Post-Game Talk: [GM70] Canucks defeat Canadiens | 4-1 (Zadorov(2), Garland, & Aman) | Full 50 Minutes

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

2 points or 1 loss away from clinching!!!!!!

The Canucks have the Oilers chasing down the division, 8 points up on them but they have 3 games in hand

Of all the redundant stats to follow, what is more important
Canucks win the League against Boston
Canucks win the Conference against the west
Canucks win the Division against the Oilers
or favourable matchup with 8th place not being Vegas

OR screw it lets play some playoff hockey and forget about the rest

 

[tantalum]

It's actually amazing that management's patience with Boeser, Garland, and Myers (I guess Demko too but that was a different situation) has paid off. Usually don't see these kind of turn-arounds and all on the same team at the same time. What's interesting is that they didn't show the same patience with Kuzmenko, Pearson, Beauvillier, and Dickinson.

I can think of a couple other examples like Jake DeBrusk and Mathieu Joseph.

A lot of it is bringing in a proper coaching staff. It's made a huge difference with many players.

Watching the game last night I was struck with a feeling I haven't had for a decade....I'm not constantly worried when watching this team. I'm not waiting for the bad to happen. In fact the opposite...I'm excited to see the good.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

2 points or 1 loss away from clinching!!!!!!

The Canucks have the Oilers chasing down the division, 8 points up on them but they have 3 games in hand

Of all the redundant stats to follow, what is more important
Canucks win the League against Boston
Canucks win the Conference against the west
Canucks win the Division against the Oilers
or favourable matchup with 8th place not being Vegas

OR screw it lets play some playoff hockey and forget about the rest

You focus on winning the division. Rest is gravy.

 

[Lindgren]

A lot of it is bringing in a proper coaching staff. It's made a huge difference with many players.

Watching the game last night I was struck with a feeling I haven't had for a decade....I'm not constantly worried when watching this team. I'm not waiting for the bad to happen. In fact the opposite...I'm excited to see the good.

I don't recall any other Canucks team with players so consistently referencing coaches, especially assistant coaches, when talking about their play. Also, Tocchet himself refers to the work of his assistants more than I've heard from other coaches. The impression is rather positive.

 

[Regress2TheMeme]

29 years old is not a 'player entering his prime.' You'd be signing the player until he was in 5 years is signing a player into his mid-30s.

29 is when we signed Myers 5 years ago. It was the most he ever made and never scored 30+ points ever again.

Fine, he's in his prime, not just entering his prime. I think the prime window is a bit later for defensemen than forwards. And Zadorov is a gifted skater. He's going to age better than a guy that's barely keeping up at the same age.

 

[theguardianII]

It's actually amazing that management's patience with Boeser, Garland, and Myers (I guess Demko too but that was a different situation) has paid off. Usually don't see these kind of turn-arounds and all on the same team at the same time. What's interesting is that they didn't show the same patience with Kuzmenko, Pearson, Beauvillier, and Dickinson.

I can think of a couple other examples like Jake DeBrusk and Mathieu Joseph.

Not patience, no other choice as far as the two that asked for a trade and nobody could work one out last year.

Not a point for the core players. That could become an issue if it keeps up a couple more games.

Blueger is very lucky he wasn't penalized, that was a blatant elbow, no way it was and accident. Lifting his stick when the puck was clear and on the ice. He even glanced over first. His periphery vision he would have seen him coming.

There should be a concern with the play of the team, not huge issue but they do seem to be making a concerted effort to protect the lead. Their forechecking changes.

Much is made of the 17 shots allowed the last two games vs two teams not in the playoffs. How about them AV's eh? 17 shots in the 3rd period. And Washington, 14 in the second period.

It appears to be a learning curve for defensive playoff hockey.

Hey, how about that Zadorov eh? I posted he should be seeing more PP time, well just any PP time. That he had the ability to be more than is was.

