Hughes, Pettersson ineffective, blown lead, and more: 3 reasons why Vancouver Canucks lost 5-2 to Anaheim Ducks

The Vancouver Canucks’ woes continue as they blew a 2-0 first-period lead to lose 5-2 against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at the Honda Center. The Canucks have now lost three of their last four and are 5-4-1 in their last 10. Meanwhile, the Ducks have won eight of their last 11 and have a 7-2-1 mark in their last 10 matchups.

Tylers Myers and Pius Suter scored in the first period for the Vancouver Canucks. As for the Anaheim Ducks, Frank Vatrano, Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Strome, Jackson LaCombe and Troy Terry (EN) got the tallies.

Let’s take a look at the three main reasons why the Vancouver Canucks lost to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

3 reasons why Vancouver Canucks lost to Anaheim Ducks

#3 Ineffective power play

The Vancouver Canucks went 0-for-2 on the power play against the Ducks on Thursday night. While going 0-for-2 wouldn’t necessarily lead to a loss, it does play a critical factor in close games.

Vancouver had two critical power play opportunities while the game was still within reach, where a goal could have significantly shifted the momentum.

The first chance came late in the second period with the game tied at 2-2. However, the Canucks were unable to convert and the Ducks capitalized shortly after, taking the lead on Ryan Strome’s ninth goal of the season.

The second opportunity arose early in the third period with the Canucks trailing 3-2. Once again, they failed to find the back of the net, missing a chance to tie the game. Instead, the Ducks seized control, scoring twice more to secure the victory and put the game out of reach.

#2 Blown lead

The Vancouver Canucks played a solid first period, heading to the dressing room with a 2-0 after 20 minutes. However, disaster struck in the second as the Canucks gave up three goals to blow the lead.

The Cancuks seemed flat throughout the second period, unable to find an answer to the Ducks’ attack. Let’s take a look at Ryan Strome’s go-ahead goal as an example:

As the Ducks transitioned out of their own end, they launched an odd-man rush that the Canucks struggled to contain, with Tyler Myers and Derek Forbort hustling on the backcheck.

Forbort, in particular, was unable to challenge Strome, who confidently entered the zone and fired a shot past Arturs Silovs. Though Silovs appeared well-positioned, he was unable to make the save.

Strome’s goal was indicative of the Canucks' struggles during the second and third periods, with the final frame proving especially challenging as Vancouver managed just five shots on goal.

#1 Hughes, Pettersson shut down

The Vancouver Canucks captain played his second game following an injury suffered in late January. Quinn Hughes was mostly a non-factor on the ice, registering a minus-3 in nearly 23 minutes of playing time. While he got four shots on goal, he wasn’t able to make a difference on the scoreboard.

As for Elias Pettersson, he continues to struggle. Pettersson did not get a shot on goal in 17:04 of ice time, registering a minus-2. The Canucks expect more from Pettersson, as he is now the default top-line center following J.T. Miller’s trade to the Rangers.

The Canucks will have a chance to get back on track as they visit the Seattle Kraken at the Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday night.