The Canucks went into Edmonton knowing it was going to be a tough game, with high emotions and a team across from them looking for revenge. The Canucks decided to barely show up instead, and went on to lose 6-2 without much of a fight. If you want to see the display, you can here:
See, when it starts to fall apart
Man, it really falls apart
Like boots or hearts, oh, when they start
They really fall apart
Gord Downie could have been singing that about the Canucks this year, because man oh man things are coming undone for the team. They’ve been putting less effort into their games than I have into these blogs… and that’s not a ton.
Going into Thursday’s tilt Tocchet knew what kind of game it was going to be, how the players would need to bring their consistency, and how they were going to have to rise to the occasion.
“We need this,” he said before the game. “You’ve got to embrace it as a player. You want to play these games; you want to play in a heated rivalry. These are the games you play hockey for. This is a great game to coach, a great game to play.”
That message clearly didn't go through to the team. The Canucks again gave up the first goal less than six minutes into the game. It’s the 10th time in 12 games that has happened. Last year the Canucks lead the league in scoring first at 53 games. This year they’re at 19, which is second worst. The team staked Edmonton a 3-0 in the first, and then put a couple goals on the board when the Oilers already had 5.
I’m not sure what to write about any more, as it seems all the same things that have been plaguing them to date this year. Inconsistency, apathy, defending, goaltending (Demko), attention to detail, execution… there’s a lot conspiring against them right now, and most of it is in their control.
“I think we’re disappointed, we’re struggling in some areas of the ice, struggling to string multiple games together. It’s tough right now,” Blueger said. “It’s tough, it’s frustrating. It’s like we talk about it and we address it, and a couple of mistakes later we’re down a couple, and obviously that’s a tough spot to come back from.”
Tocchet is not happy, and I can’t blame him. He can’t be out there pushing the pace of the game himself. He shoulders some blame in all this, of course, as the team never seems to be ready. One writer noted the other day in their game against Washington how unorganized and subdued the Canucks’ pregame was in comparison to the Caps’. But, the players have to get themselves up for it as well.
“In this business, you have to bring energy. I felt some guys did not have energy tonight for some reason,” Tocchet said. “They looked exhausted tonight, five or six guys. I’m not sure why. We’re going to have to get some rest here and we have a big game against [the Washington Capitals on Saturday]. That’s a big, must-win game and you always have to have in your mind that you have to bring a must-win attitude.”
Allvin and Rutherford have a big question on their hands: how much surgery is needed to turn this around? Is it just removing a couple things here and there, or is it more invasive to get at the core of a problem?
Unfortunately for the fans it’s just living with this product until changes are made – any time between now and the summer.
For now, we have the Capitals on Saturday, and the comments to keep us warm until then:
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