TRADEMARK FLAMES RALLY WINS GAME ONE
The stakes are higher. The spotlight brighter. The microscope more probing for frailties. But they don’t change. Finding a way. Somehow. Again. Defenceman Kris Russell slung a seeing- eye shot past goaltender Eddie Lack, stunning the crowd at Rogers Arena.
Only 29.6 ticks remained on the clock.
And, suddenly, after falling 2- 1 to the Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks have it all to do again on Friday in Game 2.
“It’s not ideal, obviously,” said Russell. “My goal? A good play by our forwards. They cycled the puck, got guys to the net. When you’re defending, its hard when guys are cycling and using their speed like that. Wides made a heads- up play, he seen my guy inching toward the middle and I had a lane.
“I tried to shoot it as hard as I could, in a good spot, and the guys did a good job in front of Lack. I don’t think he saw it.
“That’s the way we have to play. Get lots of traffic in front, make it tough for him to see the puck.”
From a Calgary perspective, a couple of kids making their playoff bows were among the brightest of lights, which bodes well not only for the next six games ( or less) but the years to come.
Hulking winger Michael Ferland was nothing short of a beast, slamming blue sweaters into the woodwork with molar- loosening regularity. Sam Bennett, meanwhile, drawing in on the Mikael Backlund- Joe Colborne line in place of ex- Canuck Mason Raymond, displayed grit and tenacity at the highest level, galaxies beyond his 18 years.
Each also registered their first NHL playoff point.
When the post- game discussion turned to Bennett and how he looked as if he’d been in this sort of pressure cooker all his life, Russell couldn’t help turning on the high beams.
“Didn’t it? The kid’s special. A good player, works hard, stays on the puck. There’s a reason he got drafted that high. And he can only get better.” And Ferland? “He’s a player who I don’t think is a household name. But he’s going to be. Just the way he plays. Plays it the right way. Plays it tough. Kind of that old- school mentality, gets in there, physical, big shot, he likes going to the net, likes roughing it up.
“He’s going to be a big part going forward.”
With Lack and the Canucks looking a good bet to make their 1- 0 lead stand up through the third period, veteran pivot Matt Stajan — who’s waited a decade between playoff appearances — made a fine play to exit the offensive zone on a neutral zone turnover from the Canucks and pressure another giveaway just inside the Vancouver line, allowing Ferland to slide a short pass to Jones, who lasered a shot beyond Lack at 7: 59.
What became only too apparent very, very quickly: Linchpin centreman Sean Monahan, despite the mandated forced-smile, obligatory protestations to the contrary these past two days, is FAR from in the pink of health.
The 31- goal second- year centre was clearly labouring.
On only the Canucks’ third shot of the second period, 12: 08 in, they had broken on top, rookie Bo Horvat’s shovel backhand somehow squeezing through the pads of a kneeling Hiller.
Most troubling from a Flames perspective in a scoreless, finely- balanced first period was a pitfall they’ve scrupulously avoided throughout the regular season — penalties, both Bennett ( banished, mysteriously, for high- sticking) and Ferland ( cross- checking, goaded by Derek Dorsett) incarcerated.
Then, 8: 16 into the middle frame, Johny Gaudreau was flagged for delay of game, making it a hat- trick of rookie penalties.
An uncharacteristic run of misdemeanours for a group so well behaved over 82 games.
Luckily, the visitors managed to stem the tide.
Other than his phantom minor, Bennett marked his first NHL playoff period with distinction, three cracks at Lack in five minutes of ice time. Meanwhile, Ferland too was showing he wasn’t awed by the occasion, slamming the antagonistic Alex Burrows twice into the woodwork.
You get the feeling both will play even larger roles as this series, which opened as tightly-contested as advertised, wears on.
“Whenever you can get a win, its great,” said Russell, downplaying the drama. “Regardless. We know the series is just getting started. We got the first one. We can get some confidence in that but at the same time.
While nothing’s decided, Russell could promise one thing. It’s a pledge this team has upheld all season long.
“We’re going to battle hard,” he said. “We want to win this series. We want to win every game. So do they. As the games go on, it’s only going to get tougher.
“The plays that are made are going to be more crucial. At the same time, we’ve got a good young group that’s excited for the opportunity.
“And we’re gonna keep pushing.”