By Andrew Phillip Chernoff  October 26, 2015 Just Saying….

The Canucks end their disappointing 5-game home stand Tuesday, October 27, 2015 against the Montreal Canadians.

The Canucks have lost four games in a row (three of them in regulation play), all of them at home.

The Canadians come into the game on a nine game winning streak from the start of the season; all wins in regulation.

Frustration from Vancouver reporters and Canuck fans stemming over blown leads entering the third-period; and questions on coach Willie Desjardins strategy behind proportioning game minutes, is providing interesting fodder for hot discussion.

The Canucks lost only four games last season when taking a lead into the final period, going 30-1-3.

Vancouver has already lost three games by blowing 3rd-period leads in their first 5-games at home, and they have only played eight games so far this season.

The loss of Kevin Bieksa, G Eddie Lack,  F Nick Bonino, D Adam Clendening, F Shawn Matthias, F Brad Richardson; the injection of youth in the likes of Jarred McCann, Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi; and the line juggling to find those productive line combinations, is proving difficult, more so than anticipated.

The injury of Chris Higgins as well has not helped.

The youth movement, an unproven back-up goalie, and the inability of the Canucks to score timely goals were identified by myself in their season preview as areas of concern. I would like to add problems with player chemistry, injuries (more so later in the season) and the power play.

The Canucks do not have the same team in the locker room and on the ice they had last season. For good or bad, reporters and fans alike knew there was a real chance the Canucks may not come out at the start of the season moving on all cylinders’. Yet alas, all that is out the window….so much for patience and long suffering.

Have not heard much about the Canuck’s power play which is currently 14.8 per cent, good for 22nd in the league. As for penalty killing the Canucks are at 87 per cent, 8th place.

The Canucks 3-on-3 effort in overtime has also been a learning curve for Desjardins and the players: the effort put out is at the end of the game when the players have already expended plenty of calories, energy and water at a high paced level. Tough to hold something back when the object is to win….normally….in regulation.

The adjustments to be made entering the season were obvious, but like most things, being aware of needs, things to be done; and how things should work out, are different from actual game execution results.

By the way, how about those Los Angeles Kings?

Five game winning streak, after losing their first three games of the season…Amazing….Just need to get that one win, and good things happen….Just Saying….