The Canucks won at home against the Flames in a predictable 4-2 fashion Saturday night. Another steady defensive outing, another gearing-up-for-the-playoffs atmosphere, and another two points to push the Canucks back atop the league. If you missed the game, here are your highlights:
Tocchet called it a “workman-like” game, and that’s a pretty good summary of how the boys played. They’ve started hunkering down on their defensive acumen, and the results are encouraging. Another game with 24 shots/2 goals or fewer. They’re 7-1-1 in their last 9, and only gave up more than two once over that span. It’s coming into focus with the playoffs on the horizon here. Tocchet has been happy with the turnaround from their losing streak to how the team is playing now.
“I think, three weeks ago when we’re making a few mistakes, one guy makes one, (then) the second guy. Now the one guy makes a mistake and we’re kind of holding the fort. That’s good to see going this late in the year, where we’re starting to do that,” Tocc said.
“You’re trying to play without the puck and you know, we’re getting some good efforts from some guys. Trying to find a consistency. It was a business-like workman-like game,” he said.
“The Petey line obviously was the line that drove us to the win tonight.”
The addition of Garland to Petey’s wing has been a great move. That line has pumped Petey up, putting two small-but-fiesty-and-creative wingers on his side. Their first goal on the night was the culmination of some smooth passing, and Hoggy’s breakaway deke was just a thing of beauty. Garland is showing his worth in the top 6, which is a nice bump as he’s been a bit maligned in the past year. He has a huge amount of respect for Hoglander, and wasn’t the least bit surprised after Hoggy potted his 22nd of the year.
“My first day here, I think my first interview, I couldn't believe how good he was three years ago,” Garland said after the game. “And I think he's just really found his game all around the ice. It's hard when you're younger and there's not really much structure in place and you kind of just try to feel the game out. Now, we're a very structured team. We play a hard style of hockey. It's coming along for him. He's going to be a good player in this league for a long, long time.”
The trio was the difference last night, and hopefully the momentum continues to build for them. There’s some concern about size on that line, but when they play a smart and skilled game, I don’t think that will factor in as much.
“We played with some pace,” Garland said of their line’s work. “[Hoglander] really had his legs early, got us going on the forecheck. Us undersized guys, we’ve got to spread them out in the [defensive] zone, and that's kind of what we did, create a lot of chances.”
“We try to work hard, make plays, play smart, and today we did,” Petey added.
Winning against Calgary is always nice, but the boys have their eyes on the larger prize: getting ready for playoff hockey. Notoriously different than the regular season, the boys are aware of that and are honing their play for it.
“The coaches have been stressing the importance of playing the right way and doing the right things, and just playing smart hockey,” DeSmith said. “You know, we have the most skill in here. It's a very skilled team and we have a ton of good players. It's just, when we play the right way, that's the key.
“We've really dialled it in (defensively). I think a lot of teams try and do that when playoffs approach because playoffs, it's different. It's a different brand of hockey and you have to win those tight, low scoring games and hold on to leads the way we have. That's a good omen going into playoffs.”
11 games and four weeks left until we hit that. Should be an exciting watch down the stretch here.
*There's also increasing speculation/admission that Lindholm is battling an injury at the moment. He's well enough to play, but apparently is meeting a specialist to get more info about it. Maybe that's been hampering him offensively, and he can get healed up enough in time for the first round.
Until then, the comments:
(Quotes from MacIntyre, Patrick Johnston, and NHL.com)
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