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After existing for most of the last 15 years among the NHL’s wealthy, successful first class, the Canucks are spiralling towards the franchise’s first dark era since the late 1990s.

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The Canucks did not look like an NHL team. They hardly looked like a team at all, so disjointed, out of position and inept in their own zone.

“We let Millsy hang out,” Canuck winger Jannik Hansen said. “He was unbelievable early on. We should have been down more than the two goals we were early. He kept fighting, kept battling. Even when we were down 3-1, 4-1, he’s making three or four quality saves. But you can’t expect him to make 10.

“Obviously today, it shows we weren’t good enough, pure and simple. Whether or not it’s our battle level or commitment or whatever we’re doing, today wasn’t enough. If you’re not skilled enough, not good enough, you have to make up for that in your battle work and work ethic. This team can’t rely on skill to win hockey games. We have to work hard.”

The Canucks aren’t skilled enough, aren’t good enough anymore, especially with key centre Brandon Sutter and NHL-calibre defencemen Dan Hamhuis and Luca Sbisa out with injuries.

Vancouver has Daniel and Henrik Sedin, skating recently with Hansen, a first-rate first defence pairing in Alex Edler and Chris Tanev, and a proven NHL starter in Miller. And for most of the last month, that’s all they’ve had.

No wonder Desjardins is pleading for others to step up.

The coach finally rescued Miller in the second intermission. And at the start of the third period, backup goalie Jacob Markstrom faced two outnumbered rushes in the first 23 seconds when defenceman Yannick Weber managed to trap himself twice. That was how the Canucks defended on Tuesday.