Canucks 3, Jets 2: a win is a win, thanks to Demko

A tired team from the Jets and a stellar performance once again from goalie Thatcher Demko were enough to finally break Vancouver’s losing streak.

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Sometimes what you need is a tired team.

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The Canucks weren’t really that good Friday night, but that didn’t matter as they beat the tired Winnipeg Jets 3-2 at Rogers Arena.

The Jets are one of the best teams in the NHL, and even playing Game 3 in four nights, one night after a thrilling back-and-forth in Edmonton against the Oilers, they made things happen.

They outscored the Canucks on the night. The teams behind usually outnumber the team up front, but even when adjusted to that reality, the stat sheet shows that the Jets simply made more and better shots than the home team.

Instead, Thatcher Demko was solid all night, playing the way the Canucks are going to need him if they’re going to embark on some kind of miraculous race to get back into the playoff chase.

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He made 36 saves on the night, including a crucial one on the door with just a couple of seconds to go, as Winnipeg pushed to tie with his shot keeper.

Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele tries to put his stick on the loose puck after Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper Thatcher Demko makes a first-period stop at Rogers Arena on Friday night.
Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele tries to put his stick on the loose puck after Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper Thatcher Demko makes a first-period stop at Rogers Arena on Friday night. Photo by Rich Lam /THE CANADIAN PRESS

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The Canucks also managed to avoid coming up short on the night, meaning they didn’t have to risk their worst power play in the league.

Some nights you win when maybe you don’t deserve it. The Canucks might not deserve this one, but they did enough.

The Canucks got a pair of power play goals from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland, sandwiched around an even count from rookie Kyle Burroughs.

The Jets got a goal from Nikolai Ehlers in the second half and then a second goal with just over two minutes left from Pierre-Luc Dubois.

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This is what we learned …

Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele tries to put his stick on the loose puck after Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper Thatcher Demko makes a first-period stop at Rogers Arena on Friday night.
Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele tries to put his stick on the loose puck after Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper Thatcher Demko makes a first-period stop at Rogers Arena on Friday night. Photo by Rich Lam /THE CANADIAN PRESS

I needed that

Facing a bad death penalty sure helps. The only team worse than the Jets’ PK this season is the Canucks.

And that showed all the tonic Vancouver needed to finally find some power play success.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s shot hit a Jets defender on the way inside, and goalie Eric Comrie never got a chance.

It was a great tally for the Canucks as they took an early lead for the fifth time all season.

In a week of increasing pressure on the Canucks to perform on the ice and on their ownership and management to do something, he metaphorically blown it off anyway.

Without a doubt

Yes, in addition to spinning, spinning, and being physically aggressive despite his small stature, Garland has shown time and again during the early days of his Canucks career that he can also shoot the puck.

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Alex Chiasson hit him with a perfect cross pass after winning the puck in the corner, and Garland prepared a heavy blow, throwing the puck over Comrie’s shoulder.

He put his team firmly in the lead and his celebration told the story of how great he knew the goal to be.

It was also his second power play goal of the game.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Vancouver Canucks picks up the loose puck after breaking free from Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets in the first period at Rogers Arena on Friday night.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Vancouver Canucks picks up the loose puck after breaking free from Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets in the first period at Rogers Arena on Friday night. Photo by Rich Lam /THE CANADIAN PRESS

welcome home

Kyle Burroughs expected him to play a few NHL games this season, but he didn’t expect him to start the season, or to play as much as he has.

But necessity has kept him here. First was the absence of Travis Hamonic due to his vaccination status: Canucks general manager Jim Benning acknowledged this week that the veteran defender only took his first hit after the start of training camp and got his second in recent days. , and now it’s about Luke Schenn being on injured reserve with a leg injury.

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Whatever the reason, over the years, it won’t matter. All that matters is that you can now say you’ve scored a goal in the NHL.

With Elias Pettersson creating a big Comrie screen, Burroughs launched a point shot into the net, which found the inside of the post and then leaned into the net.

It was the first goal of his NHL career, in his 14th game for the Canucks and 19th in the NHL overall.

He is only the fourth Lower Mainland-born defender to score in a regular-season game for the Canucks, after Chris Joseph, Jason Garrison and Troy Stecher.

Vancouver Canucks 'Kyle Burroughs controls Winnipeg Jets' Evgeny Svechnikov on the boards in the first period at Rogers Arena on Friday night.
Vancouver Canucks ‘Kyle Burroughs controls Winnipeg Jets’ Evgeny Svechnikov on the boards in the first period at Rogers Arena on Friday night. Photo by Rich Lam /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Ehlers withdraws it

The player selected four spots after Jake Virtanen scored the kind of goal he’s known for, taking a loose puck lost by Travis Hamonic, in the neutral zone, running down the wing before cutting into the slot and landing one more shot. past Demko.

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Ehlers has six goals on the season and is one of 11 players who dressed for Winnipeg on Friday who were also selected by the Jets.

For comparison, the Canucks had seven in their lineup.

Energy

Winnipeg played an exciting game Thursday night in Edmonton.

Friday was his third game in four nights. They were expected to struggle with their energy, even against the Canucks, who this season haven’t been looking to pick up the pace.

But it was actually the Canucks who came out aggressive in the first period and deserved their early lead. The Jets, however, stayed up all night and, according to Natural Stat Trick, fired much better shots overall than the Canucks on the night.

Fan creativity

Once again, a fan dodged the security check with his sign, putting up a sign that read “Man so tight almost like a playoff game,” which is something team owner Francesco Aquilini tweeted during the 2-1 loss. against the Los Angeles Kings last November. October 27, 2018.

The Canucks did not make the playoffs that year.

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