The struggling Jets have a Canucks killer in Kyle Connor. He has 17 goals and 40 points in 30 games against Vancouver.
Where/when: Thursday, 5 p.m., Canadian Tire Centre
TV: Sportsnet Pacific. Radio: KiSS 104.9 FM
The latest: Brock Boeser has seen a lot as longest-serving current member of the Canucks.
The right winger has enjoyed the good, endured the bad, and survived the ugly stuff that comes with a roster rebuild that’s testing his mettle and temperament.
However, Boeser is seeing progress for the NHL’s last-place club to stay in games and get closer to elusive victories.
“We’ve been playing a lot better recently and that last game (5-4 loss to Anaheim) was another we thought we could have won, but our special teams weren’t good enough,” he said Thursday morning. “We have to be on the same page for the penalty kill as a four-man unit and just making sure we’re making our clears and staying fresh.
“We’ve been getting stuck out there kind of chasing the puck around and teams have been scoring. We have to dial it in.”
That’s the bad. The good is starting to become more visible.
“Just all over the ice,” added Boeser. We’re breaking pucks out a lot more cleanly and a getting into the offensive zone. We’re getting more shots and opportunities to score. That’s a huge step in the right direction. “We’ve just got to get over the hump. Some small details have cost us goals and games.
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“Our confidence level is a lot higher as a group and we have to make sure it stays that way. We have to be ready right out of the gate.”
The buzz: The fights were applauded as much as the spirited third-period comeback on Tuesday.
For all the convenient and necessary talk of a collective commitment to navigate a rough roster rebuild for the NHL’s last-place club, finding the fight to not be blown out on the scoreboard, or literally beat up on the ice, is crucial.
Going quietly into the night is a sign of disturbing times. There is losing a game, and there’s losing your way.
The Canucks didn’t win Tuesday, despite rallying from a 5-2 deficit to nearly force overtime in a 5-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. But they showed something. A backbone to not back down from several fights and enough push to nearly have their day.
That kind of moxie could deliver a knockout blow Thursday. The low-flying Winnipeg Jets, who have one win in their last 10 games (1-7-2), are surrendering the fifth-most goals and have the sixth-worst penalty kill.
The Jets do have a Canucks killer in Kyle Connor, who has 17 goals and 40 points in 30 games against Vancouver. On Tuesday in Montreal, he scored twice in the final minute as the Jets erased a 4-0 deficit in the 5-4 overtime win to snap a nine-game losing streak.
The Canucks’ top line of Elias Pettersson between Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser was held pointless Tuesday until a pair of third-period goals. They must produce and shut down the Jets’ top trio of Mark Scheifele between Connor and Gabe Vilardi, if they expect to win for just the third time in 10 road games.
“The production aspect of it is big,” said Canucks head coach Manny Malhtora. “You need your top line to produce, and in terms of the leading by example we’re looking for, it was more the pressure they were able to apply in the O-zone (Tuesday). Getting ourselves out of the zone and spending time in the other half.
“We need their goals, but leading in other departments is my expectation of them.”
Speaking of leading and then leaving, the Jets were forced to trade disgruntled three-time Vezina Trophy winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 23 — the latest U.S. Olympian to leave a Canadian club and venture back to America — and it was a gut punch they have yet to recover from.
1.Jacob Quillan: The feisty centre was earning plaudits for he strong stride, forechecking presence to ability to create turnovers and being hard to play against. When he twice took on bigger players Tuesday when challenged to fight, and then more than held his own, the crowd went wild and so did the bench.
Quillan, 24, is on an expiring entry-level contract and can become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent — 25 or older, three pro seasons, and less than NHL 80 games — but is trying to stake a claim here. Acquired in the Aatu Raty trade, he has more speed and skill, plus a needed edge for the rebuild.
2. Jake DeBrusk: The winger is normally jovial and cracks jokes to lighten the mood. He was noticeably disturbed how his club let the game slip away by feeding into the Ducks’ top-ranked power-play strength. They easily scored three times against the league’s second-worst penalty kill.
DeBrusk, 30, played at speed Tuesday. He scored off the rush and got to the net to set a screen just as a Jamie Oleksiak point shot struck his back and found the net. DeBrusk had three shots and seven attempts and playoff contenders are aware of his trade value.
3. Marco Rossi: Struggling centre has just two assists in his last 13 games. He has been called out for too much perimeter play and lacking net presence. With Filip Chytil injured and on an expiring contract, Rossi is in a second-line role, but hasn’t delivered. At 25, he has another season left at $5 million, but little trade value.
The history: The Canucks were 0-1-2 against the Jets last season. They lost 5-3 on Nov. 11 at home, and twice by 3-2 counts in overtime. The first came Feb. 25 at home and the second March 7 on the road.
The hope: Start like they finished Tuesday. When the Canucks play direct and with purpose they are more effective.
The fear: Taking penalties, losing structure, and not getting the saves to help prop up a porous penalty kill.
The top guns: Canucks: Elias Pettersson has 18 points (4-14) in 17 games, Brock Boeser has 14 points (5-9), and Jonathan Lekkerimaki leads in goals with six. Jets: Kyle Connor is tied for second-most NHL goals with 13 and has 17 points in 16 games. Mark Scheifele has 14 points (2-12).
The wounded: Canucks: Tom Willander, lower body, day-to-day; Filip Chytil, upper body, (IR); Thatcher Demko, hip surgery recovery, (IR). Jets: John Morrissey, wrist, day-to-day (IR); Vladislav Namestnikov, undisclosed, week-to-week (IR); Nick Bjugstad, pectoral, month-to-month, (IR).
The quote: “This is everything for me. I want to prove myself every day. It’s huge for me.” — Jacob Quillan
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