If you didn't catch Thursday's Summer Showdown game or had trouble with the livestream, here's a seven-minute package that boils down the best moments of the night:
Here are the full rosters for both teams. As expected, Jonah Gadjovich was the only camp participant not to suit up for the game.
Last year, fans filled just one side of the arena, in the lower bowl. This year, the full lower bowl was in use and game presentation was pretty much up to regular-game standards. There were some empty seats scattered through the bowl but we had a live band between periods, contests, a 50/50 draw, a return to the Canucks' old-school goal song "Electric Worry," by Clutch, and plenty of Wooing when a certain young defenseman touched the puck.
Like last year, the game was structured in three 15-minute periods. The first was 5-on-5, the second was 4-on-4 and the third was 3-on-3, then everybody got a turn in the shootout.
Continuing to make a case that 5'6" is enough height to play in the NHL, Petrus Palmu was the standout prospect for the night. The sixth-round pick from 2017 was the star of the first period and finished up with a goal and two assists.
Palmu showed great chemistry with 2018 third-rounder Tyler Madden. I'm not sure Madden's father John ever scored on a snipe like this from the slot during his hardworking NHL career.
Kole Lind also treated us to a taste of what his offensive skillset is all about, with an unassisted goal after stripping the puck from Quinn Hughes at the other end of the ice.
As the game wore on, 23-year-old Jarid Lukosevicius drew some attention, finding space for a couple of sweet goals. The Squamish native was one of the older players on the ice on Thursday. He has played the last three years at Denver and may have played his way to a minor-league contract with his strong showing. Tanner MacMaster, who was solid for the Comets during last season's AHL playoffs, also got better as the game went on.
As for Hughes, he was certainly noticeable but didn't have the same kind of standout game that we saw from Elias Pettersson last year. Some of that may have been due to his bout of the flu last weekend, which apparently cost him six pounds. In the first period, particularly, I thought he was hampered by teammates that weren't at his level. Seemed like his outlet passes were connecting a lot more efficiently in Denmark when he was playing with Team USA!
Hughes started the game on the left side, then switched to the right for the 4-on-4 second period. In the third, at 3-on-3, there was no side.
He had a couple of highlight moments. There was this:
And this goal in the shootout:
Love this slo-mo angle, from behind the net:
As for height? Here's a pic to chew on:
Left to right, with their heights as listed on the game sheet:
Matthew Thiessen (6'2"), Jett Woo (6'0"), Toni Utunen (5'11"), Tyler Madden (5'11"), Quinn Hughes (5'10).
Madden's leaning a bit, but looks like the smallest of the bunch? Woo and Hughes both get a bit of an assist from their hair, I think.
2017 fourth-rounder Jack Rathbone was also listed at 5'10", but on the ice he looked like he's now one of the taller 5'10" players, if that makes any sense? I would have liked to see him do a bit more offensively, but he looked strong physically and his skating was impressive.
Michael DiPietro was also fun to watch. He's a flopper who will do anything to make a save. He never gives up on a play!
On June 20, the Canucks re-signed goaltender Richard Bachman to a new two-year, two-way contract. He and Thatcher Demko should share the crease for the bulk of the season in Utica next year, then Bachman will be on hand to provide stability when DiPietro makes his transition to the pro ranks in 2019-20.
The other big news of the day—Alex Burrows officially announces his retirement, and his new gig.
Burrows was one of my favourite interview subjects. He was more than willing to take some time with me to reminisce about his long path to the NHL about a month before he waived his no-trade clause to go to Ottawa in February of 2017.
Burrows will start his post-hockey career as an assistant coach with the AHL Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens farm team. And maybe we'll get to see him on the ice here in Vancouver one last time:
Hope this happens!
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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