VANCOUVER — With the elite gamers they are lacking as a result of accidents, the Vancouver Canucks received’t win many video games until the elite gamers who’re wholesome carry out and drive the crew.
On Friday, J.T. Miller had 4 pictures on web however noticed his goal-less streak attain 12 video games. His linemates, Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk, mixed for one shot. No surprise the Canucks had been shut out 3-0 by the Nashville Predators, who’ve solely 4 wins in 21 highway video games this season however have collected half of these victories at Rogers Enviornment.
The Predators scored twice into an empty web as Vancouver fell under .500 on dwelling ice (7-8-6) in a tumultuous Nationwide Hockey League season that’s trending in the direction of alarming.
The earlier evening, within the Canucks’ 4-3 shootout win in Seattle, Miller, Boeser and DeBrusk amassed solely two pictures on web, however nonetheless generated a key third-period aim for defenceman Tyler Myers.
Earlier than that, Boeser scored from Miller’s passes in 4 straight video games.
That type of manufacturing is quite a bit to ask. But it surely’s what the Canucks require with centre Elias Pettersson and defencemen Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek lacking from the lineup.
As Vancouver common supervisor Patrik Allvin mentioned final weekend in a year-end interview with Sportsnet: “I believe it is truthful to say that you just anticipate your greatest gamers to be the difference-makers, and one of the best gamers if you want them. Do I anticipate extra from them? Completely.”
So, too, do Miller and Boeser anticipate extra from themselves.
“Clearly, I’m a little bit snakebit proper now,” Miller mentioned Friday evening. “I positively put strain on myself to step up within the scoring division proper now.
“They’re three of our extra highly-skilled gamers (who’re injured). So I believe with who now we have proper now, clearly now we have to perform a little extra as a gaggle. However the laborious factor is, you do not need to attempt to do an excessive amount of. You must type of let the sport come to you, get on the within and rating some ugly objectives.”
Even with just one shot within the remaining 10 ½ minutes, the Canucks outshot the Predators 27-19. However they didn’t get on the within and in entrance of Nashville goalie Juuse Saros almost usually sufficient.
The Predator’s greatest save was a second-period rebound cease towards Conor Garland, nevertheless it was additionally one of many few occasions Saros was pressured to make a second save.
“We have simply obtained to discover a method to create some offence,” Boeser mentioned. “I believe tonight we simply wanted to get some extra our bodies in entrance of Saros.
“Clearly, it is laborious. We all know how a lot Quinn helps our crew on offence, and produces a lot and makes so many performs on the market. He attracts numerous consideration, which opens different performs up. So it hurts lacking these guys. We knew it was going to be laborious with out these guys. Quinn’s our greatest participant and anytime you are lacking your greatest participant, you have to discover methods to contribute extra and get different guys to step up.
“For positive, we anticipate ourselves to be a line that may be difference-makers.”
The Canucks received in Seattle on an impressed evening by winger Conor Garland, clutch aid goaltending by Kevin Lankinen and key contributions from gamers in the midst of the lineup.
However with Pettersson out everyday and Hughes week to week, and Hronek one other month, there’s solely a lot the Canucks can do when the optimistic storylines are concerning the elevated play of depth defenceman Vincent Desharnais and the expansion of rookie Max Sasson.
The Canucks want their greatest gamers to be one of the best gamers. That is the case for just about each crew in each sport. However the axiom holds very true when a few the opposite greatest gamers are lacking.
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet mentioned that Pettersson and Hughes will journey with the Canucks after they depart Saturday for a five-game highway journey that begins Monday in Montreal.
“Hear, our D try, everyone’s attempting,” Tocchet mentioned after Friday’s sport. “Let’s face it, I imply, you guys can say what you need (however) we’re attempting. We did not rating tonight, however we had some alternatives. We did not rating.”
The Canucks energy play didn’t generate a shot on course throughout a pair of third-period benefits.
After three straight losses, the reeling however rested Predators obtained the one aim they wanted at 16:53 of the second interval when Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood fell throughout a puck battle contained in the Nashville blue line, giving the guests a three-on-two rush that ended when Steve Stamkos completed a give-and-go with Jonathan Marchessault by blasting a one-timer previous Lankinen.
Gustav Nyqvist and Colton Sissons scored empty-net objectives for the Predators, who’ve made Vancouver an oasis throughout Nashville’s dismal season.
The Canucks contained Stamkos, Marchessault and Filip Forsberg for a lot of the sport, however nonetheless Nashville’s prime line discovered a method to produce the profitable aim. That’s what the Canucks want from Miller’s line.
“I imply, they need to rating,” Tocchet mentioned. “However generally if you wish to rating a lot, you overlook about doing the little issues. Six on 5, you realize, if you happen to simply remove folks, anyone’s going to get the puck. I believe we’re attempting to fret about performs. However, yeah, in fact they need to rating. I imply, they really feel the strain, yeah.”
“I imply, it is laborious to attain,” Miller mentioned, “and particularly with out the fellows that usually drive offensive play numerous nights for us. I am attempting to not get too wrapped up in it (mentally). Like I let you know guys on a regular basis, I’ve simply obtained to play stable hockey, and that different stuff will come. I consider that.”
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