HOBBLED BY HABS’ PETE-DOWN
MISERY IN MONTREAL The Canucks lose game, star rookie in controversial collision with Canadiens
Forget the final result, only one thing matters after the Canucks’ 2-0 loss here Thursday against the Canadiens: the health status of Elias Pettersson.
For the second time this NHL season, the young Swedish star was the target of an opposing player, miles away from the play.
As the puck moved up ice just under six minutes into the second period, Canadiens rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi pulled Pettersson back. The Canucks’ super rookie ended up twisting his leg underneath himself.
Video replays reveal plenty of pressure was placed on his right knee, or perhaps his right ankle.
Pettersson stayed down on the ice for several minutes while Canucks medical trainer Jon Sanderson tended to him. The crowd remained hushed.
Pettersson eventually got to his feet to a round of applause and skated off the ice. He didn’t return, the team reporting it simply as a “lower body injury.”
After the game, Canucks coach Travis Green said Pettersson would be re-evaluated on Friday. The player was spotted walking around under his own power, without crutches or a noticeable limp.
For his part, Kotkaniemi told reporters he wasn’t sure what happened on the play.
“We both fell down. Maybe I fell on his leg,” Kotkaniemi said, adding he didn’t intend to hurt Pettersson.
Before the injury, the Canadiens had taken control of the game early. The Canucks, playing their second game in as many nights, had just one shot on target at even strength in the first period.
But they trailed by only one goal after the first period and Pettersson even had a spectacular chance to score on a breakaway.
Jordie Benn opened the scoring for Montreal at the 11:50 mark of the first frame, taking a point shot that eluded Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom.
Habs winger Jonathan Drouin scored on a rush at 8:24 of the second period, and while the Canucks had a number of opportunities to draw back in, they couldn’t beat Canadiens goalie Carey Price, who made 33 saves.
The Canucks now head to Toronto, hoping the injury to Pettersson isn’t serious and that he’ll return to action soon.
Here’s what else we learned in Quebec:
GIVING IT A SHOT
With the loss of Pettersson, the weight fell on Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi. The trio, reunited as a line, had plenty of chances.
Boeser managed 14 shot attempts (six turned away by Price). He rang a shot off the crossbar, the post and another off the shaft of Price’s stick.
Horvat had a glorious chance in the second period, but Price snared the shot from the slot.
Baertschi said his team played well despite the loss.
NO PUSHBACK, AGAIN?
After the game, Green said that while he initially wondered if the Pettersson hit was dirty, after watching the replay a number of times, he concluded it wasn’t.
“Two guys get tangled. I’ve watched it a lot of times. It’s not a dirty play by their player at all. He gets hooked a little bit. Petey actually pushes back on him a bit in a reverse hit,” he said. “Two young guys fall to the ice. It’s not a penalty.”
Markstrom said he went to the referee and asked why there wasn’t a call, since the play happened right in front of him and he thought it deserved one.
“He said he only looked when they were already tangled up and falling to the ice,” Markstrom said. “You can’t be mad at them ... Obviously you want a call like that, but they’re (refs) human, too.”
Canucks defenceman Erik Gudbranson didn’t see the play initially, but after watching replays, believed it deserved a penalty.
“I don’t think it’s a very intelligent play,” he said. “I don’t think it’s really necessary to hook him like that and ride him that far.”
Whether Kotkaniemi meant to injure Pettersson doesn’t really matter; it was an act that was well away from the puck and fit every definition of interference. A power play doesn’t bring Pettersson back, but it would have been some consolation.
The other consolation might have been some kind of pushback from Pettersson’s teammates.
But we’ve already heard the Canucks speak about how that’s not how the game is played anymore, that eye-foran-eye “justice” doesn’t work. One can’t help but think a simple shove, or a face wash might have been OK as a “leave our boy alone” message.
PRICE OF ADMISSION
The Habs’ star goalie made his return after missing three games with a lower body injury. He didn’t look rusty — and no moment displayed that better than when he stoned Horvat with just under three minutes to play in the second period.
It’s not been a great season for the Anahim Lake product, but he certainly looked his old self on this night.
But while the Canucks got a lot of good looks on the night, Baertschi believed they didn’t put enough traffic in front.
“Whenever you face a hot goaltender, you want to make it difficult for him,” he said. “I don’t think we did that enough.”
WEBER TO THE RESCUE
Boeser leading a three-onone would make you think a goal is coming. Those odds are what snipers dream of. Enter Shea Weber.
Somehow, some way, the Habs’ captain sprawled out and blocked Boeser’s shot off the left wing.
OOHS AND AAHS
Just like Wednesday in Ottawa, Thursday in Montreal was the first viewing of Pettersson.
And since Montreal fans know their superstars, the oohs and aahs from the home partisans were notable more than once.
They sure did enjoy him for the period and a half he played on Thursday night.
H didn’t score, but he did have that first-period breakaway, and while he didn’t actually record a shot, he still took the puck to Price’s doorstep and tried a move that should have resulted in a goal.
Pettersson appreciation is a growing thing, no longer limited to the West Coast.