DENVER —
We are live from Ball Arena.
While we wait for the game to start, here’s the sim from earlier today. I did not have time to post a recap.
It took just 29 seconds for the Canucks to open the scoring, as Max Sasson slipped a shot through Blackwood’s five-hole to give Vancouver a 1–0 lead. Zeev Buium sent a rink-wide pass that deflected off Josh Manson’s stick, allowing Sasson to jump on the loose puck, beat Manson with speed, and finish past Blackwood.
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Less than a minute later, Nathan MacKinnon responded with a quick strike, snapping a shot past Lankinen for his 50th goal of the season to tie the game.
Colorado subsequently went on the power play after Jake DeBrusk was penalized for slashing. However, sloppy would be a kind way to describe their effort, as MacKinnon turned over the puck and was late on the back check. As a result, a 2-on-1 rush was created and Vancouver capitalized as Teddy Blueger punched one by Blackwood. So that made it two Canucks goals off turnovers.
At the halfway mark of the period, not much else changed, other than the fact the score remained the same, as Colorado continued to get outhustled and outplayed by the 32nd-best team in the NHL.
The Canucks continued the bleeding as they scored a power play goal at 11:38 when DeBrusk when Elias Pettersson set him up for a deft tap-in from the backdoor to make it 3-1. Of DeBrusk’s 17 goals this season, 14 have come on the man advantage.
However, with 3:55 left in the period, Landeskog tipped a point blast from Brent Burns for his 12th goal of the season to make it a one-goal game.
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