Tocchet blasts Canucks after disappointing loss to Sharks: 'Playoff teams don't do this'

Vancouver Canucks fans were spoiled in the months of October and November.

Star players were lighting up the score sheet, the team was rolling as a unit and their goaltenders were playing at Vezina calibre, leading to a 14-6-1 record that catapulted the team to the top of the Western Conference. The playoffs, a distant dream the previous two years, seemed within reach.

To an extent, everyone expected some regression from a team that has made the post-season just once since 2015. But what has head coach Rick Tocchet frustrated most is the way in which his club is slowing down.

On Saturday night against the NHL-worst San Jose Sharks, tied 2-2 going into the third period, Tocchet's Canucks broke down to start the final frame, giving up two goals and only clawing back in the final minutes when it was already too late. Eerily similar was the loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, where the Canucks were tied going into the third period but surrendered three more goals to lose 5-3.

For all intents and purposes, winnable games that the Canucks couldn't extract points from.

"We weren't ready to play early," Tocchet told reporters after Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Sharks. "[We] wasted a good effort against Seattle. San Jose's been playing good and they worked hard tonight, and we didn't.

"This is a learning lesson. Playoff teams don't do this sort of stuff."

Though nobody is throwing their season away at this point, Saturday's result skewered any hope of this road trip being less than disappointing, with the blue and green taking just two of a potential six points against Western Conference teams — points that may make all the difference come April.

The Canucks continue their gander through the Pacific Division when the 9-11-0 Anaheim Ducks visit Rogers Arena on Tuesday evening.