Tuesday December 19 - Montreal Canadiens 7 - Vancouver Canucks 5
Were you not entertained? The game was kind of a mess but with 12 goals, including a hat trick for Thomas Vanek and two points for Brock Boeser, Tuesday night at Rogers Arena was pretty fun, for a loss.
Here are your highlights:
Probably not as fun for the coaches. Travis Green continues to resolutely avoid throwing his players under the bus—and I get that. Once again, due to injuries, many Canucks are being asked to play above their abilities.
The Sedins got caught playing some lazy defense—but if Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter had been in the lineup, the matchups would have been different. The Canucks are 4-7-1 since Sutter went down in New Jersey back on November 24—and have allowed less than three goals just twice in those 12 games.
We've been expecting Sutter's return for awhile, but he still hasn't skated with the team. Tuesday morning, Travis Green told the media it would be "another week" before Sutter's return.
The defensive high-water mark since Sutter went down came on December 5—the shutout against Carolina, when Bo Horvat fractured his foot. In the seven games that Horvat has missed, the Canucks have gone 1-6-0—and given up 36 goals. That's an average of 5.14 goals a game.
Horvat's now one-third of the way through his projected six-week recovery period. Your teammates miss you, Bo!
As I watched all the odd-man rushes unfold last night, I wondered how the Canucks could ever get by if they do decide to trade Chris Tanev? He has been missing for three games—as well as the second half of that third period against Nashville last week. In those three games, the Canucks have given up 16 goals—that's 5.33 goals against per game.
Today, Tanev's celebrating his 28th birthday on the injured reserve list. He's one week into his estimated 2-3 week recovery period after suffering a groin strain. Maybe after Christmas?
It's a big day for birthdays in Canucks-land. In addition to Tanev, Derek Dorsett turns 31, while Travis Green turns 47.
I don't imagine there will be much celebrating at the rink today, where the Canucks are holding a limited practice before hopping on the charter for a rematch against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
It does seem like a waste that the Canucks have no points to show for a five-goal effort, especially when those goals are scored against Carey Price. Thomas Vanek was in right-place/right-time mode for his hat trick, but Brock Boeser stole the show once again with this power-play snipe.
I guess the Habs figured he'd be out of the lineup and didn't bother reviewing tape of what he can do from his spot? I was watching him stand there by himself during the board battle. It was perfect.
Boeser finished the night with 11 shot attempts—and no blocks—in 20:11 of ice time. That was tops among all forwards and just two seconds off his career high, which came in last week's loss to Nashville.
Word is that Boeser had minimal swelling after his injury on Sunday, which is what has allowed him to squeeze his foot back into his skate.
Apparently Boeser was the one guy who didn't want to hear the whistle blow when he went down on Sunday.
Other notes:
• Erik Gudbranson's return was a bit of a mixed bag. He got his first point of the season off Daniel Sedin's goal late in the second period, but recorded just one hit and was on the ice for three goals against—two at even strength. Positionally, I thought he was OK, but there was one moment when he looked like a BC Ferry trying to change course when he attempted a quick pivot in the defensive zone.
Elliotte Friedman's 31 Thoughts just posted, and he weighed in on the Gudbranson situation:
Call it more of a hunch, but I can see Vancouver making an increased effort to move Erik Gudbranson. It’s unlikely they re-sign him to what he can get on the market, and there is little point to keeping him on the roster if he’s not part of their future. A fresh start would benefit Gudbranson, too. It just hasn’t worked out for team or player.
• Reid Boucher clocked in with five shot attempts and a minus-two in 14:02 of ice time, including some power-play time. He generated some chances in the first period but was also the goat on Alex Galchenyuk's third-period goal after he baubled Henrik Sedin's pass to set up the odd-man rush the other way.
Michael Chaput was re-assigned to Utica today, so Boucher will be sticking around for at least the next couple of games.
Nikolay Goldobin ended up scratched on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in World Juniors pre-tournament action, Canada takes on the Czechs in London, Ontario tonight:
No word yet on whether Will Lockwood will be in the lineup when Team USA takes on Belarus tonight in Jamestown, NY.
Elias Pettersson spoke with Sportsnet 650 this morning.
The Swedes will play Team USA in a pre-tournament game on Friday.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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