CLUTCH CANUCKS WIN
Vancouver gets it in gear when it counts and leaves playoff pursuers behind
Since October some hard questions have been asked of the Vancouver Canucks and, since October, the Canucks have usually supplied the answers.
But Monday in St. Louis, Willie Desjardins’ team might have delivered the thesis statement on their season. With an angry mob continuing to chase them in the West, and a palpable sense of fear rising from the faithful, the Canucks waltzed into St. Louis and bounced one of the NHL’s best.
It might not have been their most complete or comprehensive performance, but it was undoubtedly their most clutch, and while things can still go a couple of different ways, they’re now one game closer to the playoffs.
With six games left on their schedule, the Canucks sit in second place in the Pacific Division, two points ahead of the Calgary Flames and, more importantly, five up on the Los Angeles Kings.
Following two uninspired outings at home against Colorado and Dallas, the Canucks returned to the same template they’ve relied on throughout this campaign, using a bit of this, a bit of that and a healthy dose of Radim Vrbata to subdue the Blues. Following a sluggish opening, the Canucks took the game over midway through the first period and never really relinquished control until the final horn.
True, there was a nervous moment when the Blues’ Zbynek Michalek tied the game 1-1 midway through the second period against the run of the play. But while Michalek’s goal was still being announced, a suddenly relevant Nick Bonino potted the winner.
Bonino’s line, in fact, has emerged as one of the happier stories over the last handful of games. It helps that the white-hot Vrbata, who scored the key third goal in the third, now occupies a spot on that trio. All season long the Canucks have been looking for consistent production from a second line and Bonino, Vrbata and Chris Higgins have been found money lately.
As for the rest of the ensemble, the Canucks played their usual four-line, six-D format. Four of their defencemen played over 20 minutes, but Dan Hamhuis led the group with 20:56. Throw in an opening goal by Shawn Matthias, an Alex Burrows empty-netter (their 21st of the year) and a 23-save performance by goalie Eddie Lack and you have a recipe for a crucial win.