Canucks 3, Avalanche 0: Thatcher Demko Standing O in Shutout -Sejr

Article content

Bend but don’t break.

Article content

Article content

Article content

For Vancouver Canucks that have become more diligent and crucial to defend, it was critical to follow the credo of denial Tuesday Rogers Arena.

To negate dizzying screens with speed, precise playmaking and finish by NHL scoring leader Nathan Mackinnon, they had to keep the Colorado Avalanche Superstar Center from Knifing through defenders and make his difference-maker thing.

It wasn’t easy.

It took everything and all for a satisfactory and feisty 3-0 victory to climb up a draw with Calgary flames to the final playoff position in Wild-Card in the Western Conference.

It included a strong performance of Thatcher Demko for his first closure of the season and a good shutdown effort from Pius Sterter’s line. They helped prevent Mackinnon and new fast Linemate Martin Necas from transforming the ice into their personal playground with wheels and trade and almost delivering.

Article content

Mackinnon had five shots and nine attempts, while NECAs had three shots and seven attempts.

That is why Canucks can take a measure of satisfaction from keeping the high-octanic avalanche scoreless, even without getting-out-of-fay-free cards wounded Quinn Hughes.

Here’s what we learned as Jake De Coste, Brock Boeser and Nykommer Drew O’Connor scored for Canucks who surpassed Avalanche 31-25, and now face the sharks on Thursday in San Jose:

Thatcher Demko delivers in clutch

The Canucks starter got a standing ovation and sang of his name on a sparkling second-period rescue sequence.

With the His Club Nursing a 1-0 lead, he first refused defender Cale Makar, who was created as the trailer on a theater piece where Demko got a piece of a rocket handle shot with his glove. Then he quickly had to get mail to write to avert the Artturi Leh wife with a toe rescue.

Article content

Article content

The sequence ended with Demko spread on the stomach to stop another chance.

There was an early feeling that Demko had found his mojo because he was in the zone. Square and quiet and not lurking or lungs after pucker. He trusted structure. He also got a right pillow on a Leh wife Power Play-Chance and then refused Jack Drury short-handed chance.

Jake DeMusk, Brock Boeser Bust Out Out

They do not ask how they ask how many.

With only one goal in its previous 13 matches, De Most Cutch was looking for something – something – to find the back of the net. He had a chance in the first period when Elias Pettersson chased the puck, and De Coste had a chance next to the cage.

In the second period, De Musk finally hit. When a shot of Filip Hronek deflected loudly from the net, the big wings were quietly shopping it down and pushing the puck home, as if he were a child on a backyard Rink in his original Edmonton.

Article content

It was De Ceysk’s team leading 19 goals in the season in 53 games to match the 19 he had in 80 games with Boston Bruin’s last season.

De Costre and Carson Soucy also came to the aid of rookie defender Elias Pettersson, who was in a three-year scrap with Miles Wood.

Boeser then delivered the dagger on an evening where it looked like he could be blank again with three good looks. Then he took a cross in the Ice Power Play Pass from De Coste and broke his 17th season home.

Chytil stiffer good things

We are not used to seeing this.

Big Center Filip Chytil continued to move the motivational meter with speed, smarts and patient puck control zone inputs that bought time and space. It put Avalanche defenders on their heels.

Article content

In the first period, Chytil benefits from more ice age – something he was hard pressed to get with the New York Rangers – and his hard drive to the inside drew a penalty. Then he got the O-zone again, hung on the puck and then spun to find the trailer.

These are the things that head coach Rick Tocchet has preached for months, and something Chytil already has in his arsenal. Then came back early in the second period to break a spectacle and start the transition.

“Great speed, seeing the ice cream well, doing a lot of acting,” Linemate Conor Garland said. “A really good pickup. Good zoning and drives. He is a wing’s dream. I played a lot with Bo (Horvat) and he would push through the middle and run the defense of you. “

Article content

When will see Hughes again?

Tocchet has long roset the will and skill of playing through pain.

However, it felt the discomfort of Hughes on Friday after delivering powerful offensive zone checks in Dallas and fell awkward to the ice angle as he tried his patented spin-and-wheel movement to trigger the transition-narrator and worry.

Hughes was hopeful that the suffering, which could be optimistically a groin, or pessimistic an abdominal problem, would fall in 48 hours to play Sunday. He didn’t. And sat out again Tuesday.

Hughes took a vortex with Canucks Skills coach before the morning game skating on Tuesday, had a brief consultation and left the ice. Canucks plays on Thursday in San Jose and hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs on the Saturday before their break.

Article content

Hughes talked confidentially about being ready for 4 Nations Face-off Tournament next week. The United States is facing Finland in its opener on Wednesday, and Hughes was expected to be in a first pairing with Charlie McAvoy from Boston Bruins. When Tocchet was asked about this view, he was careful.

“When the days go by, we have to visit it,” he said. “He plays a lot of stress games.”

[email protected]

Article content