IMO Hughes is hurting the PP by holding the puck too long. The rest of the players get stuck standing still waiting for him to finish dancing around, that not what made this PP good before. Quick puck movement was what was working but now it has become the Quinn Hughes minute muncher. For all the time in the offensive zone he has the puck 75% of the time or more.

They will make the playoffs but I am doubting Demko's durability

I don't recall any other Canucks team with players so consistently referencing coaches, especially assistant coaches, when talking about their play. Also, Tocchet himself refers to the work of his assistants more than I've heard from other coaches. The impression is rather positive.

Roger Nielson, Captain Video

 

[ziploc]

2 points or 1 loss away from clinching!!!!!!

The Canucks have the Oilers chasing down the division, 8 points up on them but they have 3 games in hand

Of all the redundant stats to follow, what is more important
Canucks win the League against Boston
Canucks win the Conference against the west
Canucks win the Division against the Oilers
or favourable matchup with 8th place not being Vegas

OR screw it lets play some playoff hockey and forget about the rest

Play to win every game, get as much home ice advantage as you can in the playoffs. Vegas is a bogeyman to be sure, and have taken full advantage of the rules, but it is what it is.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

DP

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

DP

@SopelFanThe3rd

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

You focus on winning the division. Rest is gravy.

if they want the division and potentially play vegas first round then they can have it

 

[rypper]

Am I the only one who's not really scared of meeting Vegas in the first round? They don't seem like the Vegas of years past.

Plus there's no easy out. Let's get the division and secure some home ice advantage.

 

[Nucker101]

Am I the only one who's not really scared of meeting Vegas in the first round? They don't seem like the Vegas of years past.

Plus there's no easy out. Let's get the division and secure some home ice advantage.

They just match up well vs the Canucks. They like to dominate the middle of the ice and the Canucks rely a lot on traffic to generate offense. Eichel usually outplays Petey head to head.

 

[valkynax]

They just match up well vs the Canucks. They like to dominate the middle of the ice and the Canucks rely a lot on traffic to generate offense. Eichel usually outplays Petey head to head.

I maintain the stance that worrying about matchup on a team level means the mental battle is already lost.

On a fanbase level, talking about matchup and whatnot I think is totally fine. We're fans, and we talk about and worry about things. As the team themselves, if all they think about is how to avoid so-called unfavorable matchup, they'll likely crack at the first sign of adversity and fall flat on their faces. Playoffs has a funny way of twisting and mutating teams into Lovecraftian monsters.

In the end, it does not matter, nothing matters. Nothing, except Lord Stanley. The 45 lbs monument will crush verything prior beneath it and reign supreme.

 

[ziploc]

I maintain the stance that worrying about matchup on a team level means the mental battle is already lost.

On a fanbase level, talking about matchup and whatnot I think is totally fine. We're fans, and we talk about and worry about things. As the team themselves, if all they think about is how to avoid so-called unfavorable matchup, they'll likely crack at the first sign of adversity and fall flat on their faces. Playoffs has a funny way of twisting and mutating teams into Lovecraftian monsters.

In the end, it does not matter, nothing matters. Nothing, except Lord Stanley. The 45 lbs monument will crush verything prior beneath it and reign supreme.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

View attachment 839942

I bought this shirt off the Panthers site for a coworker who was a Leafs fan.

They actually had a good chuckle when I gave it to them.

 

[ziploc]

@SopelFanThe3rd

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

They just match up well vs the Canucks. They like to dominate the middle of the ice and the Canucks rely a lot on traffic to generate offense. Eichel usually outplays Petey head to head.

Vegas as you allude to is a poor matchup for us, Edmonton I think we match up well against.

 

[Vector]

Am I the only one who's not really scared of meeting Vegas in the first round? They don't seem like the Vegas of years past.

Plus there's no easy out. Let's get the division and secure some home ice advantage.

No opponent scares me.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

In my opinion, meeting Vegas in round 1 would be an easier matchup than playing Chicago in round 1 in 2011.

They are definitely a tough opponent, but if the goal is to win the cup the canucks will have to beat good teams eventually.

