Buried in a hurry by Avs’ rally
Colorado snipers crank it up in fi nal period with Linden looking on
The Trevor Linden era began Thursday night the same way the Mike Gillis era ended: with a loss.
It’s going to take more than a new team president to right the Vancouver Canucks, who did some good things but were done in by key mistakes in a 4- 2 National Hockey League loss to the playoff- bound Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena.
Once again, the third period was not their friend. The Canucks were outscored 3- 1 in the final 20 minutes by the speedy Avalanche.
“I think focus, lack of focus, maybe a lack of pride defensively,” centre Ryan Kesler said when asked about Vancouver’s third- period struggles this season. “We usually get criticized for sitting back with a lead and not pushing. I thought we pushed a little too much offensively and gave up a couple of odd- man rushes there late which hurt us.”
The loss, Vancouver’s fourth in its last five games, dropped the Canucks into 12th spot in the Western Conference. Only Edmonton and Calgary trail the Canucks and the Flames could pass Vancouver before this season mercifully comes to an end on Sunday night.
In the big picture, that’s probably not such a bad thing as the farther they fall the higher the Canucks will pick in this summer’s entry draft.
Linden, who was appointed president of hockey operations on Wednesday, was shown on the scoreboard in the executive box just before the opening faceoff and received a warm response from fans before sitting between assistant general managers Laurence Gilman and Lorne Henning.
But once again, the Canucks’ fans didn’t have a lot to cheer about during the game.
Tyson Barrie, a 22- year- old Victoria native, scored the game- winner on a 2- on- 1 rush at the 12: 30 mark of the third period. Barrie beat Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom stick side after Canuck defenceman Alex Edler appeared to stumble on the play. Markstrom was making his first start as a Canuck after being acquired more than a month ago in the trade that sent Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers.
“It was a 2- on- 1 and he ( Barrie) made a good move there and pulled it across and he just shot it quick and it went through,” Markstrom said.
“Not good enough,” added the Swedish netminder, who faced 28 Colorado shots. “It felt good to be out there but obviously you want to start up with a win.”
The Canucks outshot the Avs 40- 28, but again didn’t show much finish.
“That’s great to get 40 shots but as a group we are too lax defensively,” Kesler said. “Playing defence most of the time is a thankless job and it’s hard work. So it’s great we got 40 shots, but on the other side, we hung Markie out to dry. He played good for us tonight. A couple of those we just hung him out to dry and he had no chance.”
“We played well,” said coach John Tortorella. “We played hard. It takes us a lot of scoring chances to score a goal. That has been a recurring theme throughout the year. But I have no beef with our team as far as how hard we play. We need a lot of chances to score goals.”
Paul Stastny had given the Avs a 2- 1 lead with his second goal of the night at 5: 21 of the third period when he put a rebound off an Erik Johnson shot past Markstrom.
But less than two minutes later, David Booth tied the game, beating Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov high to the short side after Dan Hamhuis’s point shot had bounced off the end boards.
The Canucks opened scoring at 13: 52 of the first on the type of goal they haven’t had nearly enough of this season. Henrik Sedin battled for position with Johnson in front of the net and tipped a Hamhuis shot from the left point past Varlamov. The goal was Henrik’s 11th of the season.
But a costly giveaway by rookie winger Nicklas Jensen helped the Avs tie things up before the period was over. Stastny stole the puck from Jensen at the Colorado blueline and then beat Markstrom five- hole on the subsequent breakaway.
The highlight of a scoreless second period came from the guy who won the Tim Hortons doughnut contest and yelled “Torts, you’re a beauty. I love you man.”
The Canucks finished the game without winger Chris Higgins, who left the game after two periods with an illness.
Defenceman Kevin Bieksa confirmed after the game he will play for Canada at next month’s world championship in Belarus.
“Rob Blake asked me and I said absolutely,” Bieksa said. “I haven’t had many opportunities to play for my country and I don’t plan on missing the playoffs too many more years so I thought I’d take this chance. It’s an honour.”
ICE CHIPS: John Mitchell scored an empty- net goal for the Avs at 19: 17 of the third ... The Canucks cancelled today’s practice and will head to Edmonton, where they meet the Oilers on Saturday night. They return home to close out the season Sunday night against the Calgary Flames. That game is a 6 p. m. start ... Veteran defenceman Jason Garrison was scratched Thursday to make room for rookie Frank Corrado.