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0-for-20: Vancouver’s power play is scoreless in eight games

Alex Edler and Henrik Sedin

One of the best power plays in the NHL the past few seasons has been coming up empty like a bullet-riddled bucket.

In their last eight games, the Vancouver Canucks are 0-for-20 with the man advantage -- a stretch that not so coincidentally has seen them win just twice.

Times have become so desperate that coach Alain Vigneault announced today he may see what much-maligned defenseman Cam Barker can do tonight in Columbus.

There’s been no shortage of analysis on what’s wrong with a power play that’s fallen to 24th (15.0%) out of 30 teams. Ryan Kesler’s absence with a broken foot hasn’t helped. Nor has the lack of a booming right-hand shot from the point after Sami Salo signed with Tampa Bay in the summer. Alex Edler’s struggles have been well-documented. Daniel Sedin isn’t taking enough shots and/or getting enough chances to take shots. And Vigneault has been hesitant to deploy new addition Jason Garrison, who scored nine power-play goals last season in Florida.

Meanwhile, the streaking Blue Jackets have surrendered just one power-play goal in their last 10 games.

Related: Slumping Canucks recall Ebbett, send Schroeder back to AHL