Empty Thoughts: Canucks 4, Penguins 1

Observations from the Penguins’ 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks:

This was a strange game. Maybe it was because it was a late start on the West Coast and the Penguins were on the second game on back-to-back nights. Additionally, they looked like a group about to embark on a lengthy holiday break, which they were. But this was just an odd 60 minutes of hockey.

The Canucks actually led the first period with five shots in the first period while keeping the Penguins to zeros shots. But then the Penguins dominated the final two periods, 29-9. That led to a 29-14 advantage in shots despite the lopsided nature in favor of the Canucks in the first period.

That first period was slanted as much as it was because the Penguins took three penalties within a span of 1:27 which led to a lot of five-on-three power-play time in the opening frame. While one of the penalties, a double minor to forward Dominik Simon for high sticking, was dubious, the Penguins just weren’t disciplined in that period. Overall, they took four penalties in the game. Over their previous six games, they had taken only 11 penalties, an average of 1.8 per contest.

Then there’s Matt Murray. He stole a few goals early on but could only do so much under that duress. In the final two periods, he was ordinary, to be kind. His game is clearly not in a good place. Presumably, some time off from the rink could allow him to clear his head and reset.

In the end, the Penguins lost a strange game which they deserved to.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been a part of period like that,” coach Mike Sullivan said of the first period. “It was bizarre. I don’t think we had a lot of jump early on. Obviously, the penalties put us in a difficult spot. … It’s tough. We’re using guys to try to kill those penalties. We’re taking other guys out of the game because we can’t get them on the ice. But I really liked our fight in the second period.”

What happened

The Canucks struck first at 15:10 of the first period. Working on a prolonged five-on-three power-play sequence, Canucks forward Antoine Roussel retrieved a puck in the Penguins’ left corner and fed a pass to defenseman Tyler Myers at the left point. Sauntering to the high slot, Myers allowed forward Jake Virtanen to skate in of the bench and set up shot high in the left circle. Myers then fed a perfect pass for Virtanen to chop for a one-timer which toasted Penguins goaltender Matt Murray’s glove hand on the far side. Assists went to Myers and Roussel.

(Video courtesy NHL)

They made it a 2-0 game only 1:50 later with a five-on-four power-play goal. Canucks forward J.T. Miller, a Coraopolis native, beat Penguins forward Jared McCann cleanly on a draw in the Penguins’ right circle and got the puck back to defenseman Chris Tanev at the right point. Tanev then fed a pass to defenseman Oscar Fantenberg at the left point. Slinking up to the left half wall, Fantenberg and snapped off a wrister towards the cage. Miller, now positioned in the slot, reached into the inside of the right circle and deflected the puck with his backhand past Murray’s glove hand to the far side. Fantenberg and Tanev netted assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

The Penguins got to work with their own power play and cashed in at 15:28 of the second period. Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson controlled the puck at the right point and fed it to forward Evgeni Malkin on a criss-cross. As Malkin moved to the high slot, he distributed a forehand pass to McCann in the right circle and McCann clapped a one-timer which goaltender Jacob Markstrom allowed, but not without a rebound. Forward Jake Guentzel was floating above the crease where he fended off Tanev and cleaned up the garbage for his 18th goal of the season. McCann and Malkin were credited with assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Any notion of the Penguins posing a treat to tie the game was quickly extinguished, however, as the Canucks took a 3-1 lead on 44 seconds later. Miller pushed the puck up the right wing, pulled up at the half wall, fended off a check from Penguins defenseman John Marino and fed a pass to the right point where Myers fired a one-timer. Murray made the save but allowed a rebound. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson fought off Marcus Pettersson – no relation – tracked down the rebound in the right circle and fired a wrister past Murray’s glove hand on the near side. Myers and Miller had assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

The Canucks put the Penguins away for good at 14:31 of the third period. Penguins defenseman Juuso Riikola tried to clear a puck out of his own zone from the right corner but failed to get the puck past Canucks forward Brock Boeser on the half wall. Boeser fed the puck low to Elias Pettersson to the right of the net. Allowing the play to develop for a moment, Pettersson fed a slick backhand pass past a kneeling Riikola to the right circle where Boeser leaned down and ripped a wrister past Murray’s left shoulder on the far side. Pettersson had the lone assist.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Statistically speaking

• The Penguins led in shots, 29-14.

• Guentzel and Penguins forward Bryan Rust each led the game with five shots.

• Boeser led the Canucks with three shots.

• Penguins defenseman Kris Letang led the game with 26:09 of ice time on 28 shifts.

• Myers led the Canucks with 23:38 of ice time on 25 shifts.

• The Canucks dominated faceoffs, 39-21 (65 percent).

• Miller was 8 for 9 (89 percent).

• Malkin was 9 for 15 (38 percent).

• Canucks forward Bo Horvat led the game with six blocks.

• Marino led the Penguins with three blocks.

Historically speaking

• How unique was that first period? It was only the second time in franchise history the Penguins went without a shot in a period in a regular season game:

Only time Pens have been held without a shot in a period was the third period at home v. Sharks on Nov. 23, 2002.

— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) December 22, 2019

• Sullivan appeared in his 500th career game as a coach.

• Roussel recorded his 100th career assist.

• Boeser continues to rip up the penguins. In six career games against them, he now has nine points (seven goals, two assists).

Randomly speaking

• The Canucks seemingly scored a goal earlier than Virtanen’s score when Miller put one past Murray earlier in a five-on-three sequence from the right of the cage but the Penguins issued a coach’s challenging claiming Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes was offside on the sequence. The challenge was successful and it wiped out the goal. But it restored over a minute of ice time - and the five-on-three power play sequence - back on the clock. Then on the ensuing faceoff in the neutral zone, Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson tripped up Boeser to dig the hole even deeper.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Even in the small victories the Penguins had in this game, they took some losses.

• The first shot on net by either team was not recorded until 10:24 into regulation. Like we said, strange game.

• Just when you think Murray might have turned a corner with a 5-3 road win against the Red Wings on Dec. 7, he underwhelms as he did on Saturday. It’s difficult to fairly evaluate him on this game alone. Honestly, what’s he supposed to do facing that much five-on-three power-play time in the first period while his teammates fail to get even one shot on net? At the same time, he can easily make a better save on the rebound which led to Elias Pettersson’s game.

Regardless, he needs to be better. Over his past six games, he has a 1-2-2 record along with a 4.40 goals against average and an .832 save percentage.

• Brandon Tanev took two penalties for the first time this season. For a guy whose value partial rests in his ability to draw penalties and put his team on the power play, that was not ideal.

• Miller always showed off his talent when he was with the Rangers and the Lightning but he looks like a difference maker with the Canucks. He’s come a long way since his early struggles as first-round pick with the Rangers in 2011.

Publicly speaking

• Sullivan was diplomatic when asked about Murray’s play:

“I think it’s a tough game to really assess. There weren’t a lot of shots, there weren’t a lot of scoring opportunities. But the ones they got were high quality and they converted. It’s not an easy one to evaluate. I don’t think we should overthink it.”

• Rust was asked about the Penguins going from no shots to 20 shots in the second period:

“Just started playing harder. It’s as simple as that. We started playing more as a team out there. We didn’t have isolated effort. We had five-man group getting on the forecheck, playing hard together and we were able to get offense.”

Visually speaking

• Game summary.

• Event summary.

• Highlights:

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