Last night, in a solidly played game, the Vancouver Canucks beat the visiting Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-3. The star of the game was Elias Petterson, who scored the game-winner and added two assists on his linemates’ goals to stake the team to the win. Those goals were scored by Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev.
If this latest chapter of the Canucks’ season is a precursor of what’s to come, that’s good news. The team is displaying both artistic brilliance and tactical adjustments that are (my artist friend Greg tells me) reminiscent of a Vermeer painting. [As an aside, the 17th-century Dutch painter was a master of light and meticulous attention to detail about regular life.]
Related: Canucks Quick Hits: Tocchet, DeSmith, Garland & Hoglander
Nikita Zadorov Has Added a Measure of Confidence to the Team
Since the arrival of Nikita Zadorov, the team has become a more cohesive unit, exuding confidence on the ice. However, the Canucks are still victims of familiar patterns. Specifically, the team allowed the Hurricanes to dominate the first period.
However, they were able to take advantage of a transition from defence to offence that resulted in Sam Lafferty getting on the goalie’s doorstep to convert a rebound for the team’s first goal. Once again, goalie Thatcher Demko bailed the Canucks out of their shaky start.
The Game Was a Coaching Duel Between Brind’Amour and Tocchet
The game unfolded as a strategic duel between two really good NHL coaches – Rod Brind’Amour vs Rick Tocchet. There’s mutual respect between the two coaches, likely stemming from their shared history and the respect they have for each other as former players.
Tocchet’s coaching style also seems to be influenced by studying Brind’Amour’s game. As a result, last night’s game became a tightly contested battle that left both teams frustrated. Carolina’s relentless penalty kill disrupted Vancouver’s power play. The Hurricanes’ aggressive plays forced longer passes that often led to turnovers.
The Canuck forwards became faced with the challenge of breaking through the Hurricanes’ defensive perimeter, both during power plays and at even strength. Tocchet was able to coach his team’s adjustments, which became evident in the second period when the Canucks managed to push the Hurricanes’ defence deeper into their zone.
The Canucks Overcame Some Poor Decisions
Notably, the game saw some unfortunate line-change miscues by the Canucks. These resulted in two bench penalties. These embarrassing lapses of attention likely drew Tocchet’s and his coaching staff’s attention. Knowing Tocchet, it’s hard to see him not using this as a lesson for what to improve on.
Despite these hiccups, every line on the Canucks worked hard and it became obvious that they were able to frustrate the Hurricanes. Dakota Joshua continued his physical presence, getting in his opponents’ way along the boards and around the net.
Elias Pettersson faced his fair share of bumps; however, he also delivered some physical payback this time. Andrei Kuzmenko, despite any previous disagreements with the coach, showed promise throughout the game.
A Canucks’ Win Is Still Two Points
In the end, a win is a win. From our eyes, the Canucks are an improving team that ices a solid team in almost every game. The on-ice product is gradually improving.
The Canucks are evolving into a team that can figure out opponents’ strategies, make necessary adjustments, and win games. This, from our point of view, is a result of the positive growth under head coach Tocchet’s guidance.
Related: Pettersson Plays Hero as Canucks Down Hurricanes 4-3