The Canucks weren’t flashy about it, but they put together a solid and defensively clinical game Thursday night in their 4-1 win over the Canadiens. For a team at the top of the standings versus a team near the bottom, it felt like it should have. And that’s a plus for the Canucks this time of year: taking care of business. If you missed the game, here are your highlights:
It wasn’t an offensive bloodbath, but when defense wins you championships it was a great marker for the boys. They’ve been playing defensively-sound hockey this season (especially in comparison to last year!), and these last few weeks they seem to have clamped down even more. As Booner pointed out, they’ve allowed two or fewer goals in 7 of their last 8 games. Add to that that – over the same time since the Pittsburgh game – they’ve been averaging 24 shots against a game while going 6-2-1, and you have a recipe for a formidable playoff team. Tocchet has noticed, and he is pleased.
“Every coach says it: you want a commitment without the puck,” Tocc stated. “But I think we're protecting the middle (of the ice). When we give something, it's to the outside. It looks bad, I guess, to people but at least we're protecting the middle. So that's kind of the thing I've seen the last, you know, three weeks. We didn't give a lot of shots.”
“We don’t want to back off,” Tocc added. “I think when we back off that’s where we get trouble. I didn’t see that tonight.”
The team defense was great, and the defensemen were also on point. The pairings are healthy and consistent. Juulsen drew back into the lineup as Cole is getting rest for a very minor injury, and was paired with Big Z who potted two on the evening. The Canucks have 7 healthy and able defensemen right now – which is making it tough to decide who rotated in. Cole sat last night to nurse what ails him (though were it a playoff game he would have been good to go), and Juulsen was reluctantly scratched by Tocc a few days ago… so the next person to sit is up in the air, according to coach.
“I talked to the D today and who knows who comes out?” Tocc said. “The next guy could be maybe a surprise to you guys. But for us, this is the way we've got to go with it. And some guys might not like it, but that's just the way it is.
“We're going to have to keep everybody on their toes. Sometimes the guy coming out, it doesn't mean he's playing bad. It's just that we have to do this right now. I mean, I thought Juulsen was really good tonight, so we'll have to sleep on what we're going to do next game.”
These are good problems to have. The Canucks actually have depth, and are healthy.
Up front, it wasn’t anything to write home about, but the boys got it done. Garland had a sweet snipe, Miky looked fast and tenacious for the second game in a row which bodes well for the playoffs, Podkolzin had six hits and was a wrecking ball on a solid line with Lindholm and Lafferty, and Aman potted his first goal in 24 games. Depth depth depth. That was Pod’s sixth game in a row with three or more hits – good contribution on that front, and hopefully it keeps up when Joshua draws back in. The power play wasn’t on point last night, going 0 for 4, but at least they looked dangerous and active with a post or two thrown in there. Overall, the Canucks are playing well in the lead up to the playoffs.
“It's definitely something to build on,” DeSmith said after the win. “After a couple of tough losses here at home, it was good to string a couple of wins together. It's getting down to playoff mode and I think the low-scoring games, we're going to have to get used to being in them.”
The Canucks look to extend their 2-1-1 home stand Saturday night against the Flames.
Until then, the comments:
(Quotes from MacIntyre, Patrick Johnston, and NHL.com)
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