VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- If there was any consolation in the first two losses of the Penguins' western Canada road trip, it's knowing that they lost to two legitimate Stanley Cup contenders in the Oilers and Flames.
The Canucks -- winless this season until a narrow win over the Kraken on Thursday and without some of their top players in Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes among others, and starting a backup goaltender who had played just 10 NHL games in eight seasons -- are closer to contending for the No. 1 pick Connor Bedard at this point than the Stanley Cup.