Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
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This game started with some stupidity from both the Capitals and the officials.
Pierre-Luc Dubois was called for a lazy hooking penalty on Quinn Hughes, which led to PLD getting frustrated and going right back at the Canucks&#8217; captain with a couple of stick swings. Given how clear it is that Hughes is playing through an injury, nobody wanted to see Hughes getting into the skirmish, but Dubois pulled him into it, clearly targeting the injured Canucks captain.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Chaos breaks out in Washington! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/ez03hwQLXn">pic.twitter.com/ez03hwQLXn</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877155972822495384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Anyways. Back to the game. The Canucks got a four minute power play out of that sequence, but it didn&#8217;t really matter, because the officials also put Quinn Hughes in the box for his role in this sequence. Two minutes for clearly getting targeted? Alright then.
The Capitals got the next power play of the game after Vinny Desharnais challenged Dubois for his boneheaded targeting of the Canucks&#8217; captain.
In the final moments of the ensuing Washington power play, Kevin Lankinen made a huge save off of Andrew Mangiapane to keep this game scoreless.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kevin Lankinen makes a great save! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fo2AGoJEnz">pic.twitter.com/Fo2AGoJEnz</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877162911656739042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The first period didn&#8217;t end scoreless though, as *checks notes* PL Dubois scored to make it 1-0 Capitals. 
The Canucks had some more jump to begin the second, and you really hoped that the shenanigans that took place in the first period would light a fire under the Canucks after getting just three shots on goal in the opening frame. The Canucks spent more time in the Capitals&#8217; end and got more shots on goal to open the period, but Logan Thompson stood tall on multiple occasions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The Canucks are all over the Capitals but they&#39;re not able to bury their chances. 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/bSDx62a0mf">pic.twitter.com/bSDx62a0mf</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877176672522219621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Miraculously, the Canucks didn&#8217;t let that stop them, as they continued to pour the pressure on the Capitals and Thompson. Eventually, the Caps took a penalty, sending the Canucks to the power play with roughly two minutes left in the second.
It was there that Quinn Hughes made his mark on this game, picking up an assist on Conor Garland&#8217;s goal to make it 1-1. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨
Conor Garland finds a way to beat Logan Thompson! We&#39;re all tied up heading into the 3rd period! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/3Af1KqY8xA">pic.twitter.com/3Af1KqY8xA</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877177956746858877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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This one was tied heading into the third after the Canucks matched their season-high for total shots in a period with 20. Jakob Chychrun took a puck over the glass penalty to put the Canucks onto the power play 43 seconds into the third. The Canucks had a great chance off the rush with Miller sending a pass that was too hot to handle and ultimately out of Brock Boeser&#8217;s reach. Ultimately, the Canucks tested Thompson just one time on the man advantage.
The Capitals got a power play of their own six minutes into the period, and while Washington had some extended zone time, Teddy Blueger was glued to Alex Ovechkin, effectively neutralizing the Capitals&#8217; biggest PP threat.
Max Sasson nearly gave his team the lead as the third dwindled down, then Jonathan Lekkerimäki nearly did the same, but Logan Thompson again stood in the way.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Jonathan Lekkerimäki comes close to giving the Canucks a one goal lead! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/pYPAqkBCOX">pic.twitter.com/pYPAqkBCOX</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877189734809706517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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At the other end, Carson Soucy made the save of the night when he laid out and blocked a shot from Mangiapane that would have given the Capitals the late lead.
This one needed overtime, with the Canucks outshooting the Capitals 31-14 at the end of regulation.
The Canucks played Hughes as much as they could in OT, but it was yet another OT loss in the end, as PL Dubois put a bow on this one.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Pierre-Luc Dubois wins the game in overtime. 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ALLCAPS</a> <a href="https://t.co/dhlqzqvpRb">pic.twitter.com/dhlqzqvpRb</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877194518291747172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Why did three Canucks chase the puck into the corner? Why did Tyler Myers throw the puck away like that? We&#8217;ll never really know.
2-1 final.
Some other takeaways from tonight:
-Nice to see Kiefer Sherwood didn&#8217;t hesitate to jump to the defence of his captain in the first. 
-Brock Boeser has been increasingly less of a factor as of late. I know the goal-scoring was there recently, but Boeser had a few shifts tonight where he just looked disengaged and slow. That&#8217;s becoming a theme the past few games. Boeser&#8217;s OT shift alone would be enough justification to criticize his game tonight. 
-Logan Thompson is so much fun to watch. Crazy that he didn&#8217;t make Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off. 
-JT Miller played well tonight, even if he didn&#8217;t put up four points again. Miller is clearly playing through an injury, which seemed to get re-aggravated a bit tonight. Hopefully that&#8217;s nothing that hinders him too much. It didn&#8217;t appear to tonight, as he was involved and dangerous all night long. 
-That second period sequence is the first time in a long time that it&#8217;s felt like the Canucks were building the kind of pressure where you just knew a goal was coming. 
-Canucks play this type of game on Monday in Montreal, they win, and the game isn&#8217;t close. 
-First time since December 3rd that the Canucks got over 30 shots in a game. 
-14th overtime of the season for the Canucks. 10th overtime loss.
What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!
And be sure to tune into Rink Wide Vancouver after the game over on YouTube! Hosts Jeff Paterson and Irfaan Gaffar have you covered for all your post game needs just moments after the final horn!
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Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!
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This game started with some stupidity from both the Capitals and the officials.

