Powering past the Kings proper playoff preparation
Los Angeles Kings (37-22-11) at Vancouver Canucks (45-18-8) When/where: Monday, 6 p.m., Rogers Arena
TV: SN Pacific. Radio: 650 AM
The buzz: Incentive comes in many forms.
For the Canucks, who are adept at living in the moment in a structured push toward a high playoff seed, a flashback to when everything fell apart is a cautionary tale to maintain dominance on home ice.
The last time the Canucks really lost their way at Rogers Arena was in a lopsided 5-1 loss to the Kings on leap day, Feb. 29.
It exposed what can happen when skill isn't matched by will. It was a window on what awaited in harder knocks and tougher tests in March, and if the Canucks needed a wake-up call, they got it that night.
The Kings played a fast and complete game, possibly their best 60-minute effort of the season. The Canucks didn't.
They made it an easy night for goalie Cam Talbot because they played a perimeter game. They blocked but six shots and the Kings fell in front of 23. And even though they out-hit the Kings, they didn't win much favour from head coach Rick Tocchet.
“We're losing those battles,” he said. “Maybe it's getting harder. ... You've got to learn.”
The their credit, the Canucks have done that. They've won three straight on a 3-1-1 home-ice run in which they've scored 19 goals, allowed just nine, and haven't allowed a power-play goal in the last four games.
Low-event hockey at this time of season is going to yield high-end results when it really matters. The history: Third meeting of season. The Canucks prevailed 2-1 on March 5 in Los Angeles as J.T. Miller ripped a wrist shot in overtime on a delayed penalty with Thatcher Demko pulled for the extra attacker. The Canucks got good looks from sound defensive structure. On Feb. 29, the Canucks were hammered 5-1 at home as the commitment to compete went awry.
The hope: Nils Hoglander continues to be a hustling, menacing and finishing force. The bowling-ball winger scored twice Saturday. The fear: A slow start. The Kings have won three straight and four of five, have 22 goals in their last five games, and rallied Saturday for a 4-3 overtime win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
The top guns: Miller scored on the power play Saturday to hit the 90-point plateau for the second time as a Canuck. He joins franchise legends Henrik Sedin, Pavel Bure and Markus Naslund to have multiple 90-point campaigns here. Miller is currently 10th in NHL scoring with 34 goals and 56 assists.
The wounded: Canucks: Thatcher Demko (knee, week-to-week), Dakota Joshua (hand, day-today, LTIR). Kings: Carl Grundstrom (lower body, IR), Phoenix Copley (undisclosed, IR), Alex Turcotte (upper body, day-to-day).
The quote: “It was a little too risky for me. I don't think we were on our toes for about five to 10 minutes.” — Tocchet on second-period sag Saturday. The lineup:
Hoglander-Pettersson-Garland Di Giuseppe-Miller-Boeser Mikheyev-Blueger-Lafferty Podkolzin-Suter-Aman (Lindholm maintenance day Sunday, game status Monday TBD)
(Dakota Joshua non-contact jersey Sunday) Hughes-Myers Zadorov-Hronek Soucy-Cole
The prediction: The Canucks tighten up defensively. They look more like they did in 2-1 overtime win in L.A. on March 5 and prevail 3-2.
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