The Ducks did the Canucks a favour on Tuesday night. After taking a 5-2 third period lead, the Anaheim home team shut itself down; a collective “this game’s over”. That’s when Vancouver stormed back to win 6-5, with D-man Filip Hronek scoring the game winner with just eleven seconds remaining in overtime.
Two nights later, just the opposite. The Canucks didn’t shut themselves down, they broke down. This time the home team San Jose Sharks turned the trick, scoring three times in the third period to beat the visitors 3-2.
The killer moments came eleven seconds apart after the Sharks had cut the Canucks lead to 2-1 with a Will Smith goal at the 8:00 mark.
2:39 later Smith scored again.
Eleven ticks after that, straight up ice off the neutral zone draw, Mason Marchment scored the game winner. Vancouver goalie Leevi Meriläinen was well off his angle. As he lost his net, Marchment found it.
Because of the Canucks heroics on Tuesday, they snapped their ten-game losing streak. Because of Thursday’s collapse, they’ve now dropped 11-of-12.
Not much of anything from this upcoming season is going to be pretty. One good sign, 22-year-old winger Liam Ohgren scored his fourth goal of the season. He’s two tallies behind fellow 22-year-old Jonathan Lekkerimaki’s six. Two of his half dozen came in the victory on Tuesday.
Vancouver hosts the unpredictable Maple Leafs on Saturday. Toronto lost 5-4 in Seattle to the Kraken on Wednesday night, giving up the game winner with just 34-seconds to play.
Earlier Vancouver:
— Canucks PR Horseshit Continues
