Canucks Player Grades: Defensive deficiencies in tough 4

Making the simple defensive play look complicated is getting beyond concerning for the Vancouver Canucks .

After a rare practice Wednesday to drill home the essentials of stick and body positioning to either strategically or physically engage, box out, and move pucks with authority for cleaner exits, they messed up the process on the first two Dallas Stars goals on Thursday at Rogers Arena .

In what was expected to be a tough struggle against the surging Stars, it played a role in a 4-2 loss.

You have to wonder if allowing an average of 3.67 goals per game — second worst in the entire league — is messing with their heads. To their credit, the Canucks tightened up but the early damage was critical.

On the opening goal, it was simply a bad trickle-down sequence that became complex.