I don't really know if playing Edmonton or L.A. or Nashville would be significantly easier anyway.

 

[Nucker101]

I maintain the stance that worrying about matchup on a team level means the mental battle is already lost.

On a fanbase level, talking about matchup and whatnot I think is totally fine. We're fans, and we talk about and worry about things. As the team themselves, if all they think about is how to avoid so-called unfavorable matchup, they'll likely crack at the first sign of adversity and fall flat on their faces. Playoffs has a funny way of twisting and mutating teams into Lovecraftian monsters.

In the end, it does not matter, nothing matters. Nothing, except Lord Stanley. The 45 lbs monument will crush verything prior beneath it and reign supreme.

Fair enough, I just think that there are teams that are better built to play against the Canucks and others that the Canucks are better built to play against.

Doesn't mean I think Vegas would win or That I'd be any less pumped about the team playing in the playoffs, I just find it interesting to discuss matchups as a hockey fan.

Also us discussing this shouldn't really matter about how the guys in the Canucks locker room feel, there's no mental battle for the Canucks fanbase vs the Vegas fanbase, I'd be terrified if fans were that influential.

 

[geebster]

In my opinion, meeting Vegas in round 1 would be an easier matchup than playing Chicago in round 1 in 2011.

They are definitely a tough opponent, but if the goal is to win the cup the canucks will have to beat good teams eventually.

I don't really know if playing Edmonton or L.A. or Nashville would be significantly easier anyway.

I agree, some part of it might be nostalgia though. I remember Chicago as a much scarier team than Vegas is now even with Hertl and Stone back etc. But I was also a lot younger and more emotional about it all.

That said, I really feel like playing Vegas this year is a lot like when we played St Louis in the bubble...doesnt feel as scary as a defending cup champs should.

 

[valkynax]

Fair enough, I just think that there are teams that are better built to play against the Canucks and others that the Canucks are better built to play against.

Doesn't mean I think Vegas would win or That I'd be any less pumped about the team playing in the playoffs, I just find it interesting to discuss matchups as a hockey fan.

Also us discussing this shouldn't really matter about how the guys in the Canucks locker room feel, there's no mental battle for the Canucks fanbase vs the Vegas fanbase, I'd be terrified if fans were that influential.

Yeah like I said, us discussing about that stuff is totally normal.

 

[Nucker101]

Yeah like I said, us discussing about that stuff is totally normal.

Exactly. I have zero concerns that the players in that room are talking about it like we are so no harm in having some fun. Just don't go dumb and pull a "we want florida" type of chant during a game lol.

 

[geebster]

Just occurred to me that this was the first game in a WHILE that we played a team that didnt need the win (were out of the playoffs entirely).

So I just looked and the last time we lost a game against a team thats solidly outside the playoff picture was January 15th against Columbus...and we got a point out of it.

Thats a pretty damn strong record for beating the teams you absolutely should. Even in 2011 we would somehow get our asses handed to us in Minny over and over again.

 

[alternate]

I figure if you are going to face LV, the first round is the time to do it. If they don't get Stone back, then they're not nearly as scary a team imo. And if they do, he will need some games to get to speed, and the coaches will need time to dial in the lineup etc. Plus they're basically backing i to the postseason,
compared to Nashville which has gone nearly a quarter of the season with points in consecutive games, or even how well Minny or StL would need to play down the stretch to catch the Knights. I'm all for punting the defending Champs in round 1 and the clout that comes with that.

As for the Habs, I didn't think we were that great in the 2nd, until Garland scored. 3 PKd, and DeSmith had to come up big a few times. Not saying the game was in doubt, but still not the full 60 minute (or even 50) effort I'd like to see the team start putting together over the last dozen games.

And Hughes is hurting the PP is quite the take. Would like to see Tocchet fire himself from PP duties though. Think Gonchar would have some ideas. Maybe the Sedins as well, but they had stretches where their PP looked like they were playing table hockey. Showing some improvement lately, but we aren't winning multiple rounds if we can't win the special teams battles.