Post-Game Talk: Canucks def. Leafs - 3-1 (Virtanen x 2, Horvat)

[logan5]

So what workload can Demko handle, while still maintaining this level of play? If he can play well while playing 3 out 4 games, the Canucks can win a good share of games and maybe make the season look respectable.

 

[mail]

Demko giving Canucks fans a sigh of relief. He's going to be solid for us, super sweet he's meeting his high expectations from when he was drafted.

Virtanen with the game of his life. We still aren't fooling any scouts, but at least it doesn't seem like his value should have dropped from last year, even if it's a bit of a off-year.

 

[orcatown]

Maybe a bit of schedule win but also a deserved win. No passengers tonight as team stuck to a good forechecking system and defense stepped up with a much better effort. Team played more like a team without all the individual stuff and all the huge formation gaps. Bad thing is that Benning gets a nice win before a presser which will lighten the mood and probably give him another life..

Good

Demko - have to be happy with the way he is trending. Another subperb effort.

Edler - was a horse in this one. Had some tough forwards to check but played it hard around his net and moved puck up ice well. Nice assist on the Horvat goal.

Benn - effective game. Moved better and did a good job of getting the puck out of his end. Thought he should have passed when he shot a couple of times however. Plays like this and he might become decent trade bait.

Virtanen - can hear the chant TRADE HIM NOW and, for one, I would not be against this. Showed very well tonight. Not only the goals but some great set ups. Seemed to be seeing the play better and less confused about where he should be and what he should do. Question becomes how can you get this game out of Jake with any consistency. And that's a mystery right up there with understanding "dark matter'.

Sutter - very good defensive game. Lots of good support on the forecheck as well.

Hoglander - might actually move the puck better than anyone else on the team. Continuously stripping the puck in the offensive zone and moving it to the open man.

Miller - liked him at center. Gave them a solid presence in the middle of the ice. Couple of bobbled plays but lot of that due to people making poor passes to him when he was already covered. Too often others see Miller as their way out of trouble.

Others

Michealis - didn't fill quickly enough for Hughes on the Leafs' goal but that was mostly on Hughes. Otherwise he, like Hoglander, was showing a quick stick in the offensive zone knocking down passes and breaking up plays. Showed a good turn of speed and overall effective stick work. You wonder about his size but he was able to stay in the play and deserves a further look.

Hughes - got over-committed in the Toronto end on the goal against but generally played more conservatively. Was moving the puck quicker and getting the puck up to the forwards faster. Lot more of defenseman in this one and less of a 'Roamer'. Him and Hamonic lot better than in the last game.

Beagle - really hounded the puck (no pun intended) and helped his line establish a lot of o-zone time. This increased as the game went on. Chances of scoring however remained non-existent.

Hawryluk - not bad, lot of racing around but much of it was effective. Like Michaelis, he brought some sorely need hustle and enthusiasm. Whether he should be in the lineup instead of MacEwen is open to question.

Nice to beat the Leafs. They're a team with great speed and outstanding transition. But the way the Canucks were able to exploit their defense at times made you wonder what a seasoned forechecking team might to do them in the playoffs.

 

[NuxFan09]

I'll be supporting the decision to let Markstrom go even when Demko struggles, not just after games like tonight.

Has absolutely nothing to do with Marky himself either. In different circumstances he's an obvious re-sign, being one of the best goalies in the league and all. However the Canucks just happened to be one of those situations where you have to make a tough decision on a good, albeit aging, goaltender who is up for a big contract.

Benning chose wisely on this count.

 

[clay]

Demko giving Canucks fans a sigh of relief. He's going to be solid for us, super sweet he's meeting his high expectations from when he was drafted.

Virtanen with the game of his life. We still aren't fooling any scouts, but at least it doesn't seem like his value should have dropped from last year, even if it's a bit of a off-year.

??? His value has plummeted since last year. He went from 21 goal, 43 point pace last year to an 11 goal, 0 assist pace this year.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

we won 3-1 and Norris Hughes is minus -1


unlucky.

 

[VanJack]

Just listened to Green's post-game presser....and it really brings home how much rope some of these underachieving veterans have with this guy.

He talked about Hoglander failing to get a puck in deep in the final minute of the second period, and how he had some harsh words for him.

