No matter what people or general managers want, National Hockey League coaches are not in the player-development business. They are in the winning-games business. But right now, Willie Desjardins is failing at both. On Saturday, with a players’ bench as short as a bus stop’s, the Vancouver Canucks blew another third-period lead and lost 3-2 in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings, who were lucky to be in the game at all before they scored twice in 2 ½ minutes early in the third period. Desjardins’ Canucks lost only four games all of last season when taking a lead into the third period. Vancouver was 30-1-3. In their first five home games this season, the Canucks have already lost three times by blowing third-period leads. No wonder they are winless at Rogers Arena and are now staring, with the NHL-leading Montreal Canadiens coming at them Tuesday like a missile, at an 0-for-5 homestand. Asked Saturday if he knew why the Canucks keep blowing third-period leads and losing, goalie Ryan Miller, perhaps in shock at the way defenceman Yannick Weber and teammates abandoned Gustav Nyquist on the winning goal, muttered: “There’s a lot of different reasons. I don’t know.” Half of that answer was true. At the risk of suggesting a simple solution to a complex issue, here is one problem: Using only three forward lines late in games, Desjardins’ team in October doesn’t have the same energy or depth as last year’s reliable team. Now, the Canucks don’t have the confidence of last year’s team, either. Former Canuck coach John Tortorella was universally criticized for overplaying his top forwards two years ago. Daniel and Henrik Sedin played more than they ever had, wore down, broke down, and endured seasons so offensively unproductive these campaigns are viewed as anomalies, outliers. When Alain Vigneault was the coach, before Tortorella went one-and-done, there was an unspoken but understood rule that the Sedins should not play more than 19 minutes a night. Vigneault figured anything above that was unproductive and potentially detrimental long-term. Under Tortorella, who dramatically dialed back the Sedins’ ice time later in the season, Henrik averaged 20:40 per game and Daniel 20:36. Last year, in Desjardins’ first season, those averages fell by more than two minutes to 18:40 and 18:21. But through eight games this month, Henrik is averaging 20:16 and Daniel 19:58. Hank is playing more than Jonathan Toews, Jamie Benn and Evgeni Malkin, while Danny is playing more than Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Ovechkin. The Sedins are 35 years old. In Saturday’s 64-minute game, Henrik played 21:23 and Daniel 21:26. At the quiet end of the bench, 19-year-rookie winger Jake Virtanen logged only 5:38 and another first-year regular, 23-year-old Sven Baertschi, played 6:45. The Sedins had lots of the puck and generated plenty of scoring chances but, alas, went pointless. In a way, you can’t blame Desjardins for playing them. The Sedins are controlling play, the Canucks have had a pretty leisurely schedule in October and the team, on this homestand, has become desperate to win.

But single-digit ice times for young players isn’t going to help them develop. And in the case of Baertschi and Virtanen, fancy possession stats indicate they are not hurting the Canucks when they do play. The bottom line is Desjardins is trying to win games. The stark reality is that even leaning heavily on their experienced players, the Canucks keep blowing them. “This time was a two-goal cushion, not just one, and we still couldn’t get it done,” winger Radim Vrbata, who logged a season-high 20:13, said Saturday night. “It’s frustrating, a concern for everyone. Maybe when it happens a couple of times, then it’s back in your mind, I think. But the first two periods we played great. We played the way we wanted and going into the third with a two-goal lead, I don’t know why we can’t close it out or make it 3-0 ... so we don’t have to worry about this. “We were good last year to close games out. So far this year, it seems like it’s going the other way. We have to find a way. Those are big points that might be important at the end of the year. It’s only eight games in, but that’s two or three points that can make a difference in the end.” Actually, including the game the Canucks blew Thursday against the Washington Capitals, who scored twice in the third period to win 3-2, and the 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Oct. 10, Vancouver has already given away four points, and sit in the standings with nine instead of 13. “Now, we’re starting to think about it,” winger Derek Dorsett said. “It’s obviously frustrating us. A lot. Everyone in here cares, everyone in here wants to win and do the right thing. And it’s frustrating that it’s happening this way. We have to find the confidence to have that killer instinct. Up one or two goals, going out for the third period, we’ve got to be confident in ourselves that we will win that game.” Second-unit power play goals by Chris Tanev and Brandon Sutter built a 2-0 lead for the Canucks, who could/should have led by four or five goals, before third-period scores by Red Wings Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Tatar preceded Nyquist’s game-winner on a breakaway at 3:50 of overtime. “It’s the toughest one to swallow,” defenceman Luca Sbisa said. “We were great the first two periods and in the third we were just too passive instead of just keeping going and playing the same way. Mistakes happen because we play a different way. We’re scared to win almost.” imacintyre@vancouversun.com Game essentials THE DEBRIEF Vancouver’s first 40 minutes were some of its best hockey this season, but poor finishing and hot goaltending by Detroit’s Petr Mrazek kept the Canucks’ only two goals ahead, a deficit the Red Wings eliminated in 2 ½ minutes early in the third period. Detroit won 3-2 on Gustav Nyquist’s overtime goal as Vancouver blew a third-period lead and lost for the third time this season. The Canucks are winless in four games — all at home.