The Vancouver Canucks have played seven games in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and fans have witnessed a little bit of everything; wins at home, wins on the road, victories in regulation, and in overtime. Three starting goalies have collectively earned five wins. The thrilling 5-4 result in Game 1 of their second-round bout versus the Edmonton Oilers was an experience that blended the old with the new. More goals were scored than in any other Canucks playoff game this season – a lot more, in fact – and the team had another show of resilience against a familiar foe.
Canucks’ Slow Start Masks Some Key Positives
Round 2 got off to the worst possible start for the home team. Less than a minute in, head coach Rick Tocchet’s group was caught with too many players on the ice, thus lending a potent Oilers squad a power play opportunity. In the first round, the Los Angeles Kings found out the hard way that all Edmonton needs is an inch to gain a mile. After a nice save by newfound hero Arturs Silovs to settle things down, the Oilers performed a lethal cycle of passes to the goalie’s left before Zach Hyman sniped home a one-timer pass from across the crease.
Related: 3 Canucks Who Need to Step Up Against Oilers
Things didn’t get any better in the opening stanza. Ian Cole’s attempt at foiling Edmonton pressure by bouncing the puck off the board behind Silovs gave the opponent’s attacking sequence new life and a new goal. That was the story of the first 33 minutes of the game, at which point Hyman earned his brace off a shot that, even though it came in slower than Silovs expected, embarrassingly slipped through the five-hole.
A 4-1 deficit past the midway point of the second period versus a club like the Oilers should spell doom and gloom. We now know it didn’t, but there were some hidden reasons why not.
For one, Vancouver’s tight defence, which has played very well these playoffs, was deceptively good despite conceding four goals. Connor McDavid, arguably the most dangerous player on the planet right now, finished the night a minus-1 with zero shots on goal. The Canucks don’t offer many scoring opportunities (sixth overall in shots against this season), but nullifying McDavid’s impact took the game to another level. Edmonton was also limited to 14 shots after 40 minutes, far below their usual standards.
Furthermore, Vancouver played a remarkably clean game after the initial gaff of too many men on the ice. The only other time one of theirs was sent to the sin bin, it led to 4-on-4 play in the third period, which, incidentally, led to a Canucks goal.
The recipe for success against Edmonton is not, we repeat not, to go down 4-1, but it can also be argued that Vancouver did not play as poorly as the scoreboard suggested.
Vancouver’s Attack Is Ruthlessly Efficient
Of all the statistics that determine how well a club is playing, one is rarely mentioned: Shooting efficiency – not shots, not goals, not shot attempts, but shooting efficiency. At what rate does an offence score goals per the number of times they fire on target?
At the end of the regular season, the Canucks’ 12% was tied for first league-wide alongside the Tampa Bay Lightning. Where did the club rank in shots on goal? A lowly 26th. But that’s the point. Vancouver doesn’t have to shoot that often to score goals. Players like J.T. Miller and Conor Garland – both scored in Game 1 – make the most of their opportunities. That might be what made Round 1 versus the Nashville Predators such a frustrating experience at times. The Canucks were firing on goal a bit less than usual, but not significantly so, yet they were less efficient.
It came back against the Oilers on Wednesday night. They put five past Stuart Skinner on 24 shots, good for 20.8%. It would be silly to assume that stunning rate will continue, but even if it drops back down to their typical 12%, the Canucks will be looking good. That 12% during the regular season propelled them to sixth in the NHL in goals-per-game average with 3.40.
In the second period, Elias Lindholm, operating behind Edmonton’s net, recognized an opportunity and attempted a pass in front, which bounced off Oilers skates and trickled in. Miller’s tip from a Brock Boeser pass was at 4-on-4 with sustained pressure in Edmonton’s zone. Garland’s game-winner was the epitome of efficiency. Don’t blast a slapshot the goalie can stop because they see it coming; fake them out.
Offensively, Vancouver doesn’t seem to dominate, but they do. They’re clever. They’re inventive. They can make a team wonder how it’s conceded five goals on barely 25 shots.
Canucks Need to Believe
The Oilers are a Stanley Cup favourite. They were at the start of the campaign and will remain so until someone can stop them. In contrast, not much was made of the Canucks in September when players and coaches were prepping for the season. Maybe they’d be better. Tocchet seems like a decent coach. We’ll see.
What a difference a regular season makes. Vancouver swept the season series 4-0. To be fair, three of those wins were early when Edmonton experienced rocky waters and were forced to make a coaching change. The last one should have been the warning sign. On April 13 in Edmonton, when both sides were racing for the Pacific Division crown, Vancouver played a steady, composed game and won 3-1, providing an extra cushion that eventually gave them the division title.
In essence, the Canucks finished the regular season with a better record, won the division, and defeated the Oilers four times. Still, the Oilers are favoured, which Vancouver will use to their benefit. If so few believe in them, play the underdog card. Down 4-1, it was natural to believe Game 1 was done and dusted, yet Vancouver found a way. That was their modus operandi during the regular season. It was again in the first round because of hectic goaltending switches. It was in Game 1 on Wednesday. “Believe in yourself” sounds corny, but against the Oilers, when it’s apparently “obvious” the other team should win, what else is there to do?
If nobody other than ardent Canucks supporters thinks this series will end with Edmonton defeated, the path is simple: do what got you here and prove everyone wrong.