Meantime in the last game, Sutter blows coverage at the blueline and the Jets walk in and score the go-ahead goal with just two ticks left on the clock in the first period. But I doubt Green had any 'harsh words' for him.

The 'double-standard' for rookies and veterans on this team is nothing short of infuriating.

 

[Canucks LB]

What a performance by Demko and Jake tonight

 

[I am toxic]

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Almost every reply is "fire Benning."

I'm tempted to log on to twitter for the first time in 5 years to follow suit.

 

[I am toxic]

im only agreeing with Pettersson.

not until we have a defensive system where we don’t bleed scoring chances can I call Hughes a franchise dman.
He’s a 2/3 dman at this point.

And we wouldn't have Petey if Benning had his way.

And the guy who made sure we would get Petey gets fired instead.

 

[logan5]

EP40 being out is addition by subtraction.

Tomorrow interview with JB will be 90% about the adversity we overcame in beating the leafs without EP40

we won 3-1 and Norris Hughes is minus -1


unlucky.

Can't be much fun being a hockey fan if that's all you can come up with after a good win.

 

[Ginger Papa]

 

[Three On Zero]

Oh Jesus, did this ever make me laugh

 

[mail]

My goodness lol, I would have been in the same boat as her if I took a sip while watching that. You're the GOAT GP

 

[I am toxic]

Right back at ya!

 

[F A N]

100% agree with you. He's so much further ahead than Marky at the same age - he's going to be really really good!.

Marky was a late bloomer so that’s not really a useful comparison but ya we’ve been waiting for Demko to take over the #1 job since he was first drafted.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

Can't be much fun being a hockey fan if that's all you can come up with after a good win.

1) EP40 comment was an obvious joke, kids unreal...thought you would get that like all the others did....

2) Jim Benning is an idiot so....not going to retract that, not sorry.

3) Quinn Hughes is a great point producer and terrible at keeping pucks out of the net when hes on the ice. Hes 2nd worst in the NHL out of 700+ players. Every game people make excuses for his minuses.....every single game hes just 'unlucky'.... hes not a good defender. Great rover...4th forward.

 

[logan5]

The thing with Markstrom too is he is injury prone at 31, so in a few years those injuries are going to become more frequent and more serious. That contract could really hurt Calgary in the long run.

 

[The Vasili Jerry]

How the hell is Hughes a minus for the night
Didn’t he assist in the Virtanen goal.

this dude is going to get the green jacket.

I just saw Dahlin was a -4 tonight and is now at -21 for the season. Quinn is at -16. Hopefully Quinn can get it down to single digits by the end of the season.

 

[EpochLink]

The thing with Markstrom too is he is injury prone at 31, so in a few years those injuries are going to become more frequent and more serious. That contract could really hurt Calgary in the long run.

Marky got paid, that’s what he wanted.
He will be Jeff Skinner in a couple years..

 

[Indiana]

I assume this was how Demko got sniffed out:

Such a classic.

There's something different about early Simpson's.'

Bart selling his soul. The monorail. Homer needing to pee at the World Trade Center. Maggie shooting Mr. Burns. Max Power. Bort. Poochie.

Classics all of them.

 

[Dab]

1) EP40 comment was an obvious joke, kids unreal...thought you would get that like all the others did....

2) Jim Benning is an idiot so....not going to retract that, not sorry.

3) Quinn Hughes is a great point producer and terrible at keeping pucks out of the net when hes on the ice. Hes 2nd worst in the NHL out of 700+ players. Every game people make excuses for his minuses.....every single game hes just 'unlucky'.... hes not a good defender. Great rover...4th forward.

My excuse for Hughes minus tonight was he stepped off the ice too quick

 

[logan5]

Such a classic.

There's something different about early Simpson's.'

Bart selling his soul. The monorail. Homer needing to pee at the World Trade Center. Maggie shooting Mr. Burns. Max Power. Bort. Poochie.

Classics all of them.

After all these years I have only ever watched 1 episode, probly because it had a positive message. Anyways, it was the one where Barney the town drunk finally got clean and sober and became a helicopter pilot. Unfortunately, he went back to drinking...

 

[Scorvat]

barring a couple of careless turnovers that looked like the Miller of last season.