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What used to be a treacherous run through Cali isn’t as much of a gauntlet now, but the Canucks finalized the sweep last night with a solid 4-2 win over the Kings. The team looks and sounds much different from the one that left Vancouver a week ago: a lot of progress in a short amount of time. If you missed the highlights, they are here:
Some down time, some concentration, intense practice, and buying back into their systems has turned this team around to something resembling what we saw last year. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. It’s also 7-2-3 and just behind Vegas for the lead in the division.
“I think we made a lot of progress,” Myers said. “Guys have really bought in the last week, especially. Our systems play on the ice feels like night and day from the first seven or eight games. And I think it shows; we're getting results. It should let all of us know that if we stick to that plan and play within the system, we're going to have results. It was a great road trip, and we just want to keep building.”
It’s incremental, but thankfully it seems to be heading in the right direction.
“I feel like every game, we're kind of getting closer to the 60 minutes,” Miller added. “It seems like everybody's just getting a little more on the same page and we have more urgency. So it's a good combination for our group. When we're working hard and are a little more on the same page and we're reading plays faster, we look like a faster team.”
The boys are noticing it, and so is Tocchet. Like it’s been mentioned, there are a lot of new guys on the team, and that takes a while to gel and feel comfortable.
“I just think we're getting to our game,” Tocchet said. “Obviously, the odd-man rushes (allowed) are getting less and less. I think that's the key. Just a more connected group. You've got to remember, you've got 10 or 11 different guys (from last season)... and a couple guys are injured. I mean, there's a lot of different moving parts, and we're hanging in there. So I'm really proud of the guys.”
The Canucks responded well after not only going down a goal early, but also losing Boeser to an illegal headshot midway through the game. It was a dirty hit that hopefully the league will look into, and hope it doesn’t keep the Canucks’ leading scorer out of the lineup too long.
“Next man up type of thing,”Tocchet said. “Brock is a big part of our team, a big chunk, and guys did a nice job filling in. I had to put some different guys up there, so I hope Brock is okay. I’ve got to take a look at it (hit) and obviously it’s a dangerous play.”
DeBrusk potted his third goal in as many games after a slow start to the season. Lankinen was again solid and steady as he continues to help carry this team. Hughes was doing Hughes stuff again, as he’s operating on a different level than anyone else right now.
“It’s pretty elite,” Miller said of Hughes. “When we’re playing man-on-man teams, I feel bad for them because it sucks to try and cover him up there (point). He’s our leader. And these are the tough games that get you going for the rest of the season.”
The Canucks now travel back home to start a six home homestand, which opens Saturday night against the Oilers. If Boeser isn’t available for the game, the Canucks could look to a sizzling hot rookie to slot into the lineup… Lekkerimaki has 5 goals in 7 games for Abbotsford, and apparently the brass is quite happy with how he’s transitioned to the North American ice. For someone with him talents he needs to be slotted in to the top half of the lineup, and this would be just the opportunity for that. He showed some chemistry with Petey in the preseason, but finding himself playing with Miller in Boeser’s spot isn’t a bad way to break into the NHL either.
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