Slow start plagues Canucks in loss to Colorado
Posted March 26, 2015 9:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It took the Canucks 40 minutes of game time to get some momentum, but by then it was too late as the Colorado Avalanche scored three times in the second period on the way to a 4-1 victory over Vancouver.
The Avalanche was playing its second game in as many nights, as it was coming off a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, but it was the Canucks who came out sluggish. Colorado jumped out to a 12-1 lead in shots, and outshot Vancouver 18-5 in the opening period, however, the score remained tied at zero through 20 minutes.
Colorado kept up with the pressure to start the second period, and 3:23 in they opened the scoring. Gabriel Landeskog’s shot hit Jarome Iginla standing in front before getting past Eddie Lack to make it 1-0. The goal was Iginla’s team-leading 26th of the season.
The Avalanche doubled its lead just past the midway mark, as Zach Redmond’s shot from the point missed the net, but the puck ricocheted out to Alex Tanguay, who fired it home to make it 2-0.
Just over two and a half minutes later, the visitors added another goal. With Colorado on the powerplay, Landeskog finished off a tremendous pass from Tanguay, as each player recorded his second point of the night.
Vancouver started the third period with the powerplay, and just 15 seconds in Yannick Weber stepped into a slapshot and beat Reto Berra to break his shutout bid. The goal was Weber’s ninth of the season and also gave him goals in three straight games.
The Canucks had back-to-back powerplays in the second half of the third period, as they tried to get back within a goal, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity. The Avalanche put the game out of reach with an empty net goal from John Mitchell with one minute to play.
Lack made 34 saves in the defeat, while Berra turned aside 33 Canucks’ shots to record his first win since November.
The Canucks had a three-game winning streak snapped with the result. They were coming off victories over Winnipeg, Arizona and Los Angeles.
With the Canucks loss, and a win for the Kings over the New York Islanders, Vancouver is now only two points ahead of Los Angeles for second place in the Pacific Division.
The Canucks will wrap-up their three-game homestand on Saturday when they host the Dallas Stars.
