Dakota Joshua described it as a 害羞草研究所榮pectacle害羞草研究所�. Quinn Hughes said it was 害羞草研究所榚lectric害羞草研究所�.
It was the atmosphere at Rogers Arena as playoff hockey returned to Vancouver for the first time in nine years on Sunday night.
The Vancouver Canucks didn害羞草研究所檛 disappoint the sell-out crowd of 18,967 as they scored three third period goals 害羞草研究所� the last one into an empty net 害羞草研究所� to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in game one of their first-round playoff series.
害羞草研究所淲hen we came out on the ice today it was probably one of the more special things I害羞草研究所檝e been a part of other than the birth of my children and my wedding. It害羞草研究所檚 hard not to get choked up when you see that,害羞草研究所� J.T. Miller said after the game.
害羞草研究所淭hat literally is everything 害羞草研究所� that emotion, that noise and the towels. If you can害羞草研究所檛 get up for that, you have something wrong with you. That was amazing. Once the first couple of shifts subsided, it was nice to settle in and play the game but I think I got a different perspective of what hockey means to these people here.害羞草研究所�
Despite the energy in the building, it was the Predators who opened the scoring on a goal by Jason Zucker at 16:15 of the first period and led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play,
The Canucks battled back with an early second period goal by Elias Lindholm 0:47 seconds into the period but Ryan O害羞草研究所橰eilly害羞草研究所檚 goal on the power play at 10:46 gave the Preds a 2-1 lead after forty minutes.
After Nashville went ahead, the Canucks came to a fork in the road.
Do they succumb to the pressure, press and make a mistake to give Nashville a 3-1 lead? Or do they hold steady until an opportunity arises?
Luckily for Canuck Nation it was the latter on this night as Pius Suter scored at 8:59 and then Joshua scored 12 seconds later to give the Canucks a lead they wouldn害羞草研究所檛 relinquish. Joshua added an empty netter at 18:32 to clinch the win.
In a way, the Canucks had been preparing for this situation 害羞草研究所� and for this game 害羞草研究所� all season long.
Since training camp, Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet has preached to stay 害羞草研究所榚ven keel害羞草研究所� and to be patient in critical situations.
Being down 2-1 at home in your first playoff game with an amped up crowd tested that mantra and the Canucks passed the test.
害羞草研究所淚t helped a lot. We害羞草研究所檝e been working on it all year. We害羞草研究所檝e talked countless times throughout the season exactly for moments like this. It害羞草研究所檚 what we have been building for 害羞草研究所� how to approach it physically and mentally. When things go bad or go well, it should be even-keel and they guys did a good job tonight,害羞草研究所� stated Tyler Myers.
害羞草研究所淲e could have pressed and got off our game but we didn害羞草研究所檛. We played strong, mature hockey. We let the game come to us and we didn害羞草研究所檛 give them too much. We knew we were going to have our looks,害羞草研究所� said Hughes.
You can talk scheme, you can talk Corsi or PDO or whatever other analytical data you can uncover but the game is decided in the purest form 害羞草研究所� winning one-on-one puck battles 害羞草研究所� and it was a key in the Canucks success on Sunday night. Whether it was winning that battle in the defensive zone to start the rush as was the case in the first two Canuck goals or whether it was Lindholm and Conor Garland doing the dirty work to set up Joshua害羞草研究所檚 game winner, having the will to win that one-on-one is paramount to success.
害羞草研究所淚t all starts somewhere on the ice 害羞草研究所� winning a one-on-one battle. All the goals are scored like that no matter what zone it害羞草研究所檚 in. That害羞草研究所檚 how a lot of goals are going to be scored in the playoffs. I just take pride in trying to win every battle I害羞草研究所檓 in,害羞草研究所� stated Joshua.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of times off the forecheck you get one chance to keep the puck and if you win that battle and get the puck to the 害羞草研究所楧害羞草研究所� that could start a thirty second shift 害羞草研究所� or two or three shifts in a row - in their end. It害羞草研究所檚 a big play and we talk about it all the time. If you lose that puck battle that might mean that shift you害羞草研究所檙e playing defense. We take a lot of pride in those and it害羞草研究所檚 something we can even be better at,害羞草研究所� explained Miller.
As for Tocchet, he was happy with his team害羞草研究所檚 performance in the puck battles, but as always, saw areas in which the Canucks could improve in.
害羞草研究所淚t was good. I think there害羞草研究所檚 another level. I think our edge battles off the draws 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 one thing I think we害羞草研究所檝e got to improve on. I think that has to be improved. It was a pretty low-event game in some respect but I think some of the chances they got were off (winning) draws,害羞草研究所� said Tocchet.
OVERTIME
* Thatcher Demko made 20 saves 害羞草研究所� including an incredible save of Nashville害羞草研究所檚 Anthony Beauvillier two minutes into the game. Demko came sprawling across his crease and got his right leg out to stop Beauvillier害羞草研究所檚 back door re-direct attempt. Nashville害羞草研究所檚 Juuse Saros made 17 saves in a losing effort.
* Vancouver was 0-2 on the power play while Nashville was 1-4.
* Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette is confident his team will bounce back in game two Tuesday night at Rogers Arena. 害羞草研究所淚 think this group has been resilient. We害羞草研究所檝e handled adversity all year. I think to a man we probably didn害羞草研究所檛 play our best but we害羞草研究所檝e done a really good job of just moving straight ahead. Just forget about it - rinse it. It was a fun game害羞草研究所 was proud of our group -how they handled it early and how we started 害羞草研究所� in my mind 害羞草研究所� to take the game over but we just didn害羞草研究所檛 finish the job. So lesson learned. It害羞草研究所檚 a long series and we can害羞草研究所檛 wait for the next game.害羞草研究所�
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 害羞草研究所渢he Moj害羞草研究所� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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