Tuesday November 6 - Detroit Red Wings 3 - Vancouver Canucks 2 (S/O)
The three-game winning streak has turned into a four-game point streak, but despite scoring his 10th career NHL goal, Elias Pettersson wasn't satisfied after the Vancouver Canucks dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Detroit Red Wings.
Yes, Petey's team-first focus now warrants a spot even above the game's highlights.
The Canucks' 16th game of the year marks the first time they haven't delivered the win after scoring the first goal (now 4-1), and the first time they haven't won when going to overtime or the shootout (now 3-0 in OT and 1-1 in the shootout). It's also they first time they haven't won when they've outshot their opponent: they hit a season high 42 shots at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, breaking the 40-shot benchmark for the first time this season and breaking 30 for the third time in the last four games after hitting the 30-shot mark just once in the first 12.
Pettersson lost the handle on his shootout attempt as the Canucks went 0-for-3. He also hit the crossbar with the win on his stick in overtime. He'll get 'em next time, right?
He still earned serious style points on the goal he did score, a slapper with speed off a terrific feed from Loui Eriksson.
Nevermind about Gretzky; nobody scores like that anymore. And Jimmy Howard was on his game on Tuesday—earning first star honours with his busiest night of the season to date. The Canucks totally outplayed the Red Wings in the first period, outshooting them 17-7, but went to the dressing room with only a 1-0 lead, in large part because of Howard's strong play. He was also terrific in overtime, where the shots were 4-1 for the Canucks, and in the shootout, where he foiled Bo Horvat and Nikolay Goldobin.
I felt like if the Canucks had a healthy Brock Boeser in the lineup, he and Pettersson could have connected for another goal or two, and that would have been the difference in the game.
At this point, Boeser is being listed as day to day. Iain MacIntyre puts forward the idea that a longer-term absence might be necessary in his
postgame takeaways from Tuesday, for Sportsnet.ca:
Both he and the team are hoping he can play through the injury. But groin strains tend to get worse over time with activity; not better. And playing in the NHL is a pretty strenuous activity. Boeser, last season’s Calder Trophy runner-up and still only 21 years old, is far too important to the Canucks for he or the team to take chances with an injury.
He’ll try to play Thursday in Boston. But even if he does, nobody can say whether he’ll make the next game in Buffalo. The time could be coming – and soon – to shut down the sophomore until his groin fully heals and he can get through a game knowing he’ll be available for the next.
Speaking of groin issues, that also seems to have been the reason why Quinn Hughes' season got off to a slow start.
Hughes' performance has picked up in recent weeks. If he's laughing about it now (and admitting to it), I think he's probably past it.
Speaking of the University of Michigan, Tyler Motte's engine was running in overdrive on Tuesday. And it's no wonder: the native of St. Clair, Michigan, who played with Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin during part of his three years at Michigan, had plenty of support in the stands at Little Caesars:
Motte was held off the scoresheet, but not for lack of trying. He tied Pettersson and Nikolay Goldobin for a team-high five shots in the game and also added four hits, all in just 12:38 of ice time.
Tuesday's game was a nice bounce-back effort for Jacob Markstrom after getting lit for six against Colorado in his last outing.
Today, the gang is off to Boston, where the Bruins will be looking to avenge their October 20 loss at Rogers Arena on Thursday.
If you need one more mind-bending Petey stat to complete your day, how about this one:
Pettersson only has two more games to work the teenager angle. He'll turn 20 next Monday in Manhattan, when the Canucks face the New York Rangers.
If you're looking for hockey action tonight, the Utica Comets are back at home at the Adirondack Bank Center. After taking three of a possible four points in Laval last weekend, they finish off their three-game series with the Rocket on Wednesday. They'll also host Hartford on Friday before travelling to Binghamton on Saturday.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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