My take.....
The Canucks actually showed good legs for a team on the 3rd in 4 nights in the geo of the league that is farthest from home. Their heads were rather elsewhere.
The shot totals are a major concern; on this road trip they were outshot 109-50. This is a rather unacceptable statistic when you consider that the defense of the team is supposed to be its strong point. The scores flatter the Canucks offense, they got very very lucky. There is a to of slack to be cut for this group right now though when you look at the IR list. There is honestly a degree of hope that this group is kindling by being 2 points out of the playoff race in the face of those injuries. With the way some of the forwards are stepping up, I'm starting to fear that our Achilles heel is actually going to be found in the fragility of the crease.
On the goaltending last night, I agree with most of what UW said. Patera is not NHL calibre, some of his very very good saves had to be very good because he loses the net too easily, particularly when over-committing with lateral movement, but last night was hardly on him, and I will take a moment to defend him here.....
Goal 1 - Through traffic, but I will say this was stoppable and that Demko probably gets that 80% of the time and Lanks 60%.
Goal 2 - Terrible defense letting Jones skate in that way, but that is one that even a legit NHL backup stops most of the time.
Goal 3 - This is where I disagree the most with UW, it wasn't just his movement that caused this, and it's hard to read that when Pettersson was getting pushed into his face for most of the play, not just the shot and rebound. Even if he hadn't opened up to come across, that likely goes in because Petey ends up completely on top of him if he stays more upright. Maybe there's an argument for goaltender interference in that event because Petey ends up getting more obviously pushed into him by the defender?
Goal 4 - That pass by Reinhart was fucking slick. Reinhart was completely across and outside the blocker side post when he sent that puck back past a pursuing Marcus Pettersson AND Kampf (enter Carl with some word play). The puck misses Pettersson's skates, then Kampf's, and somehow doesn't hit the back of the net, and lands perfectly on Rodrigues' blade. Patera had zero chance, and his positioning was sound enough that he almost got a glove on it.
Goal 5 - That was Lunogo-level garbage circa games 3,4, and 7, of the 2011 SCF. A perfect shot, but better positioning takes that shot away.
Goal 6 - Deflection right in front that sent the puck into the top corner. Full pass.
Goal 7 - Again, giving him a pass. Can critique his over commitment to the puck carrier on the wing, but bang-bang play.
Goal 8 - He shoulda had that one.
NHL-starter level rebound control probably eliminates a couple of those goals that came after very good saves but the Panthers recovered the puck and generated another full play in-zone.
On Pettersson.....
His game has improved markedly on this road trip. He is getting back to using the things that made him successful in his first 5 seasons, but I also note that he is getting pushed around again as he engages more. If the production is there, then this is a trade-off we should all be happy with provided that it does not result in him being too banged up to be productive come mid-February. Face-offs are improving too.
I didn't pay attention, but did Kampf's first game have the desired effect of getting Petey more O-zone starts?