The 3 biggest overreactions to the Vancouver Canucks’ opening two games, and whether they're valid 

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      Sports are all about what you’ve done lately. And what the Vancouver Canucks have done lately is lose the first two games of the season. 

      It’s a long season, and the Canucks were the victim of two separate Alberta home openers. Both were very close games and the Canucks played well enough to at least collect a couple points over the road trip.

      Alarm will only truly set in if the Canucks lose their Wednesday home opener against a Los Angeles Kings team that will be playing the second of back-to-back contests. 

      But still, there have been some growing concerns in Canuck nation. Here are some of the reasons the Vancouver faithful has been throwing some cursory glances at the panic button. 

      The first line 

      The much ballyhooed revamped top six hasn’t been quite as dominant as the Canucks expected. The second line of Bo Horvat between J.T. Miller and Tanner Pearson has looked great. But the first unit with Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and newcomer Micheal Ferland? Not so much. 

      Should we be worried? 

      Probably not. It’s no secret that teams are keying in on Pettersson, they’d be insane not to. But Ferland clearly hasn’t jelled with him and Boeser, and coach Travis Green has switched up the lines in practice, moving Miller up and putting Josh Leivo in Ferland’s place. 

      It’s a bit of a shame, because Miller and the Horvat were showing nice chemistry, and the Canucks didn’t get Ferland to slide him in on the third line. But the first line should be able to get going in short order. 

      The bottom six 

      It’s also seen some major changes, with Loui Eriksson scratched after a lifeless season debut. That move was made to get Adam Gaudette into the lineup, and the sophomore has looked very much at home on the third line, a welcome change from last year. 

      The fourth line still seems mostly ineffective out there, but in reduced minutes there’s hope that they can generate something. 

      Should we be worried? 

      If Gaudette can prove himself a capable third-line centre and Jake Virtanen continues to look dangerous… then no. Those are obviously big ifs, but there are signs of possibility on both fronts. 

      The powerplay 

      It has zero goals to show for 10 chances. 

      Should we be worried? 

      Not yet. The Canucks have had many near-misses with the man advantage and, like the top six, Green has room to experiment. The long-rumoured placement of Quinn Hughes (who has been the lifeblood of the second unit) on PP1 is coming. Sooner or later, it’s coming. 

      We’d be surprised if the Canucks didn’t tally a powerplay goal against the Kings on Wednesday.

      Follow @ncaddell on Twitter

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