The Canucks started this game with some good jump, and after Conor Garland moved in on a 2-on-1 with Linus Karlsson, Jamie Oleksiak took the game’s first penalty early.
The Canucks’ power play got some decent looks, with Jonathan Lekkerimäki arguably having the best chance of the two minute sequence. And just as that one ended, Seattle took another penalty.
This time, the Canucks got the high tip play that they wanted, but Joey Daccord made a nice save to turn the attempt away, and the second Canucks power play of the night went by the wayside.
The ice was seemingly tilted the Canucks’ way for most of the first period, but it was Seattle that opened the scoring late in the first. Jake DeBrusk made an ill-advised pass in the neutral zone that Michael Eyssimont picked off before moving in on a breakaway and making no mistake in burying the shot past Thatcher Demko.
1-0 Seattle.
The Canucks entered the second down by a goal.
In the second, the Canucks seemed to come out with less jump than they had in the first, and they paid the price for that, as it was the Kraken who scored the game’s next goal.
2-0 Canucks
Things went from bad to worse, as the Canucks just looked like they had no answer to Seattle’s pressure in the neutral and defensive zone. Not to mention their rush offence, which the Canucks knew was going to be something the Kraken brought to the table.
Another Kraken goal before the end of the period. This one from Shane Wright off the rush.
3-0 Canucks.
After 40 minutes of play, the Canucks were down by three.
Honestly, this one was just a tough one to watch. It was a lifeless effort from a team that just appears ready for what has been a very long and adversity-filled season to finally come to an end.
Here’s another Kraken goal.
4-0 Kraken final.
Some more takeaways from tonight:
-Quinn Hughes just seems out of gas. That’s not supposed to be a criticism of him, and I hope it doesn’t come across like one. He’s had the wheels played off of him and just doesn’t look like his normal self. When he’s out of gas, the team is out of gas.
-3 point night for old friend Jared McCann.
-Need more from the power play. That was the first chance to get this game going in the right direction for the Canucks.
-Thatcher Demko has been giving the Canucks the big save to help swing momentum in their favour. He didn’t really do that tonight. But no goalie can win if the guys in front of him can’t score.
-This really has been a long season. I don’t have much more to say about tonight’s game than that. The Canucks entered this game with just over 6% odds to make the playoffs, and everyone knew this was a must win. Just like they did in their other “must win” games in recent weeks, the Canucks came up short.
What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game?
