Canucks Takeaways: Boudreau dissatisfied with workforce’s incapacity to carry lead vs. Kraken

VANCOUVER — Quite a lot of issues went proper for the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Except the most important factor.

Good first sport since final season for beginning goalie Thatcher Demko? Check. Sling the puck round and rating on the ability play? Check. Get National Hockey League targets from Kontinental Hockey League free agent Andrei Kuzmenko? Check. Positive begin for the Quinn Hughes-Oliver Ekman-Larsson experiment on defence? Check.

Hold on to a two- objective third interval lead in opposition to an inferior Seattle Kraken lineup and begin a sample of successful?

Hey, how about Kuzmenko and that energy play?

The Canucks fell to 0-2-1 within the pre-season after they blew a 3-1 lead at Rogers Arena and misplaced 4-3 to the Kraken in time beyond regulation as Ryan Donato scored on a breakaway after a Tanner Pearson turnover.

“That’s pretty disappointing,” Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau mentioned. “And that is what we talked about in between durations: successful groups shield the lead. And for probably the most half prior to now, we have been OK. But, I imply, tonight clearly we did not get it finished.

“The power play I thought was moving it around pretty good. We got a couple of goals from it but, I mean, you need more than the power play to win games. We’ve scored five goals in three games. The five-on-five game has got to get better.”

After getting swept in two split-squad video games in opposition to the Calgary Flames on Sunday, the Canucks dressed a far stronger lineup than the one the Kraken introduced north from Seattle. The Canucks outshot the Kraken 36-29 and both missed the online or had photographs blocked one other 36 occasions. But Vancouver generated only one even-strength objective: a rocket wrister by Kuzmenko from Hughes’ move simply 2:51 into the sport.

“My greatest factor is it is two video games at residence in opposition to what I believe have been inferior lineups. . . and we did not do what we would have liked to do to get success,” Boudreau mentioned.

The Canucks attain the mid-point of their pre-season after they go to the Kraken on Saturday.

SO, WHAT ABOUT THAT POWER PLAY?

With Kuzmenko becoming a member of a power-play that was one of many NHL’s finest within the second half of final season, the Canucks have been 2-for-5 with the man-advantage. Kuzmenko made it 2-0 with a tap-in at 9:56 of the primary interval after terrific, one-touch passing by Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Pearson’s power-play knuckler made it 3-1 at 16:55 after a fast passout by Kuzmenko, who appears to be like like a pure because the goal-front participant on a unit that features Hughes up high and, if he have been taking part in, Bo Horvat within the bumper. Pearson crammed in for Horvat on Thursday.

“We could have had a couple more in the third,” Hughes mentioned. “I think this year could be the best year with our power play. I’ve been playing with these guys for four years now and them with me, and Kuzmenko looked really good out there as well. It’s exciting for sure.”

Asked about what seems to be a world-class launch by Kuzmenko, Hughes mentioned: “Upper echelon. Like, really, really skilled. Great shot, great hands, hockey sense — he’s pretty much got it all. And he competes, too. I don’t know if you saw, but him screening the goalie, too. He’s not afraid to get hit by a shot or get gritty. Very impressive.”

MVP DEMKO

Demko didn’t appear to be a goalie whose final sport save was April 23. In his first pre-season look, final season’s workforce MVP stopped 17 of 18 photographs and, importantly, gave the impression to be shifting round his internet shortly and fluidly.

Demko revealed at coaching camp in Whistler, B.C., that he had undergone a “procedure” on the finish of final season on the undisclosed lower-body harm he suffered in an April 19 sport in opposition to Ottawa. He mentioned the restoration time gave him an opportunity to mirror on how he must be even higher this season after a breakthrough marketing campaign that noticed him play 64 video games and end amongst NHL leaders in a number of statistical classes.

The Canucks need to handle Demko’s time this season – goaltending coach Ian Clark has mentioned the best variety of begins is within the 57-62 vary over 82 video games – however the 26-year-old made it clear to Sportsnet that his harm final spring was an remoted occasion, not as a consequence of taking part in an excessive amount of.

He regarded near mid-season kind in opposition to the Kraken, making a number of saves look simpler than they have been. In the second interval, he effortlessly slid throughout his internet to cease Morgan Geekie on a backdoor likelihood.

The solely objective Demko allowed was a power-play chip by Kole Lind, who reached for the puck previous Danny Dekeyser when the defenceman took neither the puck nor the Seattle participant.

Arturs Silovs, who has had a wonderful camp and is making an attempt to push presumed backup Spencer Martin, performed the ultimate 24 minutes and allowed three targets on simply 11 photographs.

THUMB UP, THUMB DOWN

The extra we watch Kyle Burroughs, the extra he appears to be like like an NHL defenceman the Canucks will want this season. The 27-year-old from Vancouver had been a profession minor-leaguer till he turned a semi-regular for his hometown Canucks final season after passing a bunch of individuals on the depth chart through the pre-season.

He’s in one other fierce competitors this fall to safe a depth spot on the blueline, competing in opposition to veterans like Luke Schenn, Tucker Poolman and Dekeyser, and spectacular rookie Jack Rathbone. But Burroughs regarded once more Thursday like a participant who has discovered what he must do to stay within the NHL: safely transfer the puck and make easy performs nicely, play bodily with out taking penalties, rise up for teammates and be versatile and prepared for no matter taking part in time turns into accessible. Guys have constructed lengthy careers with much less.

On the opposite hand, we’re nonetheless ready for Dekeyser to actually be a part of the competitors. Granted, it’s simple to nitpick flaws in gamers on knowledgeable tryout. If they didn’t have any, they wouldn’t be on a PTO. But by coaching camp and two pre-season appearances, Dekeyser has finished little to tell apart himself. He is more likely to get one other couple of at-bats within the Canucks’ pre-season. But if the 32-year-old former Detroit Red Wing goes to earn one other NHL contract, he’s going to have to indicate that he could be a defensive stopper who kills penalties.

HUGHES-OEL CHAPTER ONE

After switching to the precise aspect to start coaching camp final week, Hughes made his sport debut on his off-side throughout from left defenceman Ekman-Larsson in what the workforce hopes might develop into a super-pairing.

Hughes’ evaluation: “I loved it. I mean, I thought we pretty much dominated the first and second. I thought we were really, really good. We were reading off each other. I thought he had lots of chances, I had lots of chances. Then in the third, I don’t think we played as well — mainly me. But I think the overall package, were really, really good together and I think over a long period of time, we can really help each other. So there’s definitely a positive thing there.”