Embarrassing NHL Final: Anaheim Ducks 7, Vancouver Canucks 4

NHL Final: Anaheim Ducks 7, Vancouver Canucks 4

Coming in:

Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf would miss the game due to a minor injury.

For what he believes might be the first time since he took over in early December, Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau filled out the same line-up card for two consecutive games. Same names in different spots however: He opted to mix up the forward lines from the 5-4 overtime victory in San Jose on Thursday night.

JT Miller, Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser

Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson, Conor Garland

Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson, Nils Höglander

Matthew Highmore, Juho Lammikko, Tyler Motte

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tyler Myers

Quinn Hughes, Luke Schenn

Kyle Burroughs, Travis Hamonic

Thatcher Demko

Flashback First Period

The adjusted line-up didn’t fare well early. The Canucks managed two shots-on-goal in the opening twenty minutes while giving up three Anaheim goals. Forty-four seconds into the game Vancouver lost defenceman Kyle Burroughs to a hit along the end-boards by Ducks forward Nicolas Deslauriers. Burroughs appeared to favour his right arm after he went down.

The big check must have inspired his teammates because just 13-seconds after the hit the Ducks opened the scoring on a Troy Terry redirection from the left wing circle.

The bevy of opposing goals early was reminiscent of the Canucks start at Rogers Arena on February 9th against the New York Islanders when the Isles hung five on the Canucks in the first period. Oh, that sullen feeling.

Goal Scorers

1st Period 1-0 Anaheim – Troy Terry (26) – Hampus LIndholm, John Gibson (:57) Even Strength

1st Period 2-0 Anaheim – Nicolas Deslauriers (3) – Derek Grant, Sam Carrick (3:23) Even Strength

1st Period 3-0 Anaheim – Rickard Rakell (12) – Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras (14:08) Power Play

2nd Period 4-0 Anaheim – Adam Henrique (8) – Kyle Burroughs (10:49) Even Strength

2nd Period 5-0 Anaheim – Sam Steel (6) – Trevor Zegras, Sonny Milano (4:20) Even Strength

2nd Period 5-1 Vancouver – Tanner Pearson (8) – Conor Garland, Elias Pettersson (4:52) Even Strength

2nd Period 5-2 Anaheim – Elias Pettersson (14) – Quinn Hughes, JT Miller (15:47) Power Play

2nd Period 6-2 Anaheim – Adam Henrique (9) – Trevor Zegras, Simon Benoit (16:50) Even Strength

3rd Period 7-2 Anaheim – Nicolas Deslauriers (4) – Sam Carrick (3:49) Even Strength

3rd Period 7-3 Vancouver – Conor Garland (13) – Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson (10:41) Even Strength

3rd Period 7-4 Vancouver – Quinn Hughes (4) – Tyler Motte (16:28) Even Strength

It Got Worse …

Just for the sake of duplication apparently, the Ducks would indeed go up five-nothing and it only took four-minutes and twenty-seconds of the 2nd period to get there. Then, just like in the Islanders game, the Canucks would score next to cut it to 5-1. Come back??

Oh, and Canucks starting goalie Thatcher Demko got yanked after that fifth Ducks goal after Boudreau had seen enough. It wasn’t on Demko, it was a mercy pulling. Jaroslav Halak entered the game at 4:20 of the 2nd period.

Gong Show

After the Vancouver Canucks picked up a little momentum on their second goal at 15:47 of the second period to cut the Ducks lead to 5-2 and get the crowd back into it, the trolley quickly came back off the tracks. Quinn Hughes somehow managed to fire a puck through his own crease off his goalie’s skate from one corner to the other.

Moments later, Trevor Zegras hit the post, the puck dropped into the crease behind Halak and while diving to knock it away, defenceman Luke Schenn almost shoved it into his own net. It allowed Adam Henrique to cruise in and stuff in the puck.

Simmer’s Canucks 3 Stars:

3)  Boeser’s Dogs – Brock’s dogs finished one-two in the 2nd intermission dog races.

2) Conor Garland – As the Canucks imploded, Garland still managed to win puck battles against one or two Ducks at a time. Goal and an assist.

1) Elias Pettersson – ‘Petey’ worked his arse off and ended up with a goal and two asssists.