What Happened
The Vancouver Canucks allowed three power-play goals in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in Newark, N.J. New Jersey converted all three of its man-advantage opportunities. Vancouver has now surrendered 11 power-play goals in six games, leaving its penalty kill at 50 percent (11-for-22), the worst rate in the NHL. Defenceman Luke Schenn said the penalty kill is costing the team, while defenceman Elias Pettersson said the group was fine five-on-five but the PK was the difference.
Key Details
- Devils went 3-for-3 on the power play in a 4-1 win over the Canucks.
- Canucks have allowed 11 power-play goals through six games.
- Vancouver's penalty kill is 11-for-22, a 50 percent success rate, worst in the league.
- Before Saturday, eight NHL teams had not allowed 10 total goals this season.
- Luke Schenn: PK requires hard work, aggression, blocked shots, and being on the same page.
- Elias Pettersson: team was fine five-on-five, but the PK killed them.
What It Means
Vancouver is near the start of a rebuild and faces a talent gap, but penalty killing does not require elite players to be effective. A 50 percent kill rate is unsustainable and prevents the Canucks from staying competitive in games. Improving the PK could be a way to keep them in contests while the roster develops.
What's Next
The Canucks will look to correct their penalty-killing issues in upcoming games. No specific changes or lineup decisions have been announced.