BACK ON TRACK!
Regain playoff position with thrilling shootout win over Islanders
Travis Green knew the question was coming. The Vancouver Canucks had not been below the playoff bar since Dec. 27 and reality of their perilous position — made more complex Tuesday after being passed by the Nashville Predators to sit two points shy of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with two teams to pass — had the coach reaching for reason before his club faced the struggling New York Islanders at Rogers Arena.
“I said it a month ago, there are going to be a lot of ups and downs in the stretch here, and we’re going to have to manage it and manage our emotions,” he stressed.
With five losses in their previous six games, getting Brock Boeser back sooner than expected from a fractured rib cartilage was encouraging. So was a deeper lineup that looked more potent with more top-six option combinations. And with the Islanders on a six-game losing streak — and also in danger of missing the playoffs — this was a must win for both clubs.
Here’s what we learned as J.T. Miller scored in the shootout and Thatcher Demko stopped all three attempts for a 5-4 win that vaulted the Canucks back into the second wild-card position:
POWER PLAY SHOULD HAVE SAVED THEM
Last shot wins?
It seemed like that was going to be the case with three goals in the opening 2:41. There were gritty goals and skilful goals and enough adventures on the back end to keep the issue in doubt and the coach awake at night.
Yet, what should have been the trump card was played when it mattered most, and should have sealed the deal.
The league’s fourth-ranked power play struck late in the second period to erase another defensive gaffe and snap a 3-3 draw.
When Miller executed a slap pass to Tyler Toffoli at side of the net, the winger quickly redirected it to a wide open Bo Horvat in the slot. He converted the offering for his 22nd of the season and teamhigh 12th power play goal, which ranks sixth in the league.
However, on a roller-coaster, topsy-turvy night, even that wasn’t enough.
Demko, who faced 49 shots, was brilliant in a six-shot Islander power play barrage before Brock Nelson jumped on a loose puck to even the count before Miller hit the post.
What worked for the Canucks was getting the kind of goals you need at this time of year.
Adam Gaudette got to the net to deflect Alex Edler’s wrist shot to give the D-man his 400th career point.
And Zack MacEwen, who’s looking like a roster mainstay, went heavy on the forecheck, slammed a defender into the end boards, and went to the net to deflect an Edler shot for a goal.
WHERE’S THE DEFENCE FOR DEMKO?
Three more gaffes in the defensive zone, three more goals.
Defending is more than boxing out. It’s getting pucks out and not getting caught out of position. The miscues stood out as much as some stellar goaltending by Demko — especially a trio of saves during a 5-on-3 power play in the opening period. But with such a small margin for error in these big games, the disturbing trend has to stop.
On the opening goal, Boeser and Tanner Pearson couldn’t clear pucks. And when Pearson’s effort was stopped at the blue-line by Josh Bailey, his point shot was deflected in by Andrew Ladd at 1:26.
The Islanders’ second goal was the trickle-down effect of errors. When Hughes went out to challenge Mathew Barzal, the centre got a step and fed Jordan Eberle. He went to the backhand with Chris Tanev prone in coverage at the far post and Brandon Sutter late in retreat.
Demko did his part by robbing Barzal with a post-topost move for a glove save in the second period, but then came another gaffe. Oscar Fantenberg got turned around in the slot as Nelson breezed by and chipped one short side. Nobody looked good on that one.
MORE TO TOFFOLI THAN TRIGGER
Toffoli has nine points (6-3) in his last nine games and nine even-strength goals in this last dozen NHL games. That says something about playing hard in the hard areas.
And while his 24th goal of the season in the opening period was a tick-tack-toe thing of beauty — finishing off a passing sequence with Hughes and Pettersson with a laser wrister to the glove side — he’s pretty hard on himself.
Asked about Sunday’s outing in which he had five shots and 10 attempts, and could have had a hat trick, he chose to focus on what he didn’t get done without the puck.
“Building my own game also means bearing down on the opposition,” he said. “It’s winning puck battles and one thing I take pride in is wall play. At end of first I lost a battle and Hughes took a penalty. Things like that some people don’t notice, but I do.”
BAGGED BOESER GOT BETTER
Boeser knew he would be sucking for air after missing a dozen games with a rib cartilage fracture. He didn’t get in a practice and was looking like somebody who could have used some ice time.
But he got better as the game went on. In the second period, he was stopped on a wraparound attempt, got up after being levelled by Ladd, and then did a quick reverse in the slot to get a heavy shot away off a Hughes feed.