Post-Game Talk: WCQF GM5 | Canucks lose to Predators | 1-2 (Zadorov) | Back to Nashville

aquaweenie

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Feb 23, 2024
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This reminds me of that Dallas-Vancouver series from 2007. The complete inability to gain any offense and straight up getting outplayed. Granted, this team *on paper* has way more offense than that 2007 squad where Pyatt, a 35 year old Bryan Smolinski and a 36 year old Linden were our leading scorers. It was obviously a transitionary period though because most of us saw young talent emerging from within in Burrows, Kesler, Hansen, Grabner and Raymond along with Edler and Bieksa on the backend.

Granted, this team has young talent right now playing on their squad. The hope is Raty, Lekkerimaki and Willander will turn out sooner than later and allow us to push bloated underperforming players like Mikheyev and Hronek off this team.

Right now, I do think the lack of scoring is due to a combination of a lack of talent in the top 6 along with improper coaching decisions that are stifling offense. Not loading up your top 2 lines in this series is right up there with 1-2-3-4 in terms of stupid coaching. Nashville isn't a team like 2012-2014 LA where they had 3 shutdown centers and 4 shutdown defensemen....
Yes this is 100% correct. Tocchet looks gunshy on the challenges. He doesn’t look confident at all with his PK.

Also agree with loading up the lotto line. It’s crazy to me to watch EP take muffin after muffin shots because he’s banged up. He needs to pass, and we have just two guys that can score- and coach refuses to play them together. It’s dumb. It’s overthinking it.

Rewind last nights game to the 6 on 5 with the goalie pulled. EP on the point?? WTF? Who on the planet actually thinks the guy can score a goal from that far out with the way his shot is? I was dumbfounded. Not a single Pred went near him. Why would they? They know it’s a pass or a muffin.
 
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SeawaterOnIce

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Yes this is 100% correct. Tocchet looks gunshy on the challenges. He doesn’t look confident at all with his PK.

Like, I could understand if we're facing a team like Edmonton and they just allowed a game tying goal in a high scoring 4-4 game. Do you want to spot Edmonton a potential powerplay on a lost challenge? Hell no.

But against Nashville in a very low scoring series where goals are hard to come by and each teams powerplays have been rather mediocre? I take my chances on a challenge 100% of the time.
 

Just A Bit Outside

Playoffs??!
Mar 6, 2010
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Just woke up and I still can't get over how when we finally had pressure in the zone, Hronek decides to f***ing slapshot perpendicular to the goal and kill the possession. Some people were wondering whether his hands were still injured because he wasn't letting it rip... well, he can clearly do it, just chooses to not do.
Comments being made the team is purposely shooting wide for tips, etc.

Alot of what is happening is on the coaching staff because it's clearly entrenched in their heads and it's f***ed with their mindset.
 

TruGr1t

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It pretty much boils down to the Pettersson line having 0 goals in this series.

If the line centered by our 100 point $11 million C had 4 goals in 5 games (which you’d think is pretty average) we’d have 16 goals in 5 games … which is totally fine. Instead we have 12.

I mean, yes, but we also only have 2 goals from the blueline (both Zadorov), averaging just over 2 goals per game, and have goals from only 6 players (the Preds have 11 players who have scored). It's a roster wide problem, Pettersson is just the poster boy.
 
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MS

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I mean, yes, but we also only have 2 goals from the blueline (both Zadorov), averaging just over 2 goals per game, and have goals from only 6 players (the Preds have 11 players who have scored). It's a roster wide problem, Pettersson is just the poster boy.

2 goals in 5 games from the D is ... pretty normal. We had 37 in 82 regular season games so we've gone from .45/game to .40/game.

Again, if Pettersson's line had 4 ES goals in 5 games - which is what you'd damned well expect - we'd be 6th of 16 teams offensively in the playoffs, while playing one of the tougher defensive teams.

You can nit-pick around other things but the single, biggest, most overwhelming problem is that the line centered by our $11 million superstar C has 0 ES goals. Plus Pettersson has also been terrible on the PP on top of that.
 

Jack Burton

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Oct 27, 2016
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Petey 0 goals -3 this series

All for 11.6m
Technically... still 7.35m.
Not that it makes it much better...
Well technically.....
Cap hit of 7.35 mill.
base salary of 10.25 mill.
But when you look at his base salary and then that nice signing bonus on July 1st for the new contract, we're basically paying him $ 22.250 million for this 2024 season & playoffs.

Edit: didn't even think about any bonus clause in his contract, I wonder if he'll hit on anything this year???
 
