‘Guys try to do the issues we’re asking and the penalty kills has been higher, however we’re on the improper facet of penalties and we have got to wash that up.’ — Canucks coach Rick Tocchet
Article content material
ABBOTSFORD — Good morning.
Commercial 2
Article content material
You would possibly wish to seize a second cup of java as a result of, on second thought, there was greater than a pre-season loss to speak about Wednesday. This might take a while.
Article content material
It wasn’t a lot that the Vancouver Canucks fell 2-1 to the Seattle Kraken, it’s how they received off to a torpid begin and didn’t bury possibilities, particularly with goalie Casey DeSmith pulled late for an additional attacker. Missing star energy with Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller given the evening off, the Canucks now enter their last pre-season check on Friday nonetheless missing consistency in some essential classes.
And in Rick Tocchet’s “non-negotiable” world of expectations for power with and with out the puck, and being tougher to play in opposition to, there are nonetheless areas of concern with the season opener looming subsequent Wednesday.
Commercial 3
Article content material
“Within the second and third I believed we managed play and labored onerous and there have been some empty-net targets that we’ve received to place in,” the Canucks head coach lamented. “Guys try to do the issues we’re asking and the penalty kill has been higher, however we’re on the improper facet of penalties and we’ve received to wash that up.”
Tocchet additionally negated a possibility for the Canucks to attract even late within the sport when he took a penalty.
“That was my fault,” he admitted. “I believed (Brandon) Tanev left his ft, and he did, on a charging. I wasn’t too proud of that, however I needed to present our staff an opportunity and I shouldn’t have taken that penalty. However I used to be pissed on the referee and may have stored my mouth shut. It gained’t occur once more.”
‘We’ve received to get some offence’
Canucks Report
Article content material
Commercial 4
Article content material
Now, it’s persevering with to prep for that season opener as a result of the Canucks can’t simply flip a change when the Edmonton Oilers come to city. On Wednesday, Andrei Kuzmenko and Brock Boeser went quietly into the evening and Anthony Beauvillier couldn’t hit the web. That’s regarding.
“We’ve received to get some offence from some guys,” admitted Tocchet. “Probabilities across the web. We want physique place and generally we’re taking issues as a right, You’ve received to hit the web and we’ve had a troublesome time.”
Apart from all that, Wednesday was actually about who have been we right here to see.
With seven forwards, three defenceman and one goalie thought-about roster locks and deployed by the Canucks, the bubble boys have been going to attract consideration in a pre-season assembly with the Seattle Kraken.
Commercial 5
Article content material
How Dakota Joshua, Nils Aman and Jack Studnicka, who’re within the hunt for fourth-line employment — though Teddy Blueger might be the opening-night pivot — carried out as a second line may have been a speaking level. They have been for the improper causes.
And the way veterans Carson Soucy and Filip Hronek would operate as a prime pairing went from concern to consistency.
Nevertheless, it was Cole McWard who scripted one other intriguing chapter in the course of the 2-1 loss during which Eeli Tolvanen deposited the winner off a rebound.
On an evening the place the rookie rearguard didn’t have the protection web of the get-out-of-jail-free card in Quinn Hughes as his associate, the Ohio State product stood out.
McWard retains shifting meter
In a pairing with Guillaume Brisebois, it was a unique sort of problem for McWard. He answered the decision early with good communication, outlet passes on the tape, a bodily presence on the defensive sideboards and good reads. He reversed the puck in his personal zone to flee bother and supported Brisebois when his associate was out-manned. Brisebois took two penalties, McWard took none and had the beaver tail getting into wanting the puck for shot alternatives.
Commercial 6
Article content material
“That’s one thing I’ve received to get out of my sport as a result of coaches are at all times telling me to cease doing that and it’s only a unhealthy behavior and use my voice extra,” stated McWard. “There are some performs I want I may have again, however on the identical time, you be taught from it. When the puck comes down, you’ve simply received to make a tough play on it. You’ve received to maneuver the puck fast.
“However this has been an amazing expertise up to now and given me confidence and helped me develop as a participant. No matter what occurs, I’d like to to be right here however we’re all attempting to make the staff. There’s a little bit of nerves concerned in it since you’re so shut.”
