If you needed evidence that there has been a cultural shift with the Vancouver Canucks, Tuesday night害羞草研究所檚 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Arena was 害羞草研究所楨xhibit A害羞草研究所� judging by some of the post-game comments from head coach Rick Tocchet and his players.

It was a victory, but at the end of the night, it was pretty obvious that the standards that have been set by Tocchet and his staff were not met.

The Canucks took advantage of some shoddy goaltending and some lucky bounces to chase Sens starting netminder Anton Forsberg out of the game after he gave up four goals on 13 shots in the first period. When the smoke had cleared after 20 minutes, the Canucks had a 5-0 lead courtesy of two goals from Elias Pettersson with Ian Cole, Pius Sutter and J.T. Miller adding singles.

害羞草研究所淚t was a great period. Probably one of our best periods in about a month,害羞草研究所� Tocchet stated post-game.

It害羞草研究所檚 what happened after the opening period that left a sour taste in the mouth of Tocchet and players such as Miller.

The Senators battled back with goals from Claude Giroux and a pair of third period goals by Vladimir Tarasenko to make it 5-3 with 2:31 remaining in the game but the Canucks responded with Suter scoring his second goal of the night just 13 seconds later to seal the win for Vancouver.

害羞草研究所淚 just liked our start. I think no matter if you score those (types of) goals or not, it害羞草研究所檚 good for the game and good for the pace. That being said, I felt like we just totally sat on a five-goal lead after the first period. If we are going to take steps as a team, we are going to need to play the second and third like it害羞草研究所檚 nothing-nothing. I thought we played worse after the first period, so it害羞草研究所檚 nice to enjoy the win but we are going to evaluate ourselves honestly and we didn害羞草研究所檛 play very well after the first period,害羞草研究所� explained Miller.

Yes, it was a win but one good period and two poor ones won害羞草研究所檛 cut it in the majority of games moving forward and especially on the seven-game road trip that starts Thursday night in St. Louis.

Simply put, this edition of the Canucks isn害羞草研究所檛 satisfied with sub-par performances even if they do result in two points in the standings and that害羞草研究所檚 a good thing. It means that a bar has been set and there is going to be accountability if the process isn害羞草研究所檛 followed 害羞草研究所� win or lose.

害羞草研究所淲e didn害羞草研究所檛 play the right way. We害羞草研究所檒l take the two points but it was a learning lesson for us. I didn害羞草研究所檛 like our (last) 40 and I hope the guys didn害羞草研究所檛, but hey, we won the game. I loved our first period害羞草研究所�that害羞草研究所檚 basically my assessment of the game,害羞草研究所� Tocchet said with a tinge of sarcasm.

As his post-game session continued, you had the feeling that Tocchet was anything but happy with his team害羞草研究所檚 overall performance.

害羞草研究所淭he last two periods we lost our staples. We didn害羞草研究所檛 go through people and then we were backing up. Guys were skating backwards in the neutral zone. We were pinching when we shouldn害羞草研究所檛. Those were the things for me that I don害羞草研究所檛 like. It can become contagious, so we害羞草研究所檝e got to stop that,害羞草研究所� expanded Tocchet, who also added it should have been an 害羞草研究所榚asier night害羞草研究所� for goaltender Thatcher Demko.

There was one thing that did bring a smile to Tocchet害羞草研究所檚 face post-game and that was the first period power play goal by Pettersson.

The Canucks entered the game with only two power play goals in their last 22 opportunities spanning six games. The power play woes resulted in the first power play unit getting some extra work during the game day skate even though it was supposed to be an optional workout.

The Canucks scored on their only opportunity of the game when Pettersson misfired on a one-timer only to see the puck deflected by Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson and sneak by goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who had come into the game for Forsberg by that point.

害羞草研究所淚 do like the fact that it was one of the plays we worked on this morning. It was downhill, and if the lane was open to Petey, to get it to him. Sometimes you get those lucky goals. 100% it was nice to get a power play goal and maybe get the confidence going for the guys,害羞草研究所� Tocchet noted.

OVERTIME

* Wayne Gretzky made the trek to Vancouver from Seattle after working the Winter Classic between the Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights for TNT on Monday to take in the Canucks game. Gretzky and Tocchet were teammates for a couple of seasons in the 害羞草研究所�90害羞草研究所檚 with the L.A. Kings and Tocchet was an assistant coach for one season in Phoenix under Gretzky.

* The Great One was bullish on the Canucks when we asked for his thoughts on the team at the morning skate. 害羞草研究所淥bviously their record speaks for itself. I害羞草研究所檓 sure everybody in the area is pretty excited about where they are and what they害羞草研究所檝e accomplished so far. They got to be proud. Watching the games, they害羞草研究所檙e playing with a lot of heart and playing hard. Their goaltending has been solid, their best players are playing at a high level 害羞草研究所� Hughes and Miller and Pettersson 害羞草研究所� and everyone else has jumped on the wagon. They deserve all the accolades they are getting right now. It害羞草研究所檚 been fun to watch,害羞草研究所� said Gretzky, who took in the game from the stands with Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.

* The Canucks lost forward Phil Di Giuseppe in the first period to a lower-body injury. Tocchet told reporters post-game that it would 害羞草研究所榖e awhile害羞草研究所� before Di Giuseppe would be back in the lineup and also added the team would probably recall a forward from Abbotsford for the upcoming road trip.

* Nils Aman was a healthy scratch for Vancouver with Tocchet saying that 害羞草研究所榯hree, four, five guys that will be rotated (in and) out害羞草研究所� of a forward spot while looking for someone to establish themselves.

* Senators President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staois was on the trip with his team. Staois played for the Canucks from 1997 through 1999 害羞草研究所� appearing in 143 games for Vancouver.

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.

READ MORE:

READ MORE: