It’s a busy night in the NHL starting off with the Calgary Flames in Buffalo to meet the Sabres. This came through loud and clear last night.
This team is an absolute joke, and they are the ones who put it together, so why is it acceptable that we hear nothing from them? I want Jim Benning to stop hiding behind press releases and pre-agreed upon questions and stand in front of reporters. I don’t want to hear Travis Green talk anymore. It’s inconceivable that things could be allowed to continue this way, but when they say they do things different on the West Coast, this is a prime example. It was a beautiful, nationally televised package to showcase the utter disarray and disfunction this franchise has become under the leadership of Jim Benning, and especially the coaching of Travis Green and his staff. Then with the game tied, Quinn Hughes loses his shit over a clean, legal hit by Samuel Girard and crosschecks him, leading to a third PPG for the Avalanche, and the game winner. A lucky early goal in the third period to take a 2-1 lead was erased NINE SECONDS later when Alex Chiasson took an elbowing penalty. Perhaps the most frustrating part of this loss was the way it all fell apart. Yes, the Blackhawks that lost nine straight to start the season have caught the Canucks, and now it’s just Ottawa (ravaged by COVID), Montreal (without their two best players) and Seattle (traditionally bad expansion team) sitting beneath them.
The Canucks have now lost five straight, and have actually been passed in the standings by the Chicago Blackhawks, who have a better points percentage than Vancouver right now. Another night of the NHL’s worst penalty kill led directly to another loss at home as the Canucks blew a short-lived third period lead, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Colorado Avalanche.