The Golden Knights have something to play for to keep top spot in the Pacific Division. How will the Canucks respond with pride on the line?
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Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights denies Canucks centre Teddy Blueger of the Vancouver Canucks during Dec. 19 meeting at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Photo by Ethan Miller /Getty Images
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When/where: Sunday, 7 p.m., Rogers Arena
TV: Sportsnet Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650
The buzz: Rick Tocchet has long lauded what the Golden Knights have assembled in Sin City.
They sport a big and mobile defence that can not only defend with size and speed, but jump up into the play and give the offence another dimension and the opposition a coverage headache.
That tradition continues because good defence has translated into great offence. The Pacific Division leaders own the NHL’s top-ranked power play at 30.1 per cent efficiency and their sixth-rated offence is clicking at 3.34 goals per game.
And with something to play for Sunday to hold off the fast-charging Los Angeles Kings and retain the top division playoff seed — especially after losing 4-0 on home ice to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday — they will be more than ready.
How will the Canucks respond? Will they go quietly into the night, or will we see an improved back end rise to the challenge like it did Saturday in a 6-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks?
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For everything that has gone wrong in a season gone sideways, the additions of blueliners Marcus Pettersson, Elias Pettersson and Victor Mancini, plus the future promise of 2023 first-round draft pick Tom Willander bode well for the future.
And two more seasons at US$3 million annually for a rejuvenated Tyler Myers fits competitively and financially. Add veteran savvy in the elder (Marcus) Pettersson, plus imposing size and bite in the younger blueliner (Elias) Pettersson and hulking Mancini, and it’s encouraging.
An inability to score has been trumped by willingness to defend and not bleed odd-man rushes.
And with Quinn Hughes continuing in a pairing with Filip Hronek to do his all-encompassing thing — despite being more banged up than he’s willing to admit — there’s a reason for optimism.
Still, it’s work in progress for the younger Pettersson, 21, and Mancini, 22, and that’s what this crawl to an early summer is all about. Getting better every day. It needs to continue Sunday.
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After all, the Canucks are far from the Golden Knights. They ice pairings of Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin with Alex Pietrangelo, plus Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud. They range from 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-6 and 200 to 245 pounds. If that isn’t enough, they have combined for 33 goals and 164 points.
The history: Third of four meetings. The Canucks lost 3-1 in Vegas on Dec. 19 as William Karlsson snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period. Teddy Blueger had the lone Vancouver goal. The Canucks also dropped a 3-1 setback in Las Vegas on Feb. 22 as Adin Hill made 33 saves and Brandon Saad snapped a 1-1 draw early in the third. Jake DeBrusk had the only Canucks goal.
“There’s some good and some bad,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said of those games. “There are moments we should have executed on. We just didn’t come through.”
The hope: Showing up. The most meaningful games were in March where the Canucks went 7-6-2, and despite a couple of six-goal outbursts, scored two or fewer goals on three occasions. Losing 3-1 at Winnipeg to end the month put their slim playoff hopes in peril.
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The fear: The Golden Knights are as good as advertised. They score early and often with lethal offence and top-ranked power play. The ultimate litmus test for the Canucks’ third-ranked penalty kill that’s operating at 83 per cent efficiency.
The latest: Tocchet said there’s “a good chance” injured winger Nils Hoglander will be back Sunday. He has missed six games with an undisclosed injury suffered March 22.
The top guns: Grinding winger Kiefer Sherwood continues to hit hard (league record 435) and play hard. Has 11 points (4-7) in last 11 games and career-high 17 goals. Centre Pius Suter has eight points (2-6) in last six games and career-high 22 goals.
The wounded: Canucks: Filip Chytil (concussion, day-to-day), Elias Pettersson (arm, day-to-day), Tyler Myers (lower body, day-to-day), Nils Aman (shoulder, week-to-week), Noah Juulsen (hernia surgery, IR). Golden Knights: Tomas Hertl (shoulder, week-to-week), Ilya Samsonov (upper body, day-to-day).
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The quote: “I saw a lot of nervousness. I didn’t think we had poise. Then they got a couple of quick goals on us, so you could see guys were getting nervous, chasing the game. — Tocchet on 5-0 loss to the Kraken on Wednesday.
The possible lineup:
Garland-Suter-Boeser
O’Connor-Blueger-DeBrusk
Joshua-Raty-Sherwood
Karlsson-Sasson-Lekkerimaki
(Hoglander expected to return, somebody will sit)
Hughes-Mancini
M.Pettersson-Hronek
Forbort-E.Pettersson
Lankinen
The prediction: The Golden Knights have something to play for and the Canucks have their pride on the line. But they’ve been inconsistent and home ice all season and fall 4-2.
(FAN FORUM: Do you have a specific question for a player? Pass it along to @provincesports and we’ll get it in a future edition.)
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