Hughes back in form for playoff drive
Blue-liner tallied three points Tuesday in win over division-leading Leafs
The book on Quinn Hughes was written long ago.
Elite edge work to spin and embarrass frustrated forecheckers. Long laser-like passes to trigger the transition. Resiliency to withstand constant harassment in his own zone — complete with slashes, cross-checks and body slams.
And now, the Vancouver Canucks' puck-moving wizard has added a virus bounceback chapter as the NHL club has turned pursuit of a playoff position from a very long shot to let's keep giving it a shot.
Hughes has quickly returned to form after overcoming an unpredictable and unrelenting foe in the coronavirus. His three-point performance and seven shot attempts Tuesday in a 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs were proof that some reports surrounding a March 31 shutdown that affected 22 players — and an aggressive P.1 variant running rampant through the organization — weren't totally accurate.
Hughes said he never required an IV (intravenous) injection.
“I don't know where that comes from,” he said. “People on Twitter can say whatever they want and it blew up. I wasn't on an IV.”
Hughes bristled at the suggestion because an IV can run from mild to wild. Monoclonal antibodies, like Regeneron, are administered to the COVID-afflicted who aren't in hospital. And remdesivir and dexamethasone are given to the hospitalized to keep them from the intensive care unit.
After clearing the virus hurdle, Hughes is running with the challenge that awaits. He wasn't 100 per cent healthy at the outset Sunday — his lungs “were burning a bit” — before finding a second and third gear. He then shifted his play into overdrive Tuesday.
“I felt better than I did last game,” he said. “Frankly, my legs felt pretty good and we're all just excited to play again. It's kind of like hitting the reset button. It's exciting for sure to be in the race and we got a taste, and I did, of winning in the (post-season) bubble. It's really fun.
“We've got a really good group and we could have folded, in what we just came off of. I'm just really proud of the guys right now and hopefully we can keep it going. We're not satisfied.”
The plan for Hughes and his teammates is returning to peak fitness while also knowing rest and recovery are as imperative as outcomes in 17 remaining regular-season games sandwiched into 28 days. Winning is the tonic to maintain sustainability and a pair of triumphs over the North Division-leading Leafs certainly quickens the pulse.
“I'm definitely following the standings and I know where all the guys are,” admitted Hughes.
The Canucks took Monday off after Sunday's 3-2 overtime victory and did the same Wednesday after another comeback triumph Tuesday. They now face the Ottawa Senators tonight and Saturday at Rogers Arena.
“You're not sure what their bodies are going to feel like being off the ice — that's probably the biggest thing,” Canucks coach Travis Green said of a 24-day hiatus between games fuelled by the league's mandatory six-day break and the COVID -19 shutdown. “It's keeping our energy level high and our emotional energy right, and when you win it's a lot easier for that to happen.”
A significant step for Hughes to address the physical and mental strains occurred Tuesday. Not only was he moving well and controlling the play, the dynamic aspect of his multi-dimensional game was also evident — especially in the offensive zone.
On his third goal of the season to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead midway through the second period, he came off the bench amid sustained pressure, took a cross-ice feed from J.T. Miller and his wrist shot went off the blade of Leafs winger Mitch Marner and up and over the outstretched glove of David Rittich.
The goal not only snapped a 20game drought, but the ability for the Canucks to control the play
in the offensive zone was also an encouraging development.
“Games are getting tighter and guys are getting more competitive,” added Hughes. “You're going to have one or two shifts a game where you can hem them in and try to capitalize on that. We're working as a unit, too, and being fluid in the O-zone.”
Play without the puck is going to be just as vital for Hughes to complete the 56-game season. An innate ability to dart back into the defensive zone, especially after a pinch, to angle off forwards and use smarts and a quick stick are tools to overcome physical disadvantages.
When both parts of his game are in sync, Hughes is something special. The Edmonton bubble experience of 16 points (2-14) in 17 games proved he could ramp up his game as the Canucks came within a Game 7 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights of advancing to the Western Conference final.
“When you re-watch video on slo-mo, you still see that (Hughes) is able to make plays through and in traffic and skate himself out of trouble so often,” marvelled Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer.
“He's a special player who has the ability, even with pressure and attention, to make plays.”
He's a special player who has the ability, even with pressure and attention, to make plays.