The Vancouver Canucks started their first round series against the Nashville Predators with a bang when Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua scored goals 12 seconds apart to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead and eventual 4-2 win. Rogers Arena was buzzing, the fans were excited, and Vancouver’s return to the postseason was off to an amazing start. Then, Tuesday came and the surprise announcement that Thatcher Demko was injured and out week-to-week.
Casey DeSmith was called into action for Game 2 and got victimized by an unfortunate deflection off former Canuck Anthony Beauvillier on the first shot he faced. Then, two quick goals in the second period by Filip Forsberg and Colton Sissons put his team into an insurmountable 3-0 hole. Nikita Zadorov got one back later in the period, but that’s as close as they would get as the Predators, on the backs of some good luck and a crazy amount of blocked shots, took it 4-1 heading to Music City for Game 3 later tonight.
While the series is now tied at one apiece, a few concerning trends have emerged from Games 1 and 2 that could give fans reason to worry about the Canucks’ playoff future beyond the first round.
Toothless Power Play
The Canucks’ power play has been a problem for a while now, and it hasn’t changed in the playoffs. So far, they have failed to score on six opportunities, including four in Game 2 when a goal could have shifted the momentum in their favour. In the playoffs, scoring on the power play is crucial and could mean the difference between moving on or being eliminated.
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Yes, the Predators are blocking a ton of rubber, but the Canucks need to find a way to get their shots through when they are on the man advantage. Quick puck movement and getting shots off without hesitation should be the mantra moving forward. The Predators are probably in their heads after 44 blocks over Games 1 and 2, but they need to put that out of their mind and shoot quickly (and often) in Game 3 so that they don’t have time to get set for a block.
Pettersson, Miller & Boeser Quiet So Far
A better power play will most likely mean goals and points for the big offensive trio of Elias Pettersson, JT Miller and Brock Boeser, who finished the season with a combined 111 goals and 265 points. In the playoffs so far, they have a measly two assists – one by Miller and one by Boeser. Pettersson hasn’t recorded his first point yet and has only two shots on goal while recording an ugly minus-4 in the plus/minus column. He was on the ice for three of the four goals in Game 2, including one where he made an egregious turnover at the blue line that led to the 3-0 dagger by Sissons.
It’s not like Pettersson hasn’t had his chances. The biggest one came in the last game when he had a gaping cage only to slap it harmlessly off the side of the net. It appeared he had time to settle the puck and just wrist it in, yet he went for the one-timer and ended up hooking it wide. He knew he had missed a glorious opportunity, throwing his head back in disbelief.
We all know Pettersson can score in the playoffs, doing it seven times in the 2020 bubble, but that was without the pressure of the crowd and media scrutiny after signing a massive $92.8 million extension at the beginning of March. The good thing is, he knows he needs to play better, and might be on the road without the Rogers Arena faithful breathing down his neck.
“He knows he has to play better. And the one thing with him, especially after last game…his ears are open. He’s listening to us now. I’m not saying he wasn’t (listening) before. But, you know, he has our attention.”
– Head coach Rick Tocchet on Pettersson’s struggles so far in the playoffs
All in all, the trio – especially Pettersson – hasn’t flashed their dominance from the regular season yet, and that will need to change in Music City if the Canucks want to avoid a possible elimination game when they return to Rogers Arena for Game 5.
Disappearing Act From Nils Hoglander
The Canucks will need more from their depth players as well if they want to get out of Nashville with at least one win. As much as the star players carried the team throughout the regular season, it was the secondary offence from Nils Hoglander, Conor Garland, Dakota Joshua, Sam Lafferty and Suter that helped push them to the top of the Pacific Division. Hoglander in particular was exceptional, putting up a career-high 24 goals, all of them coming at even strength, where offence is usually hard to come by.
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Unfortunately, Hoglander has yet to show up in the playoffs. I haven’t noticed him on the ice so far, and that’s concerning considering he was one of the Canucks’ most effective energy players throughout the regular season. His stat line supports the disappearing act, as he has zero shots on goal, only one shot attempt and three hits. With his intense forechecking and pest-like qualities, I was expecting him to be a thorn in the Predators’ side. Except he has been largely invisible alongside his frequent dance partner Pettersson, who needs him to transform into the Alex Burrows of 2011. He has the tools, now he just needs to dig deep and show everyone that he can step up and be that player in the pressure cooker of the playoffs.
Canucks Need a Bounceback Performance in Game 3
The Canucks outplayed the Predators for the most part in Game 2, but were stymied by their newfound shot-blocking prowess – and let’s be honest, some bad luck overall. Nevertheless, they still lost 4-1 and will need to be better in Game 3 to come out with a win. They will be trying to do it without Demko again, but DeSmith is a capable goalie, and he shouldn’t be blamed for any of the goals in Game 2. Demko probably would have allowed the Beauvillier deflection, the Sissons rebound and probably the Forsberg snipe as well, so really, would the outcome have been any different? I don’t think so.
In other words, while the Canucks are a better team with Demko between the pipes, goaltending isn’t the biggest problem this team is facing right now. They need their stars to get going and key depth players like Hoglander to step up their game to get back on track and look like the Pacific Division champions we all know they can be. Hopefully, being the road team will lessen some of the pressure and they can come away with a win and a 2-1 series lead.
