Canucks Lose 7-2 to Hurricanes: 3 Things to Hold On To

Last night, Vancouver Canucks fans had a night they'd probably rather forget. Losing 7-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes is the sort of game you'd rather forget. Carolina was faster, sharper, and seemed to have an answer for just about everything Vancouver tried.

I'm not going to pretend there were many positives in this one. There weren't. But I always think there's something worth looking for, even when a game goes sideways. So, with that in mind, here are three things Canucks fans can take away from Thursday night's drubbing.

Positive One: Elias Pettersson Is Still Producing.

Let's start with Elias Pettersson. Even on a night when the Canucks struggled, he picked up two assists and extended his point streak to five games. According to the game report, it's the first time since his rookie season that Pettersson has recorded a point in each of his team's first five games. That's worth noticing.

Pettersson has had his share of difficult stretches, and I know Canucks fans want to see more consistency. But when a player is producing through a rough night for his team, that's encouraging. Vancouver needs Pettersson to be a difference-maker, and early on, he's giving the club some offence to work with. Now the team needs to give him a little more help.

Positive Two: Jake DeBrusk Found His Scoring Touch.

Here's another little bright spot. DeBrusk scored twice at five-on-five, giving Vancouver something to take away from an otherwise ugly night. Scoring twice in a 7-2 loss won’t make anybody's highlight reel for the right reasons. Still, goals are goals, and DeBrusk showed he can find openings even when the team is struggling to get anything going.

The Canucks need secondary scoring, and they need players who can finish chances without relying on the power play. If DeBrusk can keep finding the net at even strength, that's a useful development.

Positive Three: Jonathan Lekkerimäki Is Learning the Harder Parts of the Game.

This might be my favourite takeaway. The game report noted that Lekkerimäki was willing to play through contact and compete for pucks along the boards. He also helped create the play that led to DeBrusk's second goal. That's encouraging for a young player.

We already know Lekkerimäki can shoot. He needs experience learning how to handle the physical side of the NHL, protect the puck, and create opportunities when space is limited. Those things take time. Seeing progress in those areas matters, even on a night like this.

What Did Canucks fans Learn?

The Canucks have plenty to clean up. Seven goals against tells that story well enough. But Pettersson is producing, DeBrusk is scoring, and Lekkerimäki is showing signs of growth. Three small things? For sure.

Sometimes, that's where a team starts building something better. Now Vancouver needs to show it can turn those little positives into a much better team performance next time out.