The Canucks haven’t misplaced three video games in a row as a result of they seldom lose their means. They’re first in purpose differential and objectives scored, fifth in fewest allowed and ninth on the facility play
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Vancouver Canucks (24-10-3) at St. Louis Blues (18-17-1)
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When/the place: Thursday, 5 p.m., Enterprise Middle
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TV: SN Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650
The thrill: You received’t discover this phrase in Rick Tocchet’s teaching guide: “Profitable solves every part, and dropping exposes the ugly issues.” For the Canucks pushed bench boss, it’s extra like: “Profitable is nice, so long as it doesn’t grate, and dropping is for losers.”
Sound harsh? Probably not.
It’s dwelling within the second that has the Canucks atop the Western Convention and a degree shy of the general NHL lead. They fear about themselves and never the opposition — they now not purchase the banter of measuring stick or litmus-test matchups — irrespective of how daunting this seven-game slog could possibly be towards formidable foes within the Devils, Rangers and Islanders.
Canucks Report
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The Canucks haven’t misplaced three video games in a row as a result of they seldom lose their means. They’re first in purpose differential (+46) and objectives scored per outing (3.84), fifth in fewest allowed (2.57), ninth on the facility play (24.2 per cent) and and eye-popping 21-0-0 after they lead after two intervals.
Profitable 10 of 11 video games early set the bar excessive for what is predicted to be — all in on attending to the postseason and making some noise after they arrive. None of this one-and-done participation badge stuff.
With excessive expectations there might be powerful discuss and more durable love.
A 5-0 first-period lead Tuesday was a lack of non-negotiable Tocchet system staples and a bothersome 6-3 victory over the struggling Ottawa Senators. Tocchet known as the primary 20 minutes “in all probability certainly one of our greatest within the month” and labelled the final 40 minute mistake-prone effort “contagious” for all of the flawed causes.
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“We had been backing up and skating backward by means of the impartial zone and pinching once we shouldn’t,” he mentioned. “These are issues I don’t like. We’ve received to cease them.”
The historical past: Second assembly of the season. Thatcher Demko turned apart 22 photographs because the Canucks dominated 5-0 on Oct. 27 at Rogers Area. Tocchet gained the higher teaching hand on Craig Berube, his former Flyers teammate and roommate, who was fired Dec. 13 and changed by interim coach Drew Bannister. Quinn Hughes scored twice and had 4 photographs and eight makes an attempt. J.T. Miller had three factors (1-2).
The hope: The facility play lastly related Tuesday on a misfired Elias Pettersson shot that struck the stick of a defenceman and altered course. The Canucks want extra manufacturing. They had been on a 4-for-32 PP funk the earlier 10 video games and had been blanked six occasions.
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The worry: The teaching bump is an actual deal. The Blues responded to Bannister by enjoying more durable and smarter and successful 5 of six video games earlier than two powerful losses.
The highest weapons: Miller is tied for fifth in NHL scoring with 50 factors (16-34), Hughes is ninth with 46 factors (10-36), Pettersson is tied for tenth with 45 factors (15-30), and Brock Boeser is twenty second with 39 factors (24-15).
The wounded: Canucks: Phil DiGiuseppe (decrease physique, week-to-week), Guillaume Brisebois (concussion, LTIR). Blues: Anton Malmstrom (undisclosed), Josh Jacobs undisclosed).
The quote: “That was superior. Aggressive, puck monitoring and we had been related.” — Tocchet on the primary interval Tuesday.
The projected lineup:
Mikheyev-Pettersson-Kuzmenko
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Suter-Miller-Boeser
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Hoglander-Aman-Lafferty
Hughes-Hronek
Zadorov – Myers
Cole-Juulsen
The prediction: The Blues have scored the seventh fewest objectives per sport (2.89). The Canucks tighten up defensively and rating on the league’s twentieth ranked penalty kill (79.4 per cent) to prevail 4-2.
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