The Vancouver Canucks shot out of a cannon once the puck dropped at the beginning of the season. Now they’ve slowed down and are in a slump.
The Vancouver Canucks had a fairy tale start to the season. Their young superstars took over offensively, the depth players played their roles perfectly, and the goaltenders were better than anticipated. They finished October with a dominant 8-3-1 record and were near the top of the Pacific Division’s standings.
Then, the calendar turned and the Canucks dropped five of their last six games. Their star scorers in Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and J.T. Miller have just a combined five goals in the last six games. Their shooting percentage has dropped down and has dipped below league average (Canucks are 9.2, the league is 9.6).
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While their goaltending has continued to play well but they have not had the scoring to support them which is frustrating for the team, especially since they have so much firepower. The team is starting to get frustrated, especially Tanner Pearson, who has not had a good season so far:
"“When frustration creeps into my game, it usually doesn’t go so well, so I’m trying to stay positive. But it’s starting to get to that point … I’m not carrying my weight right now. I’m trying not to get frustrated but, at the same time, there’s a tipping point for everything.”"
It’s easy to get frustrated when pucks that went in last month aren’t going in this month. However, that’s just the reality of playing in the NHL. No matter how good of a player you are, your scoring percentage will never be that high. The Canucks are just experiencing the levelling out of their team’s percentage. Luckily for them, Thatcher Demko and Jacob Markstrom have continued to play very well so once the scoring comes back, this team will continue its winning ways.
With a roster with so much individual talent, this scoring and losing slump won’t go on for long. It’s a matter of keeping a clear head through it all and to continue playing the way that won the team games.
Tonight they’re playing the Nashville Predators who are on a little skid of their own, losing four of their last five games. This is a great chance for the Canucks to capitalize on a struggling team and regain some confidence back into their locker room.