For several years now, their penalty-kill has been something the Vancouver Canucks could always count on, an old reliable friend that seldom let them down.
That changed earlier this season, when the Canucks suddenly seemed to be at the mercy of opposition power plays. During one recent stretch, Vancouver’s penalty-killers surrendered at least one goal in 13 of 14 games.
After being inside the top 10 the last five years — and second overall last season — the Vancouver penalty-kill plummeted and until recently was one of the league’s worst.
Now it seems to be on its way back.