ABBOTSFORD — For the fourth time this pre-season, the Canucks were outscored by their opponents, leaving their head coach looking for more from his players.
The Canucks fell 2-1 to the Kraken on Wednesday at the Abbotsford Centre, with goals from Andrew Poturaski and Eeli Tolvanen condemning Vancouver to its second loss against Seattle in the pre-season.
Vancouver’s sole goal came from defenceman Carson Soucy.
“We’ve got to get some offence from some guys,” said head coach Rick Tocchet. “There’s some chances around the net. I think sometimes we’re taking things for granted.”
The Canucks outshot their American opponents, but found themselves denied on multiple occasions by netminder Joey Daccord.
“We’ve had a tough time this campaign hitting the net,” said Tocchet.
The game-winner came after Seattle’s Cale Fleury took a pass just past the Canucks’ left face-off circle and forced a pad save from Canucks netminder Casey DeSmith, but Tolvanen was on hand to fire the deflected puck past him at 12:29 of the third.
“They’re really aggressive on that forecheck,” said Cole McWard, a defenceman competing for one of the final spots on Vancouver’s NHL roster.
“Being able to move the puck quick and make simple plays around that not just for myself but the team is going to be something … that can help us.”
Vancouver came into the game missing its big names — including J.T. Miller, newly-named captain Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson — and called up six players from its American Hockey League affiliate to fill the roster.
It was a back-and-forth affair, with Seattle dominating the first period before Vancouver came storming back in the second with 12 shots to the Kraken’s two.
Seattle opened the scoring in the first period after Poturaski received the puck while holding off Soucy, allowing the Kraken forward to drive to the top of the crease, dip wide and beat DeSmith.
“On the goal, there was miscommunication passing it out,” said Soucy. “We’re just kind of getting used to it … it’s unfortunate.”
Soucy spent two seasons with Kraken, signing as a free agent with the Canucks in the off-season.
“I’m obviously good friends with lots of those guys, but once the game gets going the competition takes over and it’s a battle,” he said.
Vancouver responded at 9:42 of the second period, with Filip Hronek finding an open Soucy who fired a wrist shot through a mass of bodies that found its way past Daccord.
“It obviously doesn’t go in without good, almost two-man screens. I think our forwards did a good job getting to their net,” said Soucy.
The Canucks thought they had tied it in the dying seconds of the third but several players were denied by Daccord, who resorted to saving shots while on his back.
The Canucks have now been outscored 19-9 in pre-season, with the majority coming in their first game against the Calgary Flames — a 10-0 loss.
UP NEXT
Vancouver wraps up pre-season play at home against Calgary on Friday. Seattle plays Friday in Edmonton.
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