FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1 Don’t play with Caps PP fire
Washington has scored 10 power-play goals in 26 attempts over seven games and an eyepopping 38.5 per cent efficiency tops the NHL. Evgeny Kuznetsov was tied for the league lead after seven games with four power-play goals, while Ovechkin has three and Nicklas Backstrom two. The Canucks’ vastly improved penalty kill was ranked eighth after a 3-for-3 performance Saturday and has six perfect killing nights in eight outings.
2 Straight-line Bo is way to go
Bo Horvat has five goals in eight games, including two on the power play, and his best weapon to help the Canucks improve their even-strength scoring — they rank 20th — is to use those bull-like, north-south rushes and forget the toe-drag. There’s merit in the move to freeze a D-man and get a good shot away, but it also requires Horvat to gear down to cradle the puck and then move wide. It takes away his super speed efficiency.
3 Stop with the Brock Clock
There’s still a slight hesitation in Brock Boeser’s release. The winger has had 11 attempts blocked through eight games, including six in the last four, and whether it’s anything lingering from his back injury to affect velocity and accuracy and foot speed — or simply a lack of confidence — there is reason for hope. Boeser is second in team shots with 19 and has 34 attempts. But just two even-strength goals gets your attention.
4 Another big shutdown test
Brandon Sutter, Antoine Roussel and Loui Eriksson will get the call to curtail the trio of Kuznetsov, Ovechkin and Chandler Stephenson. The top Caps’ line is big, fast and effective, but the Canucks’ shutdown line was good Saturday in limiting Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak to nine combined shots and no points.
5 Can Caps kick it up a notch?
A 3-2-2 record and 28 goals against speaks to the early season and the Cup champs have yet to show that dominating pedigree, outside of a top-ranked PP. The Caps had to scrap back from a three-goal deficit Friday against the Florida Panthers because of a poor PK to get to a shootout where they fell.