The Oilers sent their top line to Vancouver, the potentially potent trio of Milan Lucic, Connor McDavid, and Jordan Eberle. The Canucks dressed three of their top defencemen, sending out the assumed second pairing of Ben Hutton and Erik Gudbranson, along with Alex Edler.
But the star of the show was a rookie defenceman who is considered a longshot to make the Canucks out of camp: Troy Stecher. His Rogers Arena debut could not have gone any better, as the hometown boy scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Canucks to a surprise win.
While he still has some obstacles ahead of him, such as five other defencemen battling for a spot on the bottom pairing, but I saw Stecher make it very difficult to cut him when I watched this game.
- The Oilers may have sent their complete top line for this game, but the Canucks had a complete forward line of their own. Only, it was the fourth line of Emerson Etem, Markus Granlund, and Derek Dorsett. I like to call them the Rockeaters, because when you put parts of their last names together, it sounds like “eat granite.” Also, because they’re gritty. Just go with it.
- Ben Hutton and Erik Gudbranson’s debut as a pairing was a qualified success, as they faced the Oilers’ top line and managed to keep them off the scoreboard. Some of that was good fortune, as the McDavid line created chances that they just couldn’t bury, but like seeing “Rest Stop Ahead” on a long road trip when you’ve been mainlining coffee, keeping them scoreless was a good sign.
- The Canucks struck first on the power play thanks to some great puck movement between Alex Edler, Anton Rodin, and Stecher. Stecher ended up with some space at the point, found a seam in the traffic in front, and whipped a wristshot past Jonas Gustavsson. Jack Skille celebrated like he had tipped it—actually, he celebrated like he had just scored the gamewinner in overtime of game 7 of the playoffs—but Stecher was awarded the goal.
- Michael Carcone had an excellent game in limited minutes, throwing a game-high 8 hits and leading the Canucks in corsi. The Canucks out-shot the Oilers 7-2 with him on the ice and he helped set up the Canucks’ second goal. Carcone isn’t likely to make the team out of camp, but if he keeps up this level of play, he won’t stay in Utica for very long.
- Stecher made the eye-catching play on the Canucks’ second goal, faking a slap shot, then slipping down the boards before finding Brendan Gaunce open in the high slot, but Carcone deserves credit for gaining the offensive zone with speed and Gaunce’s finish was outstanding, going past the blocker like J.J. Watt.
- Stecher wasn’t the only former Fighting Hawk who made an impression. His University of North Dakota teammate and poorly-disguised Lord of the Vampires, Drake Caggiula, scored two goals, tying the game up each time, while leading the team in shots on goal, corsi, and bodies drained of their blood.
- With Gudbranson at his side, Hutton clearly had the green light to jump up in the play and he did so with aplomb. He actually scored a goal on a wraparound in the second period, but the referees somehow missed it. The puck might have squeaked under the net and back out, but I guess it’s pre-season for the nets too. I’d suggest they cut that net, but that will just make things worse.
- Joseph LaBate made an impression, throwing the hit that led to Hutton’s quasi-goal and mixing things up physically throughout, even if he went too far and earned a penalty for a chicken-wing elbow on Caggiula. He even scored a goal, picking up a gorgeous pass from Edler and cutting to the forehand with a move that has to be described as a power move because LaBate is 6’4”. It’s in the hockey writer code.
- Stecher and Edler look like they could work some magic on the power play together. On the gamewinning goal, Edler made a spinning backhand pass at the line to Stecher, who faked a shot, jumped down the boards, then found Rodin heading to the net with a phenomenal pass. Rodin didn’t risk giving the goaltender time to come across, and one-timed it in, which isn't an easy thing to do for a left-handed shot in that position.
- I really liked what I saw from Rodin in this game. The goal and assist were nice, but my favourite moment was when he drove the net and got shoved into Jonas Gustavsson. One of his faults in his first stint in North America was the tendency to play on the outskirts, so seeing him get his nose dirty early in the first was an encouraging sign.
- Is it funny to anyone else that the first goal as a Canuck for Gudbranson, who’s been billed as a classic stay-at-home defender, came from making the safe play: off the glass and out? Just me? Okay.
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Alex Biega struggled in this game and, with Stecher excelling, it looks like he might be as low as tenth on the depth chart on defence. It seems almost certain that the Utica Comets will be getting their captain back to start the season.
