3 things Vancouver Canucks did wrong in Game 6 loss to Edmonton Oilers

The Vancouver Canucks dropped a tough game, losing 5-1 to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of their second-round series. The Oilers dominated most of the contest, leaving the Vancouver Canucks little room to get anything going.

So, with that thought in mind, here is a look at three things the Vancouver Canucks did wrong in game 6.

3 things the Vancouver Canucks got wrong in game 6

#1: The Canucks were outplayed

The Edmonton Oilers came out, guns blazing, looking to force a game 7. On the whole, it seemed like the Oilers wanted the game much more than the Vancouver Canucks did.

Edmonton outshot Vancouver 27-15 and outhit them 49-39. While Vancouver won most of the draws, they were unable to translate that into a tangible advantage over the Oilers.

It’s worth noting that the Canucks turned the puck over more often than Edmonton, leading to several dangerous chances. For example, an icing call midway through the third period led to Evander Kane’s 4th playoff goal, putting the Oilers up 5-1.

#2: The Canucks could not stop Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid had a controversial goal waved off in the first period. But that didn’t stop McDavid from splashing his name all over the scoresheet. McDavid registered three assists in the game, giving 19 during this year’s playoffs.

Honorable mentions go to Evan Bouchard who had a goal and two assists, while Leon Draisaitl registered two assists. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a fantastic night, tallying three points on a goal and two assists.

The Vancouver Canucks will need to find a way to stop Connor McDavid in game 7. The Canucks cannot allow McDavid to take control the way he did. Otherwise, Vancouver risks dropping game 7, blowing a 3-2 series lead.

#3: Arturs Silovs did not have a good night

Arturs Silovs has done an admirable job filling in for the injured Thatcher Demko. However, Silvos was a non-factor in tonight’s game. He gave up five goals on 27 shots for a .815 SV%. Those numbers are hardly what the Canucks needed from their netminder tonight.

While Silovs is not solely to blame for the five goals, Silvos needed to play stronger, much like he did in games 3 and 5.

In hindsight, it’s unreasonable to expect Silovs, a third-string goalie, to steal games for Vancouver. Nevertheless, Vancouver needs to get solid goaltending while playing a solid defensive game in front of him.

The stage is now set for game 7 on Monday night. The winner-take-all contest will determine who faces the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals.