If the Canucks haven’t hit rock bottom they’re well on their way, Subban shows up and fans show their support, Lehner brought out his crazy eyes, and what a night for goaltender gaffes. It’s four things we learned in the NHL.
The Vancouver Canucks are somewhere between playoff contention and lottery bound. Their performance in a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames Friday shades closer to the latter.
Two 47 per cent Corsi teams entered the Scotiabank Saddledome and one got trounced on the scoreboard. Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik paced the Flames with a goal and an assist apiece. T.J. Brodie totaled three assists in the win.
It was a record-setting evening for the Canucks. Hardly a desirable footnote in NHL history.
A run of 5-2 losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Flames have propelled the 2015-16 Canucks into the history books.
The Canucks have dropped nine of their last 12 games. Vancouver also sports the Western Conference’s second worst goal differential at -30, leading only the Edmonton Oilers.
Canadiens fans show support for Subban
It was a turbulent 48 hours around the Montreal Canadiens with hot takes coming from all angles following some controversy involving P.K. Subban and head coach Michel Therrien.
Therrien ostensibly blamed Subban for Wednesday night’s loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The star defenceman shrugged it off on Friday, denying that there was rift between himself and Therrien.
Whatever the case, Canadiens fans voiced their support for the one-time Norris Trophy winner by chanting his name early in the game versus the Philadelphia Flyers.
Subban picked up a pair of assists in the 3-2 shootout win, bringing his season total to 41.
Lehner went looking for a fight
The Buffalo Sabres downed the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 Friday. A third period fracas almost saw a rare-goaltender-versus-position-player fight, before Jack Johnson thought better of mixing it up with Robin Lehner.
Boone Jenner picked up a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Sabres defenceman Zach Bogosian, which sent Lehner into Hulk mode.
The big Swedish goaltender picked up two minutes for leaving his crease and two minutes for roughing. Jack Johnson also picked up a two-minute minor for roughing, but at least he’ll live to see another day.
Good news for people who love goalie blunders
There were plenty of goaltender gaffes on this Friday night.
Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo surrendered a long distance goal to David Legwand of the Buffalo Sabres; to boot, it was a shorthanded marker.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead when Dale Weise banked one in off Flyers’ Nick Schultz Friday. Said lead lasted all of 10 seconds when Mike Condon got beat by a Nick Cousins shot he probably should have had.
Finally, we turn to San Jose Sharks‘ Martin Jones. Jones got beat by a floating puck Carolina Hurricanes’ Chris Terry managed to volley over him when he redirected a point shot by Noah Hanifin.