The Canucks started strong, building a 3-0 lead before collapsing late in the second and losing to the Avalanche in OT 4-3. What should have been a statement win turned into some further navel gazing post-game for the boys. If you missed the game, here are your highlights:



“Hate to say but it’s a learning lesson.”

Tocchet’s words which every Canucks fan wants to hear. The Canucks played well for the first 39 minutes of last night’s game, but after a goal in the final minute of the second period, the Avs – who played the night before – took over the game.

“Good start and then we let a tired team get back into it and eventually take over the game,” Miller said. “We just kind of hope it works out when we have leads instead of taking control of the game … We didn't win our battles, we didn't execute our passes, we're dumping it in for no reason, no forecheck. They outplayed us, they deserved to win.”

A strong showing from JTM, solid play from DeSmith, a Zadorov Gordie Howe hatty, and a massive goal-drought breaking goal from Miky wasn’t enough from the boys on the night.

The Canucks knew coming into this game that MacKinnon was the beast they needed to contend with. They did a good job containing him and the rest of the team, allowing only 15 shots before that end-of-period goal… until they didn’t. The Avs had 17 shots in the third period alone.

“MacKinnon said ‘I'm taking this game,’” Tocc said after the game. “They started to go, MacKinnon and them started to fly, and we just couldn't get anybody to grab hold of a puck, whether it's on a forecheck or a breakout, just to kind of slow things down. We were a little hot potato and we were kind of soft on the puck, mostly in the third. We need some guys to dig in on certain situations and we couldn't get anybody to grab a puck for us and hold it.”

“We just couldn’t meet pressure with pressure and it was like let’s just get the game over with or whatever,” Tocchet added. “MacKinnon said I’m taking this game over. We need guys to counteract that and we didn’t.”

Aside from JTM, the Canucks were lacking players to step up last night. It seemed like everyone was off in the third, which doesn’t regularly happen for this team. They let up at the end, and against a team like Colorado, that’s not something that you can do, especially at this time of year.

“I think we lift our foot off the gas,” Zadorov said. “We’ve got to have a killer instinct. We can't give them any chance to come back in the game. They got one late in the second and then they got a power play and then they just keep coming, and we couldn’t really get out of the zone. The teams like that, the players, their caliber … when you get a 3-0 (lead), you’ve got to learn how to play with this lead and just don't feed the animal. Just step on their throat and then shut it down.”

The boys were definitely missing that killer instinct last night. Come playoff time, that’s what is going to separate winning a series versus losing it. People chatter about this version of the team lacking experience, and some of those wrinkles show up with that.

That said, it’s one game against one of the best teams in the league, and the Canucks stacked up. They’re 4-0-1 in their last 5 (with four tough playoff teams in there) and they’re keeping their spot atop the West. They kept Colorado in check for 40ish minutes. They ended up beating themselves in the end, as JTM points out:

“Sh-- happens though. We should be able to come up in the third, two-goal lead at home against one of the best teams in the league. I don't understand any better reason to get up for that. It just sucks.

“This (loss) is all us.”

Until then, the comments:




(Quotes from MacIntyre, Kuzma, NHL.com, and ESPN)

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