Hughes sets franchise record for assists by defencemen, Lankinen owns NHL mark for fastest road start (10-0-0), but DeBrusk makes biggest impact with winner in overtime
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All that came into play.
Hughes collected a pair of assists to add another club record to his resume and Suter fired his ninth goal of the season as sleepy start became a high-octane outing. The Wings snapped a 3-3 draw in the third period on a shot that Kevin Lankinen would like to have back — Vladimir Tarasenko picking the far high glove side off the rush for looked like it might be the winner — but he was not the problem.
The Canucks often left him vulnerable as the last line of defence and it took an Erik Brannstrom point shot with 3:20 left to force overtime where Hughes was denied and Suter stopped on a breakaway. Hughes logged a massive 31:04 and had four shots and 10 attempts.
The issue was finally settled in overtime. Jake DeBrusk struck when his shot went post and in with a minute left in overtime for a 5-4 victory that improved the Canucks six game road-trip record to 4-1-0 and gave the winger a four-point outing.
Lankien also had plenty of incentive Sunday. His 9-0-0 to start the season on the road shared the league mark with Glenn Hall (1965-66) and Cam Talbot (2022-23) and he went one better to own it.
Here’s what else we learned as Jonatan Berggren, Alex DeBrincat and Micheal Rasmussen also scored fore the Red Wings, while the Canucks conclude their trip Tuesday in Minnesota:
DeBrusk found the trust
“A Detroit team that’s man-on-man, so you’ve really got to get off your check and get inside,” preached the Canucks head coach. “We have to keep (Dylan) Larkin in check, and with the early start, you have to warm up crisper and harder.”
DeBrusk knew he had to take that cue and use his speed and size to have a net-front presence. It’s where goals are scored in today’s game, and after going the first nine games without a goal this season before getting on a hot road streak, he’s up to 10 goals and seven in his last five games away from Rogers Arena.
On his first effort Sunday, DeBrusk got to the net on 5-on-3 advantage for his eighth goal to make it 1-1 as Hughes started the scoring sequence to pass Edler on franchise record for assists by defencemen with 301. DeBrusk then struck again with the man advantage by getting inside and finishing another chance. It’s the sign of encouraging times.
Lankinen shoulders the load
The Canucks could have dug a much deeper hole in the first period.
Lankinen was sharp at the outset and an early toe save off defenceman Ben Chiarot through a mosh pit showed that his puck tracking and positioning were in fine form. It took 11 shots and a fortuitous bounce for a sharp-angle goal to beat the Canucks goaltender, and a failed clearing attempt after a dominant Wings power play in the second peered.
He took a 1.77 goals-against average, .942 saves percentage and two shutouts into Sunday. He was tested early by the league’s fourth-ranked power play and responded with a series of superlative stops.
He twice kept Lucas Raymond from extending his goal streak to six games and made a marvellous blocker save before denying Joe Delano and Tarasenko on a four-shot, man-advantage barrage. And then on a second-period sequence, he denied Larkin his 13th goal, and seventh on the power play, off a cross-ice feed. Lankinen then thwarted DeBrincat and Lankinen again before DeBrincat struck from a sharp angle as the Canucks were gassed at end of the power play.
Lankinen then did a well-time sprawl to deny DeBrincat his second goal of the day.
Sherwood is Hoglander’s hope
How do you get out of the doghouse and back to a dozen minutes per outing? Seeing should be believing.
Having bowling-ball right-winger Kiefer Sherwood on his line Sunday should have sent the struggling Hoglander a message of how a third line is supposed to play. Good in transition. Hard on the forecheck, defensively responsible and stay out of the box. It’s how Sherwood became a hit with a league-leading 144 hits to go with six goals, including scoring in three-consecutive games, and has taken just four minor penalties.
On Sunday, Sherwood hit the post and had a tip try turned aside and finished with four hits.
Hoglander didn’t play the final nine minutes of regulation Friday in Buffalo and his 6:28 of ice time was a career low. The move was obvious. A lack of dependability, especially without the puck, has tested Tocchet’s patience. Hoglander’s penchant for taking bad penalties — hooks and holds coming out of the offensive zone in retreat and needless engagements in all zones — has led to nine minors which leads club forwards.
The Canucks are in an odd spot. If they’re trying to move Hoglander, his stock has plummeted. Getting him going will serve two purposes, either re-gain his game here or be part of a package deal.