Slumping Canucks all but out of playoff race after loss to Golden Knights

VANCOUVER – It’s right down to the mathematics for the Vancouver Canucks and, as with inventory markets amid a tariff conflict, all of the numbers are unhealthy.

With Sunday’s 3-2 loss at residence in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver’s fourth in 5 video games, the Canucks have nearly eradicated themselves from the Nationwide Hockey League playoff race.

Eight factors behind the Minnesota Wild with 5 video games to play, and with out holding the tie-breaker of regulation wins, there’s no extra margin for error. To keep up any playoff hopes, the Canucks must win Tuesday in Dallas after they open a tough two-game journey in opposition to the Stars.

Minnesota beat Dallas 3-2 in additional time earlier Sunday, surviving a late Stars power-play earlier than successful it on a bonus of their very own.

The Canucks, in contrast, surrendered the successful aim to the Golden Knights with 3:14 remaining when a collection of protection errors allowed Victor Olofsson to attain uncontested from the low slot.

With their season on the road, the under-staffed Canucks managed solely two pictures on internet within the third interval and wasted a stellar bounce-back efficiency from Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen, who had allowed 14 targets in his earlier three begins.

“It felt like we did not actually push that arduous,” Canucks winger Nils Hoglander, who scored upon his return to the lineup from damage, instructed reporters. “Then they scored, and it was fairly laborious to return again.”

The theme of being outplayed within the third interval – of seeing the opposite staff produce at key moments – has turn into a well-recognized theme in Vancouver’s three-week retreat from a wild-card playoff spot within the Western Convention.

Lacking high centres Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil, who usually are not anticipated to journey this week to Dallas or Denver, the Canucks are 1-3-1 of their final 5 video games whereas the Wild have discovered methods to outlive. In the meantime, the St. Louis Blues, who handed Vancouver for the ultimate playoff spot on March 20, have been destroying everybody of their path to the Stanley Cup event.

“We hung in there,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet mentioned Sunday night time. “I imply, clearly we did not have the puck sufficient the second half of the sport. They managed the play, so we have been sort of hanging in there. It is robust when you do not have the puck loads, however there was some effort from loads of guys on the market.”

Requested how his staff can keep confidence with the standings so bleak, Tocchet mentioned: “Confidence is one thing you do not purchase at a retailer. You’re employed at it on daily basis. You already know, adversity, the way you deal with adversity, builds confidence, too. In case you can deal with adversity, you need to be assured man. (However) you’ll be able to’t simply activate confidence. You construct that.”

With 5 gamers of their lineup who spent massive chunks of this season creating within the American Hockey League, the Canucks try to construct loads of issues in these ultimate video games.

One of many callups, centre Aatu Raty, confirmed each the promise and faults that almost all gifted prospects possess.

The 22-year-old, thrust right into a third-line function after depth centre Nils Aman was injured at observe on Wednesday, battled to the entrance of the Vegas internet to attain the Canucks’ tying aim within the second interval.

However Raty was additionally one of many Canucks at fault on Olofsson’s successful aim, as he provided solely a weak stick examine earlier than permitting the Knight to go to the entrance of the online to transform William Karlsson’s go. Canucks rookie defenceman Vittorio Mancini was watching Karlsson as Olofsson skated in behind him, and veteran Vancouver winger Dakota Joshua was not again shortly sufficient on the Vegas counter-attack.

“It simply sucks to surrender that one on the finish,” Raty mentioned, including that he would wish to have a look at the play once more. “If you wish to go on the market and play for a great staff . . . the coach has to have the ability to depend on you and in each (scenario). Each participant is so good, you have to play good protection.”

“He is a piece in progress,” Tocchet mentioned. “He is a younger child. You already know, he’ll make some errors, but in addition . . . I like his effort, proper? So you’ve got simply acquired to maintain working with him.”

It was laborious to not just like the Canucks’ effort in opposition to the 2023 Stanley Cup champions and perennial contender.

After Hoglander opened the scoring on a rebound at 4:46 of the primary interval, Ivan Barbashev tied it for Vegas at 8:36 when he discovered area to skate behind Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek and beat Lankinen by reducing throughout the goalie and scoring contained in the far publish.

Lankinen stopped Nicolas Roy’s shot on one other Golden Knights rush, however watched helplessly because the rebound caromed in off the again of Mancini’s skate at 13:15.

After Lankinen made a handful of huge saves early within the second interval, Raty tied it 2-2 at 8:03, whacking one other rebound previous Vegas goalie Adin Hill, who had accomplished nicely to cease the Canuck’s preliminary deflection of Hronek’s level shot. Joshua began the play by intercepting the puck within the impartial zone.

Raty lower by the entrance nook of the crease to get in entrance of Hill, who raised his glove to brace himself in opposition to the Canuck simply earlier than the puck arrived. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy challenged for goalie interference and, after a prolonged assessment, referees Peter MacDougall and Eric Furlatt let the aim stand.

However on the following Vancouver energy play, Hill made the save of the sport, shortly pushing ahead and to his left – and staying on his toes – to snare Pius Suter’s fast wrist shot from the low slot after a go by Conor Garland. Olofsson scored from the identical spot one interval later.

The Knights outshot the Canucks 25-9 over the ultimate two durations, and 12-2 within the decisive third.

“Yeah, a disappointing end result,” Lankinen mentioned. “Clearly, that is on high of my head proper now. I believe we battled laborious. It is a good staff we performed in opposition to, however not the end result we needed.”

Tyler Myers, the Canucks’ most skilled defenceman, missed a second straight recreation with an undisclosed damage. Taking part in injured, Quinn Hughes was on the ice for all three Vegas targets and completed minus-three to fall to even on the season. The Norris Trophy winner is minus-15 in 16 video games since getting back from an indirect damage.