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krutovsdonut

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Sep 25, 2016
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it was close but nashville wanted it slightly more. they shut us down better than we shut them down.

on the bright side, there are signs to me of players all through the canuck lineup making the adjustment to playoff hockey. they have just about figured out how to play through the wall nashville throws up, which is a good thing if they manage to win the series.

if you look at the canucks as a playoff team, the following is in play

-hughes is less effective due to size, time and space.

-garland is much less effective due to size, time and space

-hronek has continued his deterioration in play from during the regular season and at this point has completely lost the plot offensively and can't hit the net when he gets a shot.

-except for jt miller we do not have a horse among the top forwards. blueger, suter, lindholm, and pettersson all are challenged in physical games.

-it is much harder for the garland/joshua/whoever line to establish their forecheck and contribute secondary scoring and ozone possession time. both these players are still playing hard, and doing many good things, but the magic is turned down. joshua may be hurt but whatever the case that line has disappeared offensively and can't get the forecheck.

-in general, the canucks struggle to maintain the sustained o zone forecheck rotation and round the horn possession time which was a key to their success in the regular season. it's not just offence, it is having the puck far from their own net for an extended period. credit to saros for intercepting the dump ins.

-although the canucks defensive system has not broken down, it is much leakier in playoff conditions. they have had to ration hughes/hronek ice time because of how much they get hit in the dzone, reducing their effectiveness.

nashville has played committed patient physical playoff hockey from the beginning. if the canucks get out of this round they should be ready for the oilers who will not be able to throw out anything like the blanket nashville has managed.
 
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Pastor Of Muppetz

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Was at the game...lower bowl...fantastic experience.

The game itself was no Picasso, and it seemed for the longest time that neither team would score...The PP really let the team down down, it was hot garbage (conversely, the PK was excellent).

Players that stood out to me were Hoglander , Boeser, Z, and Hughes (of course).
 

sting101

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Feb 8, 2012
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i'm just curious how long you ride it out with Mikhayev and Hoglander doing nothing.

1 goal in 53 games and they actually still want to keep trotting out Mikhayev with your soon to be highest paid player.

Sucks we couldn't move his contract if they tried to get Zucker. I'm sure Zona wouldn't want to pay the freight on that one but how about do us a solid you jerks we took OEL off your books
 

TruGr1t

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2 goals in 5 games from the D is ... pretty normal. We had 37 in 82 regular season games so we've gone from .45/game to .40/game.

Again, if Pettersson's line had 4 ES goals in 5 games - which is what you'd damned well expect - we'd be 6th of 16 teams offensively in the playoffs, while playing one of the tougher defensive teams.

You can nit-pick around other things but the single, biggest, most overwhelming problem is that the line centered by our $11 million superstar C has 0 ES goals. Plus Pettersson has also been terrible on the PP on top of that.

I don't think it's really nitpicking. Yes Pettersson has sucked, but Hoglander has vanished, Mikheyev hasn't scored in 50+ games, Suter has whiffed on a number of grade-A chances, the third line (or second line, as you prefer) has been outplayed the past 2.5 games largely, and the bottom-six doesn't have a single goal. I don't think you can put that all at Pettersson's feet. Millers has 1 goal in 5 games.
 
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MS

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I don't think it's really nitpicking. Yes Pettersson has sucked, but Hoglander has vanished, Mikheyev hasn't scored in 50+ games, Suter has whiffed on a number of grade-A chances, the third line (or second line, as you prefer) has been outplayed the past 2.5 games largely, and the bottom-six doesn't have a single goal. I don't think you can put that all at Pettersson's feet. Millers has 1 goal in 5 games.

You're never going to have everyone going at once.

Mikheyev has obviously been terrible and should not be on that line.

But at some point, Pettersson has to carry some guys and generate some offense himself.

The Miller and Lindholm lines have contributed fine this series. The Pettersson line has been an absolute black hole,




Come on, man.


JESUS f***ING CHRIST.

This is a smart organization with lots of smart people and it's OK that the head coach might not be great at math but someone in the analytics department or something has to explain that a 50% chance of getting a goal taken back is better than a 20% chance of being scored on if you're wrong.

Massive oversight at some level to be left with decision-making like this.

The slash on Demko in Game 1 was the same thing and we're lucky that didn't burn us.
 

Ernie

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Aug 3, 2004
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JESUS f***ING CHRIST.

This is a smart organization with lots of smart people and it's OK that the head coach might not be great at math but someone in the analytics department or something has to explain that a 50% chance of getting a goal taken back is better than a 20% chance of being scored on if you're wrong.

