Canucks sink deeper with loss to Sabres

VANCOUVER — When play-by-play announcer John Shorthouse wondered Thursday for his Sportsnet audience if he had just felt an earthquake inside Rogers Arena, it seemed plausible that the Earth might simply crack open beneath the Vancouver Canucks and swallow them.

Already last in the National Hockey League, it would be the only way the Canucks could fall any lower. But then they lost 3-2 to the Buffalo Sabres, who are the worst team in the Eastern Conference and looked it on Thursday.

The Canucks are now lower than Death Valley, with one win in eight games and two in 12 and suddenly trailing the other 31 teams by daylight — three points adrift of the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators.

It was the Sabres†first road win in regulation time since last April.

This is the new low point for the Canucks. But check back soon because they open a five-game road trip Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.

On Thursday, the Canucks finally scored a couple of goals and broke a six-game power-play drought. And it didnâ€t matter. They got star goaltender Thatcher Demko back from a month-long injury, and that didnâ€t change the outcome of the game. They still lost.

The Canucks outshot the Sabres 32-15, including 12-2 in the third period when high-danger scoring chances were 7-1, but couldnâ€t get a third puck past goalie Alex Lyon.

“Right now, or any day, it’s the NHL,†Canucks goal-scorer Max Sasson said when asked about the Basement Bowl. “But obviously, we know that they’re at the bottom of the standings, and weâ€re at home in front of our fans. Weâ€ve got to find a way to win.

“It’s extremely hard. I thought the last three losses, I mean, I know it’s getting old saying it, but we (frickinâ€) dominate them. Especially tonight, it felt like we’re in their zone all game, and have Grade-A after Grade-A (scoring chance) and nothing’s going in. So it’s frustrating. Youâ€ve just got to think that if we keep playing like this, the tideâ€s going to turn and we’ll string together some wins.â€

The Canucks havenâ€t strung together two wins since Oct. 19. Theyâ€ll soon be at the two-month anniversary of their last winning streak.

But Sasson is correct: the Canucks have been frickin†outplaying teams recently while still frickin†losing.

They had one win in their four-game homestand and in the other losses they outshot the Detroit Red Wings 39-21 and the Utah Mammoth 33-18.

So, including the Buffalo game, the shots were 104-54 for the Canucks. And the score was 11-3 for their opponents. And the points in the standings for Vancouver were zero.

“Kind of weird, just because I feel like we’re playing… playing pretty good and creating lots of looks, but it just hasn’t gone for us,†Canucks captain Quinn Hughes said. “Youâ€ve got to stay positive knowing that weâ€re playing pretty good hockey. I think weâ€re actually in every game, for the most part, and getting quality looks. Just got to be positive about where our game is trending, but obviously you want a better result.â€

The Canucks augering their way to the bottom of the NHL, 2-8-1 since last “peaking” at .500, roughly coincides with the groin injury Demko suffered on Nov. 11. Amid a sea of Canucks injuries, itâ€s his absence that sank the team.

But any notions that the 2024 Vezina Trophy runner-up might suddenly produce his superpowers and instantly turn around the Canucks†season were shattered when Rasmus Dahlinâ€s heavy, unscreened one-timer went through Demko to make it 1-0 for the Sabres 7:36 into the game.

“Yeah, obviously, Iâ€m not super happy with that,†Demko told reporters afterwards. “I felt a little late on it, maybe a little slow. Maybe just trying to acclimate back to game speed. I mean, yeah, that’s one that I think that I can save.

“I’m not going to make any excuses about anything. I felt ready to play (but) definitely didn’t feel perfect tonight. Definitely need to be better.â€

With his first point in nine games, Kiefer Sherwood scuffed a loose puck through Lyon to tie it on a Vancouver power play with 14 seconds remaining in the opening period.

And when Sasson used a speed burst to skate onto Jake DeBruskâ€s pass and past Buffalo defenceman Bowen Byram, his shot between Lyonâ€s pads put the Canucks ahead at 6:15 of the middle period.

The lead lasted less than three minutes.

At 9:12, Buffaloâ€s giant sniper, Tage Thompson, had space in the high slot to drag the puck and change his shooting angle before whipping a wrist shot cleanly past Demkoâ€s blocker to make it 2-2.

And at 14:46 — after Filip Hronekâ€s penalty for pulling off Jack Quinnâ€s helmet in front of the Canuck net — Sabre Zach Benson scored his first goal of the season when he was given too much room in the slot by Brock Boeser and one-timed a low-to-high pass from Josh Doan past Demkoâ€s catching glove.

Buffalo had three goals in 13 shots in the first two periods, the same high yield that Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen allowed in Mondayâ€s 4-0 loss against the Wings.

The third period included point-blank chances for Boeser and Drew Oâ€Connor, a high-speed redirect by DeBrusk and a couple of six-on-five one-timers by Sherwood that were blocked.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating,†Sherwood said. “It’s kind of how things are going right now, but… we continue to fight till the end. Eventually, things are going to start to go our way if we keep playing the right way and keep out-working and dominating these teams for long spurts.

“I know it’s tough right now… but you can’t get dissuaded by the results, right? Like, those things sometimes are out of our control. We just try to focus on the process, and eventually things will go in. Obviously, we deserve (the win) tonight, but continue to fight for each other and build towards our identity.â€

“I mean, thereâ€s no sugar coating it,†Demko said. “It’s no fun when you’re not winning games. Unfortunately, itâ€s part of the job sometimes. Youâ€ve got to show up and youâ€ve got to stay working hard, and you have to do your best to do your job. That’s the reality we’re in right now. You know, the shipâ€s not going to turn itself around.â€

• Asked post-game about coach Adam Footeâ€s comments this week that “noise†regarding Hughes†future can be heard in the dressing room, the Canucks captain said: “I think guys are focused about themselves, too, and trying to get their own games going and trying to be productive and bring their best. I think at the end of the day, when guys are lacing up the skates, theyâ€re not necessarily thinking about me. They’re probably thinking about other things.â€

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