3 least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-2 loss to Calgary Flames ft. Tom Willander

NHL: Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn
3 least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-2 loss to Calgary Flames ft. Tom Willander - Source: Imagn

The Vancouver Canucks dropped their third straight decision on Sunday night. Vancouver lost 5-2 at home against the Calgary Flames, who scored 35 seconds apart in the first period to wipe out an early Filip Hronek goal.

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The Flames were playing a back-to-back set, but seemed unaffected by it. In addition to Hronek’s goal, captain Quinn Hughes added a power play midway through the third period to make the game 5-2. Meanwhile, Morgan Frost, Connor Zary, Kevin Bahl, Yegor Sharangovich, and Blake Coleman (SHG) scored for the Calgary Flames.

The Canucks have now lost six of their last seven games and have begun to fade in the Pacific Division standings.

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So, here’s a look at the three least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from their loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday night at Rogers Arena.

3 least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from loss to Calgary Flames

#3 Brock Boeser

Brock Boeser had an underwhelming game for the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night. He hit the ice for nearly 19 minutes across 19 shifts. But it was his lackadaisical play on a third-period power play that became the final nail in the coffin for the Canucks.

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Let’s take a look:

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Boeser made a lazy pass across the ice to Quinn Hughes, who was at the point. However, Flames captain Mikael Backlund picked off the pass and headed up ice with the puck. Blake Coleman got into the play and tapped home a pass to make the game 5-1.

Had the Canucks scored on that power play, they could have gotten back into the game. Instead, Coleman’s goal was the back-breaker on the night.

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#2 David Kampf

Recent free-agent signing David Kampf did not have a particularly good game for the Vancouver Canucks. He hit the ice for a little over 14 minutes across 17 shifts. He did not have a shot on goal, nor did he register a hit.

Kampf has now played three games for the Canucks, and has failed to score. He was a minus-3 in his debut against the Florida Panthers on November 17. However, he hasn’t been able to impress enough to warrant more than 14 minutes of ice time per game.

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#1 Tom Willander

The Vancouver Canucks have high hopes for the 20-year-old Swedish blueliner. He’s had to make the jump this season amid the team’s injury woes.

However, Willander hasn’t quite shown why he’s a former first-round pick. On Sunday night, he played 14 minutes across 20 shifts. He ended the night a minus-2, while getting two shots on goal, one block, and two hits.

But it was his role in Kevin Bahl’s goal that made a major difference on the night. Here’s a look at the goal, as shown on the Flames’ official X account:

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Willander made the right play by engaging Joel Farabee in front of the Canucks’ net. However, Farabee outmuscled Willander, pushing him into the crease. Unfortunately, Kevin Bahl’s shot ricocheted off Willander’s skate and ripped past Kevin Lankinen for the goal. The shot would have otherwise gone wide. Instead, it became the 3-1 marker.

The Canucks will be looking to get back into the win column as they visit the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on Wednesday night.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan
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