Massive oversight at some level to be left with decision-making like this.

The slash on Demko in Game 1 was the same thing and we're lucky that didn't burn us.

Honestly though, kinda concerning that he's this bad at math. How do you figure out what a high percentage play is if you can't figure out what a percentage is?
 

I am toxic

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Much . . . nashing . . . of teeth and beating of breasts after a game that could have gone either way

There is a story about the fox chasing the hare. Spoiler: the hare got away. When asked about it, the fox said, "I was running for my dinner. The rabbit was running for his life." Preds were playing for their life, Canucks pretty much matched them. Looking at individuals' goal totals in 7 game playoff series is a rookie mistake.


No biggie, two more chances to close this out. With a third string goalie.
 

BrentSopelsHair

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Mikheyev needs to sit as soon as humanly possible. The guy is just taking a conditioning skate out there, he offers zero when the Canucks have the puck and is consistently floating around the ice. With Pettersson limited, he is the last person on earth we want on 40's wing as the puck dies immediately upon touching his stick. No chance of a goal, no chance of an assist, sit this guy
 
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sting101

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Love all the 2nd guessing while sitting on your couch with replay and cameras to give a different perspective and time on your side. Was pretty much Yeo hooked in to upstairs not Tocchet who wouldn't have had a good angle on it

NHL is fully to blame for an idiotic rule and if our wingers could capitalize on some of these chances they get it wouldn't have mattered
 
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CanucksSayEh

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Hard to rag on Boeser after a hat trick game... but he flubbed some grade A chances in this one. 5 hole was wide open on his breakaway. He's double clutching everything, even his hatty, all 3 goals were fumbled a bit before scoring. His shot has never recovered from his rookie season.

Maddening that the brass didn't prioritize a shooter at the deadline, and in fact, traded one of their best away.
 

MS

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Honestly though, kinda concerning that he's this bad at math. How do you figure out what a high percentage play is if you can't figure out what a percentage is?

Given his gambling history you’d think he’d be more on it with this stuff!

Love all the 2nd guessing while sitting on your couch with replay and cameras to give a different perspective and time on your side. Was pretty much Yeo hooked in to upstairs not Tocchet who wouldn't have had a good angle on it

NHL is fully to blame for an idiotic rule and if our wingers could capitalize on some of these chances they get it wouldn't have mattered

Playoffs are small margins in 1-goal games and when you give away a goal through an oversight like this it’s a big deal.

If our wingers scored 5 goals every night lots of things wouldn’t matter. But that’s never going to be the case.
 

SeawaterOnIce

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JESUS f***ING CHRIST.

This is a smart organization with lots of smart people and it's OK that the head coach might not be great at math but someone in the analytics department or something has to explain that a 50% chance of getting a goal taken back is better than a 20% chance of being scored on if you're wrong.

Massive oversight at some level to be left with decision-making like this.

The slash on Demko in Game 1 was the same thing and we're lucky that didn't burn us.

I wouldn't risk a penalty off a failed challenge against Edmonton (50%), Vegas (33%) or Colorado (38%).

Nashville PP% thus far is 10.53 in the playoffs.

Lame.
 
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VanJack

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Jul 11, 2014
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Canucks didn't lose this game because of not rolling the dice on a coaches' challenge. They lost it because they're consistently losing physical battles all over the ice.

Canuck forwards fall into two broad categories--their top scoring group; and then the foot soldiers who need to tilt the ice or at least 'stop the bleeding' when they're out there.

But guys like Hoglander, Suter, Blueger, Lafferty, PDG and particularly Mikheyev are just being erased. Garland and Joshua are the only guys holding their own along the wall.

The Cup playoffs are all about adjustments game-to-game. Obviously when the Preds broke down the game tape on the Canucks, they identified an area of major weakness. Now it's over to Tocchet and the Canucks to find a way to adjust, But the question is do they have the horses to do it?
 
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vadim sharifijanov

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The Cup playoffs are all about adjustments game-to-game. Obviously when the Preds broke down the game tape on the Canucks, they identified an area of major weakness. Now it's over to Tocchet and the Canucks to find a way to adjust, But the question is do they have the horses to do it?

legit question because i don’t know how our coaching staff breaks down

do we have a dedicated tape guy?
 

Hansen

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legit question because i don’t know how our coaching staff breaks down

do we have a dedicated tape guy?
We have two dedicated tape guys last I check who have their own situation room and a hot mic to Rick in game for these reviews. That goal should have been challenged. Kind of assertive call that has to be made when our scoring is ice cold
 
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