Stick-taps and glove-drops is a recurring feature after every Canucks game giving some quick kudos and criticism before the longer I Watched This Game feature. Feel free to leave your own stick-taps and glove-drops in the comments.
Stick-taps all around to the Canucks, who racked up 40+ shots against the Sharks for the fourth time this season. There’s no shame in how the Canucks performed in this game, out-shooting the Sharks 44-30 and dominated possession from the midpoint of the first period. They certainly lacked finish, but they created legitimate chances, with the Sharks goals mostly coming against the flow of play.
A tap of the stick to Thomas Vanek and the Sedins, who were easily the Canucks’ best line. Shots on goal were 18-to-4 with Vanek on the ice at 5-on-5 and they repeatedly hemmed the Sharks into their own zone.
A stick-tap, in particular, to Daniel Sedin, who looked like he was out for blood, throwing big hits and powering to the front of the net. Seriously: hits. He was credited with a game-high five hits — and they were real, impactful hits — and a game-high six shots on goal, tied with Bo Horvat. Some fantastic saves by Martin Jones and unfortunate bounces on open nets prevented him from a more impressive box score.
I’m dropping the gloves with Troy Stecher on the first Sharks goal, as he got caught flat-footed by Mikkel Boedker, who passed the puck down low, then got open in front. Stecher had a strong game overall — he saved himself from further disaster by pulling a puck off the line after it nearly went in off his stick — but the Boedker goal was mostly on him.
I have to drop the gloves with Travis Green, because I just don’t get his lineup decisions in this game. Nikolay Goldobin got into the lineup, which is fine, but at the expense of Sven Baertschi, who was coming off a two-point night and four points in his last four games. He also scratched Ben Hutton, but not to get Philip Holm in the lineup; instead he dressed Alex Biega.
I’ll drop the gloves with Nic Dowd, who lost the faceoff leading to the second Sharks goal when Brent Burns drilled a one-timer that took a deflection on the way to the net. Dowd had a rough game overall and got benched for long stretches, with Horvat double-shifting in his spot. Dowd took just three faceoffs all game, going 2-for-3.
Tap of the stick to Horvat, who had 20:48 in ice time, 6 shots on goal, and went 16-for-27 on faceoffs. He took as many faceoffs as the rest of the team combined.
Anders Nilsson gets both stick-taps and glove-drops. He made some outstanding saves, particularly early in the game, but he also allowed an ugly one for the 3-0 goal, getting beaten cleanly by Marcus Sorenson’s long wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle. That’s one he has to have, particularly early in the third period when the Canucks are looking to mount a comeback.
Because they deserve it, I’m giving Vanek and the Sedins another stick-tap, this time for the gorgeous passing play that led to the Canucks’ lone goal. It was visual poetry: Henrik to Daniel for the zone entry, Daniel drop-pass back to Henrik, Henrik cross-ice to Vanek heading towards the net, then the back-door pass to Daniel for the wide-open net. Wizardous Sedinery.
Brock Boeser gets the gloves dropped on the final goal of the game. After a strong play along the boards to knock down Chris Tierney, he unfortunately thought that the job was done and turned up ice. Unfortunately, Tierney jumped back to his feet and went to the net, where he got a superb pass from Brent Burns for a tap-in goal. Boeser didn’t look like himself and you have to wonder if his hand injury is hampering his game.
