Tyler Myers felt a loss like this could be brewing.
The Vancouver Canucks had points in five straight games but the big defenceman knew his team wasn't playing the way it should.
Then came Wednesday's matchup with the Devils. New Jersey scored 53 seconds in and never relented, handing the Canucks a 6-0 drubbing in the process.
“It was embarrassing. We should be embarrassed," Myers said. "Even through some wins the last couple weeks, there's some things within our game right now that we’ve got to clean up and we’ve got to find our identity. Right now, we're just, we're not there yet. And we know it.”
Wednesday marked just the second regulation loss Vancouver (4-2-3) has suffered this season, but the performance was one head coach Rick Tocchet wants to move past quickly.
“Everything went wrong, right from the beginning," he said. "And then, obviously, some guys were struggling, and it just rolls like that. And you're going to have games like this in an 82-game schedule. We’ve just got to flush it down the toilet right now.”
Vancouver struggled to defend off the rush Wednesday, allowing four goals in transition.
The team's power play has also sputtered in recent weeks, with the Canucks going 3-for-25 with a man advantage over their last eight games.
A lack of urgency has plagued the group, said centre J.T. Miller.
“We make it way too easy on the other team, I think. Not enough FU in our game," he said.
“We’re trying to make a standard. So next time we come in, look ourselves in the eye. It's to a man. Just work harder in practice, be more prepared, pay attention to video, all these things. Be a pro.”
Now the Canucks are looking to reset before they embark on a three-game road swing through California, starting with a visit to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Fixing their play will start well before the puck drops in that game, said winger Conor Garland.
“We have to have a good practice. We’ve gotta get back to practising hard and playing our style," he said. "We’ve got a long, long ways to go. Hopefully, we just start Friday at practice and start playing the way we have to play.”
"Resetting will require each player in the Canucks' locker room focusing on his own game," Tocchet said.
"You can’t worry about anything else," he said. "I think some of the guys need to do that. Just worry about your game. Get (Thursday) off, don't think about hockey, and then Friday come in and have a really good practice. That's the only way you get out of these things."
HISCHIER THE HERO
Devils captain Nico Hischier scored and contributed a pair of assists in Wednesday's win. The Swiss centre now leads the NHL with 10 goals on the season.
“Riding a wave right now a bit. It's going in and in my career, I have had some places where they weren't going in, so I'll just keep riding the wave," he said.
"But working on your shot, that's something you do every summer, I feel like that's an easy thing to work on, and even in practice, you can work on your shot. So, obviously, now I got confidence in my shot and try to use it a little bit more.”
MARKSTROM'S MILESTONE
Jacob Markstrom stopped all 20 shots he faced to collect his first shutout in a Devils jersey. It was the 21st shutout of his NHL career.
New Jersey acquired the Swedish goalie from the Calgary Flames in June in exchange for defenceman Kevin Bahl and a first-round draft pick.
Markstrom said Wednesday that his comfort level with the Devils is growing every game.
"I feel like it's still work to do and but obviously they're getting to know me and I'm getting to know them and the system and all that stuff," he said. "So it's a lot of new stuff, but I feel like when we are all on the same page with everyone, we're a good team. And it showed today.”
The @Canucks are honoring BC Firefighters tonight through their Firefighters Night, an initiative captain Quinn Hughes helped to create. He is inspired to give back by his grandfather, who had a long career with the NYC Fire Department.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 31, 2024
Catch Quinn taking on his brothers Jack… pic.twitter.com/a2cF8tpmPi
TAKEAWAYS
Canucks: Defending off the rush proved to be a problem for Vancouver, with four of New Jersey’s goals coming in transition. The fifth tally was a backdoor tap in from Hughes on a third-period power play.
Devils: Hischier is on a heater to start the season. New Jersey’s captain leads the league with 10 goals and has scored in four straight games.
KEY MOMENT
A power play turned sour for the Canucks early in the second period when the home side coughed up the puck and Mercer and Hischier sprinted down the ice on a two-on-one. Silovs make a solid pad stop on Hischier’s shot, but the rebound bounced out to Mercer, who popped the puck up and in to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead at 1:35.
KEY STAT
Vancouver’s power play continued to struggle, going 0 for 4 on the night and surrendering a short-handed goal. The Canucks were 3-for-25 with a man advantage over their last eight games.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Devils: Battle the Flames in Calgary on Friday.
READ MORE: Aho plays hero, Hurricanes edge Canucks 4-3 in overtime