McWard received a great shot on web by way of a second-period maze and continued to make robust and correct passes, however made a uncommon unhealthy determination within the third interval that led to a scoring likelihood.
Commercial 7
Article content material
“He was OK,” stated Tocchet. “He was just a little nervous, however for probably the most half he held his personal. We have now possession time offensively, however we’ve received to begin getting pucks by way of to the following stage.”
Soucy struggles, then recovers
A double display screen helped Soucy discover the web within the second interval to make up for a tough evening.
Throughout a first-period shift when Joshua, Aman and Studnicka have been hemmed in their very own zone, poor down-low defending didn’t assist as Soucy was knocked down twice in puck pursuits.
He didn’t fare higher on the opening purpose. He reached as a substitute of laying the physique on Andrew Poturalski, who outwaited goalie Casey DeSmith on the prime of the crease earlier than tucking the puck residence.
Nevertheless, Soucy would let a wrist shot fly from the purpose — due to a double display screen by Linus Karlsson and Bains — after which practically scored once more from the facet of the web on a pinch and had three photographs by way of 40 minutes.
Commercial 8
Article content material
“As the sport went on, we began shifting our ft nicely and used the center of the ice nicely to get some attractiveness,” stated Soucy. “Defensively, even on their first purpose, there was just a few miscommunication with passing out. And on my purpose, it doesn’t go in with out the nice screens.”
“The primary 5 minutes, we weren’t skating with the puck and speaking,” burdened Tocchet. “It’s a giant factor when you recognize what’s occurring and yelling “time” or “reverse” of “hole up.” Typically, we’re a quiet staff. We’ll work on that stuff.”
Are you involved about Mikheyev?
Winger Ilya Mikheyev has been taking part in observe drills. He seems to be quick. He seems to be engaged.
Nevertheless, seems to be may be deceiving.
His lengthy rehab course of from Feb. 2 surgical procedure to restore a partial anterior cruciate ligament tear to his left knee — it was suffered on Feb. 25, 2022 — has been about persistence. A 12 months later, he lastly practised at coaching camp in Victoria. And now? We wait.
Commercial 9
Article content material
At his finest, Mikheyev is a pure match on the highest line with Pettersson and Kuzmenko due to his measurement, pace and penalty kill presence. Proper now, Beauvillier is the placeholder on that line, however has an opportunity to make the best early impression.
Why? Properly, take heed to the coach speak about Mikheyev.
“He’s within the pushing mode now, so we’ll simply ramp it up,” stated Tocchet. “He’s monitoring in proper route. The opener (Wednesday) I’m undecided about. We’re going day-by-day with the pushing and shoving.
“He has received to get just a little bit extra when there’s lots of people round and he’s received to vary instructions and getting hit. That’s the following course of.”
The Canucks depart on a troublesome highway journey after their season opener and play 5 video games in 11 days.
Commercial 10
Article content material
Final season, Mikheyev confirmed offensive potential.
There have been his 4 factors (1-3) and a plus-5 score in a 6-2 drubbing of San Jose on Dec. 27, There have been three targets in a span of 4 video games that pushed his purpose complete to 12 targets by way of 30 video games to place him on a tempo for 31 targets earlier than being shut down. His profession his profession excessive is 21 targets in 53 video games with Toronto within the 2021-22 season.
Fanning flames of discontent
Anticipation and angst are sometimes intertwined in a hockey-mad market that stretches into the Fraser Valley.
For each Canucks fan jacked to see Kuzmenko and Boeser — who have been awfully quiet — many extra felt jilted when different stars have been amongst veterans who didn’t face the Kraken within the pre-season assembly.
Hughes was really in Abbotsford
He was clad in a black Canucks jersey, however the man carrying No. 43 was really an avid fan. And he wasn’t glad.
“I paid an NHL worth for an AHL sport,” he stated of his $90 centre-ice ticket.
Article content material
Feedback
Postmedia is dedicated to sustaining a full of life however civil discussion board for dialogue and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Feedback could take as much as an hour for moderation earlier than showing on the positioning. We ask you to maintain your feedback related and respectful. We have now enabled e-mail notifications—you’ll now obtain an e-mail for those who obtain a reply to your remark, there may be an replace to a remark thread you observe or if a person you observe feedback. Go to our Group Pointers for extra info and particulars on the way to modify your e-mail settings.