Vancouver Canucks Dominate and Win Again, 5-1 in Arizona

Vancouver Canucks 5, Arizona Coyotes 1

The game marked the return of former 11-season Coyote and team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson and three-season Coyote Conor Garland who arrived in Vancouver via trade last July 23rd. Canucks forward Brad Richardson also spent five seasons as a Coyote.

Goaltenders:

Jaroslav Halak snagged the start against Finnish Olympian Harri Sateri.

Goal Scorers

1st Period 1-0 Vancouver – Alex Chiasson (8) – Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat (3:12) Power Play

((– “Petey’ paid it forward. He fed Chiasson in the crease in an identical manner to how OEL fed him Wednesday night in Vegas.))

2nd Period 2-0 Vancouver – Bo Horvat (29) – Vasily Podkolzin, Conor Garland (:52) Even Strength

((– Most of the work done by Horvat on a wraparound that Sateri probably should have had.))

2nd Period 3-0 Vancouver – Bo Horvat (30) – Vasily Podkolzin, Conor Garland (1:30) Even Strength

((– Podkolzin makes a nifty drop pass from the slot and Horvat converts on a one-timer on the move in the RW circle past Sateri.))

2nd Period 3-1 Arizona – Nick Schmaltz (22) – Travis Boyd (7:27) Even Strength

((– Neutral zone turnover by Canucks led to Boyd finding Schmaltz cutting in behind the D and beating Halak 5-hole with a deke.))

2nd Period 4-1 Vancouver – Elias Pettersson (25) – Alex Chiasson, JT Miller (11:12) Even Strength

((– A bad Arizona line change concluded with ‘Petey’ and Chiasson passing back and forth on a 2-on-0 against a helpless Sateri.))

3rd Period 5-1 Vancouver – Alex Chiasson (9) – Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Elias Pettersson (4:24) Power Play

((– Nifty deflection in front of an OEL point shot.))

ECHL Crowd

I don’t want to know what they announced as the attendance, but there may have been five thousand people in the building. Forget the fact the match marked the return of their long-time former captain. Irrelevant in hockey’s purgatory. Everything you need to know about this franchise; “Gary’s Folly”.

Special Teams

The Vancouver Canucks picked up the first power play of the game at 2:11 after Coyotes defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere went off for holding Bo Horvat after the Canucks captain made a nifty move at the blueline.  Vancouver cashed in just 1:01 later.

At 4:43 Chiasson went off for roughing and the desert dogs had their first man advantage. Vancouver killed it without much danger.

Just one penalty in the second period, Horvat for tripping at 13:13. Vancouver actually had the best chance during the two-minutes while shorthanded. Brad Richardson almost stuffed one home.

Early in the third period the Canucks nabbed their second chance of the game and capitalized confidently.

At the 15:46 mark the Coyotes earned a final chance on the power play when Kyle Burroughs went off for tripping. Arizona failed again and Pettersson almost scored on a shorthanded breakaway.

For the game on the man advantage, Vancouver finished 2-for-2, Arizona 0-for-3.

Simmer’s Canucks 3 Stars: (Plenty of legit options)

3) Conor Garland – Why not? Going with the whole line, that includes at least one of the returning Coyotes with this ‘Maniacal Waterbug’. Two assists.

2) Vasily Podkolzin – Two primary assists as the 20-year-old Russian gets a taste of the top-6.

1) Bo Horvat – Reached the 30-goal mark for the season with two in the game and added an assist.