Pierre-Luc Dubois was called for a lazy hooking penalty on Quinn Hughes, which led to PLD getting frustrated and going right back at the Canucks' captain with a couple of stick swings. Given how clear it is that Hughes is playing through an injury, nobody wanted to see Hughes getting into the skirmish, but Dubois pulled him into it, clearly targeting the injured Canucks captain.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877155972822495384

&nbsp;

Anyways. Back to the game. The Canucks got a four minute power play out of that sequence, but it didn't really matter, because the officials also put Quinn Hughes in the box for his role in this sequence. Two minutes for clearly getting targeted? Alright then.

The Capitals got the next power play of the game after Vinny Desharnais challenged Dubois for his boneheaded targeting of the Canucks' captain.

In the final moments of the ensuing Washington power play, Kevin Lankinen made a huge save off of Andrew Mangiapane to keep this game scoreless.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877162911656739042

The first period didn't end scoreless though, as *checks notes* PL Dubois scored to make it 1-0 Capitals. 

The Canucks had some more jump to begin the second, and you really hoped that the shenanigans that took place in the first period would light a fire under the Canucks after getting just three shots on goal in the opening frame. The Canucks spent more time in the Capitals' end and got more shots on goal to open the period, but Logan Thompson stood tall on multiple occasions.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877176672522219621

Miraculously, the Canucks didn't let that stop them, as they continued to pour the pressure on the Capitals and Thompson. Eventually, the Caps took a penalty, sending the Canucks to the power play with roughly two minutes left in the second.

It was there that Quinn Hughes made his mark on this game, picking up an assist on Conor Garland's goal to make it 1-1. 

https://TWITTER.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877177956746858877

This one was tied heading into the third after the Canucks matched their season-high for total shots in a period with 20. Jakob Chychrun took a puck over the glass penalty to put the Canucks onto the power play 43 seconds into the third. The Canucks had a great chance off the rush with Miller sending a pass that was too hot to handle and ultimately out of Brock Boeser's reach. Ultimately, the Canucks tested Thompson just one time on the man advantage.

The Capitals got a power play of their own six minutes into the period, and while Washington had some extended zone time, Teddy Blueger was glued to Alex Ovechkin, effectively neutralizing the Capitals' biggest PP threat.

Max Sasson nearly gave his team the lead as the third dwindled down, then Jonathan Lekkerimäki nearly did the same, but Logan Thompson again stood in the way.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877189734809706517

At the other end, Carson Soucy made the save of the night when he laid out and blocked a shot from Mangiapane that would have given the Capitals the late lead.

This one needed overtime, with the Canucks outshooting the Capitals 31-14 at the end of regulation.

The Canucks played Hughes as much as they could in OT, but it was yet another OT loss in the end, as PL Dubois put a bow on this one.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1877194518291747172

Why did three Canucks chase the puck into the corner? Why did Tyler Myers throw the puck away like that? We'll never really know.

2-1 final.

Some other takeaways from tonight:

-Nice to see Kiefer Sherwood didn't hesitate to jump to the defence of his captain in the first.
-Brock Boeser has been increasingly less of a factor as of late. I know the goal-scoring was there recently, but Boeser had a few shifts tonight where he just looked disengaged and slow. That's becoming a theme the past few games. Boeser's OT shift alone would be enough justification to criticize his game tonight.
-Logan Thompson is so much fun to watch. Crazy that he didn't make Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
-JT Miller played well tonight, even if he didn't put up four points again. Miller is clearly playing through an injury, which seemed to get re-aggravated a bit tonight. Hopefully that's nothing that hinders him too much. It didn't appear to tonight, as he was involved and dangerous all night long.
-That second period sequence is the first time in a long time that it's felt like the Canucks were building the kind of pressure where you just knew a goal was coming.
-Canucks play this type of game on Monday in Montreal, they win, and the game isn't close.
-First time since December 3rd that the Canucks got over 30 shots in a game.
-14th overtime of the season for the Canucks. 10th overtime loss.

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!

And be sure to tune into Rink Wide Vancouver after the game over on YouTube! Hosts Jeff Paterson and Irfaan Gaffar have you covered for all your post game needs just moments after the final horn!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQyjrXeI8Xk

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