The Vancouver Canucks are still searching for their first win of the season after falling 4-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. The Canucks got off to a slow start, giving up an early goal less than four minutes into the game, and never fully recovered.
Brayden Point of the Lightning scored the game-winning goal in the second period, putting the Canucks in a tough position. Head coach Rick Tocchet expressed his disappointment in the team’s performance, saying, “We weren’t ready to play the first period. I know it was only 1-0, but I don’t think we won a battle. We have to start winning some battles. We need guys to dig in a bit.”
Forward Connor Garland, who scored the lone goal for the Canucks in the third period, acknowledged the team’s slow start, calling it unacceptable. He emphasized the need for the team to improve and tighten things up moving forward.
The Canucks, now 0-1-2 on the season, are struggling to replicate the success they saw early last season when they started off strong with a 10-2-1 record. With goaltender Thatcher Demko still out with a knee injury, Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen have been splitting starts. Silovs made 24 saves on 27 shots in Tuesday’s game, bouncing back from a rough start to the season.
Tocchet commented on Silovs’ performance, saying, “He was fine. I don’t know if I like the second goal and I’m going to have to take a look at that one.”
The Canucks will look to turn things around when they face the Florida Panthers on Thursday as part of their current road trip, which also includes games in Philadelphia and Chicago. The team will need to regroup and come out stronger in the upcoming games to secure their first win of the season.