime.

The loss was Vancouver’s 8th loss in 9 games that have gone beyond 60 minutes.

CANUCKS JOTTINGS

• Chris Higgins, Chris Tanev and Jake Virtanen did not play as they are nursing day to day injuries. Brandon Sutter and Ben Hutton still not fit to play.
• Andrey Pedan, a defenseman, played his first game in the NHL as a forward. Alex Biega was called up from the Utica Comets for tonight’s hockey game with the injury to Tanev. It was Biega’s second game of the season with the Canucks.
• Backup goalie Jacob Markstrom started in net for the Canucks as expected. Entered his 5th game, with a record of 1-1-1, 3.13 GAA and a .904 SV%.
• Pedan was acquired from the NY Islanders in exchange for Alexandre Mallet and a third round pick in 2016, Nov. 25, 2014. Selected by the New York Islanders (3rd Round, 63rd Overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
• With Andrey Pedan playing tonight, the Canucks mad it seven different players that have made their NHL debut this season (Grenier, Shinkaruk, Virtanen, McCann, Hutton, and Gaunce being the others). According to Elias Sports Bureau, this is the most number players to make their NHL debut for the Canucks in a single season since six players did so during the 2007.08 season.
• The last season where more than seven players made their NHL debut in a single season for the Canucks was in 1999.00 (eight players). The club record for NHL debuts in a single season is 11 which occurred during the 1973.74 season.
• Only two Canucks failed to hit any Kings tonight: Alex Burrows and Henrik Sedin.
• Matt Bartkowski led the Canucks in hits tonight with 6; followed by Derek Dorsett with 5; Dan Hamhuis, Adam Cracknell, Brandon Prust, and Bo Horvat, all had 3 each.
• Vancouver was pathetic on face-offs, only winning 22 of 63. Henrik Sedin was 22 per cent, 5 for 23 (0 for 8 in the first period); Bo Horvat was 47 per cent, 8 for 17 (2 for 7 in the first period).
• With tonights power play goal against, Vancouver has allowed 19 power play goals against on 85 chances this season. 13 for 55 on the road.
• With tonights power play goal, Vancouver has 19 goal power play goals on 95 attempts this season; 10 for 58 on the road.
• Luca Sbsia had blocked 4 shots against the Kings. Dan Hamhuis had 3 blocked shots.

GAME REVIEW