3 least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-4 OT loss to Seattle Kraken feat. Thatcher Demko

While the Vancouver Canucks broke a three-game winless skid on Monday against the San Jose Sharks, they weren’t able to make it two straight victories in Saturday night’s matchup against the Seattle Kraken.

Just as the Ottawa Senators did to the Canucks last Saturday night, the Seattle Kraken defeated Vancouver 5-4 in overtime at Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver.

The loss was especially brutal for the Vancouver Canucks, who allowed a trio of late goals by the Kraken before surrendering the winner in overtime. They were also playing without Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson, both of whom are injured.

Vancouver found the back of the net first thanks to Brock Boeser's 12th goal, scored on the power play. But Seattle knotted the score early in the second period after Matty Beniers scored his fifth goal.

The Canucks would soon take charge, thanks to goals from Connor Garland and the second of the night from Boeser, followed by an early third-period goal from Jake DeBrusk, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

But the Kraken pulled off a stunner, scoring three goals in the final five minutes of regulation to tie the score and send it to overtime. Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn cut the lead to a single goal before Schwartz struck again with 50 seconds remaining.

In overtime, it was Dunn scoring the winner, also his second goal of the game.

Philipp Grubauer made 18 saves in a winning effort for the Kraken, while Thatcher Demko was victimized five times on 29 shots.

3 least impressive Vancouver Canucks players from 5-4 OT loss to Seattle Kraken

#1. Thatcher Demko

The Vancouver Canucks welcomed Demko back from the nagging injury that forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs (after Game 1 of the opening round), as well as Vancouver’s training camp, exhibition schedule and every game up until his recent return.

But once again, his level of play is being questioned. His five goals allowed against the Kraken raised his goals-against average to 3.14 and dropped his save percentage to a porous .879, while his record is now 2-1-3.

The Canucks need Demko to find his game — and quickly.

#2. Carson Soucy

The normally steady Soucy committed a crucial error late in the third period that directly led to Dunn’s first goal of the game, making the score 4-3.

He whiffed on a clearing attempt that landed right on Dunn’s stick, who beat Demko a moment later with a blocker-side shot.

#3. Tyler Myers

Not only did the towering Canucks defenseman finish with a -2 rating, but it was his errant pass that missed teammate J.T. Miller and sprung Dunn on the fateful breakaway that resulted in Seattle’s victory.

Myers has drawn the wrath of Vancouver Canucks fans for his defensive miscues of late, and his critical error on Saturday won’t help his case.